ST. PAUL, Minn. – (Jan. 15, 2016) – Governor Dayton has unveiled his proposed bonding bill for the upcoming legislative session. The bill includes $1.4 billion worth of projects across the state.
The Governor claims the bill, if enacted in full, would create 39,000 jobs.
Republican leaders have stated the bill is too large and want to use some of the state surplus to pay for projects instead of bonding.
In Dayton’s bill $343 million would go towards construction projects at public universities. Another $220 million would be invested in Minnesota water quality projects.
In the north metro, the Governor has suggested $5 million for additional field expansion at the National Sports Center, $5.7 million for renovations at the Lino Lakes correctional facility and $12.6 million for building a overpass on Hanson Boulevard in Coon Rapids to separate the busy roadway from the railroad track.
The state reports that they currently have $3.7 billion in bonding requests and this bill would accommodate 37 percent of those requests.
A bonding bill requires a three fifths supermajority vote to pass meaning the final bill will require bipartisan support.
The legislative session begins on March 8.
