Minn. House to hold hearing on Dayton's $1B bonding bill

A Minnesota House committee will hold a hearing Wednesday on Gov. Dayton's proposal to borrow $1 billion dollars for public works projects across the state.

Dayton is proposing $500 million worth of projects and wants the Legislature to come up with an additional $500 million. The projects include a physics and nanotechnology center at the University of Minnesota, civic centers in St. Cloud, Rochester and Mankato and the renovation of the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Dayton said it's up to Republican lawmakers to decide whether they want to pass the bill.

"They have indicated not much interest in it, so if they don't want to put 14,000, 20,000 or 28,000 people to work in the private construction sector in Minnesota, that's ultimately their decision not mine," Dayton said.

Republicans have said they may be willing to borrow for some new projects, but only if they can use unspent money from past projects where construction hasn't started yet.