This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

HOUSE INTRODUCES BONDING BILL WITH FUNDING FOR LOCAL PROJECTS

ST.PAUL – The 2014 Omnibus Bonding Bill was unveiled in the House Capital Investment Committee today. During the meeting, Rep. Hausman, Chair of the Capital Investment Committee, also unveiled the details of a separate bill that would make $125 million in cash investments through the use of one time budget surplus funds. Included in the bills are several bills authored by Representative Rick Hansen (DFL – South St Paul).
Two of the bills authored by Rep. Hansen would be funded through cash investments:• $2 million for a grant to the city of West St. Paul to design and construct a pedestrian bridge for the North Urban Regional Trail as an overpass of Robert Street in the area near Wentworth Avenue in West St. Paul.• $1.5 million to the Minnesota Amateur Sports Commission for  ‘Mighty Ducks’ grants to install, renovate, or replace heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems in existing indoor ice arenas whose ice resurfacing and ice edging equipment are not powered by electricity in order to improve indoor air quality by reducing concentrations of carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide.
The other bill would be funded through Government Operating Bonds:• $1 million in grants for cities within the metropolitan area for capital improvements in municipal wastewater collection systems to reduce the amount of inflow and infiltration to the sanitary sewer disposal system.
“The pedestrian bridge will help provide a safe route for walking and biking in the very busy Robert Street corridor,” said Hansen. “I’m glad to see this project supported with cash investments that will help the project move forward quickly. The other bills will helps address air quality and water treatment issues in the metro area.”
At a time when interest rates are still low, this borrowing bill will allow the state to stretch taxpayer dollars and boost job creation. Minnesota added more than 45,000 jobs during 2013, and currently has an unemployment rate of 4.8 percent. 
“For the state as a whole, these projects really help create jobs for local communities,” said Hansen. “The construction and infrastructure projects funded in this bill will create thousands of jobs for Minnesotans.” 
The bill, in total, allocates $850 million in general obligation bonds for statewide infrastructure improvements in higher education, transportation, housing, economic development, clean water and wastewater systems.  
Highlights of the Capital Investment Bill include:• Protects natural resources – from International Falls’ Voyaguers National Park to the Big Lake Sanitary District to Albert Lea’s Fountain Lake• Provides greater public safety through upgrades in flood mitigation, local roads and bridges, and dam repair.• Invests in asset preservation – MnSCU, the University of Minnesota and state agencies will get needed asset preservation funds for critical repairs. • Makes historic investments to address housing challenges across Minnesota.• Makes a big dent in backlog for crumbling wastewater systems, roads and bridges throughout the state.

The full $850 million bonding bill can be found here: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/comm/docs/a14-1037.pdf.
The $125 million general fund bill can be found here: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/comm/docs/a14-1038.pdf.  
###

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Mendota Heights