High-speed rail could be derailed

The proposed high-speed train from the Twin Cities to Chicago and a trail providing bike access to the new Lake Vermilion State Park could be in jeopardy.

House Capital Investment Committee Chairman Larry Howes (R-Walker) sponsors HF1104 that would cancel approximately $60.6 million for previously bonded projects, including a new Minnesota planetarium, infrastructure improvements to veterans homes, several passenger rail projects and a regional public safety training center. Approved March 15 by the committee, it now moves to the House Ways and Means Committee. It has no Senate companion.

Preliminary estimates show the bill’s General Fund impact at approximately $3.4 million in the 2012-2013 biennium.

The projects that could be defunded were bonded for in previous years, but for various reasons have not moved beyond the planning stage.

An Olmsted County Regional Public Safety Training Center, after several tries, made it into the 2008 capital investment law with its $3.65 million request. County representatives told the committee that plans ran up against the recession, and that the county scaled the project back by $70,000 and delayed it until 2010.

“Our commitment to the project is still there,” said Paul Wilson, chairman of the Olmsted County Board. He said that local resources have been expended on the project.

Rep. Alice Hausman (DFL-St. Paul), who chaired the committee the previous four years, criticized the proposed nixing of $26 million approved by the governor in 2009 for a Twin Cities-to-Chicago high-speed rail line federal match.

Bernie Arseneau, Department of Transportation deputy commissioner, said former Gov. Tim Pawlenty requested the money to secure the match. He said the loss of support would also put in question the future plans for the St. Paul train depot, and a rail line from the Twin Cities to Duluth.

However, Rep. Peggy Scott (R-Andover) said that current rail projects aren’t delivering as promised. “It’s all my money; they are losing money. … It doesn’t seem like a viable idea.” She said the population base doesn’t justify a rail line between Duluth and the Twin Cities.

The $950,000 funding approved in 2008 for the Mesabi Trail connection from Bearhead Lake State Park to the International Wolf Center in Ely and a link through the new Lake Vermilion State Park would be canceled.

Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake) said the defunding “didn’t make any sense.”

“We created Vermilion State Park. We paid for the land for a park that has a (state) park next to it. Now we get rid of appropriation to link a trail through the new $18 million state park.”

Howes said the committee may consider more bond cancellations at a meeting next week.