Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Legislative News and Views - Rep. Ben Lien (DFL)

Back to profile

STATEMENT: With Clay Co. solid waste project funding cut and higher ed. underfunded, Lien opposes bonding bill

Monday, May 14, 2018

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Today the Minnesota House passed a bonding bill to fund statewide infrastructure improvements. The bill, with $850 million of state general obligation bonds and $250 million of trunk highway bonds, falls short of Gov. Dayton’s $1.5 billion package of recommended investments.

During the debate, funding for a new Clay County Resource Recovery Facility was cut from $7 million to just $500,000. Rep. Ben Lien (DFL – Moorhead) released the following statement:

"I did not vote for the Bonding Bill this year because of the amendment to take money away from the Clay County Resource Recovery Facility. This project received $600,000 in 2014 for planning and design, and it is shovel ready. The facility would greatly improve waste collection operations in Clay County, and save the county money.

"I'd also like to see more funding in the Bonding Bill for higher education. The numbers in the House bill for the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State systems are far below the system requests and Governor Dayton's proposal. I hope the overall Bonding Bill grows in size as we move through this last week of the session, and includes the local Clay County project and better funding for our campuses."