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(AP) - From parking ramps to hockey arenas, local
governments will be seeking a mountain of construction money from
the state during next year's legislative session.

      Already, $1.2 billion in bonding requests have come in from
cities, counties and other local entities. 

That's on top of the $2
billion that state agencies have requested for roads, bridges, mass
transit, classroom buildings, water projects and routine
maintenance. The Finance Department forwarded the wish list to
lawmakers on Monday.

      "We'll be saying no to $3 out of every $4 in requests," said
Rep. Alice Hausman, the St. Paul Democrat who chairs the House
bonding committee.

      State guidelines limit the amount of borrowing authorized each
year. The current limit is roughly $990 million, said Jayne Rankin,
the Finance Department's capital budget coordinator.

      Not every request will get out of the gate.

      Gov. Tim Pawlenty will propose his construction budget by Jan.
15. The Legislature tends to weigh in during the spring.

      Bloomington has the largest local pitch. It wants the state of
Minnesota to chip in $192 million to build a parking ramp at the
expanded Mall of America. 

Sports requests are also prevalent:
Bemidji, Crookston and Duluth have asked for state funding for
college-level hockey arenas and St. Paul requested $25 million to
renovate or replace Midway Stadium and build a soccer complex next
door.

      Hausman predicted lawmakers would receive another $1 billion in
requests before the Legislature reconvenes Feb. 12, raising the
pricetag on the wish list to about $4 billion.

      "That tells you something about the huge needs out there,"
Hausman said.

      The Legislature approved a pared-down bonding bill this year but
it ran into a Pawlenty veto. By tradition, the larger capital works
bills are taken up in even-numbered years.
      

Gallery

Politics and Government News

2025 Minnesota legislative session

From parking ramps to hockey arenas, local
governments will be seeking a mountain of construction money from
the state during next year's legislative session.



Wish list for state construction dollars is long, getting longer

Go Deeper.

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