Ways and means committee OKs larger bonding bill; package heads to Floor

When the House Capital Investment Committee approved a $600 million bonding proposal almost two weeks ago on a split voice vote, many DFLers could be heard voting against the plan.

The total has since increased to $800 million, an amount called for in the House Budget Resolution.

That was still not enough to garner unanimous support Tuesday, but it was enough for the House Ways and Means Committee to approve HF892, as amended, on a split voice vote and send it to the House Floor for expected action Wednesday.

By law, capital investment bills need three-fifths approval of each body, 81 votes in the House, to be enacted. Republicans hold a 77-57 seat House advantage and 34-33 in the Senate.

“One way or another we got to do this,” said Rep. Dean Urdahl (R-Grove City), the bill sponsor. “We have critical needs in this state, we have a crumbling infrastructure. We have to find a way to get this done."

Urdahl, who chairs the bonding committee, said there is no cash in the bill, which is heavy on infrastructure and contains $106 million in asset preservation.

Among the larger changes, the bill now includes nearly $70.3 million for renovation and expansion at the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter, which houses and treats Minnesotans that courts have civilly committed as mentally ill and dangerous. The first phase was funded in 2014, and employees testified before the bonding committee earlier this month about safety issues, including poor sightlines to view patient activity.

Other spending additions include:

• $28.57 million for a chemistry and advanced materials science building at the University of Minnesota-Duluth;
• $25.4 million more (up from $12.7 million) for contaminated sediment management actions identified in a remedial action plan to restore water quality in the St. Louis River Area of Concern;
• $19 million for new intake health services and the second phase of loading dock upgrades at the St. Cloud prison;
• $12.6 million for a rail grade separation at Anoka County State Aid Highway 78 and Hanson Boulevard in Coon Rapids;
• $12.1 million for Metro Orange Line bus rapid transit;
• $12 million for Phase 2 of the Dorothy Day Center in St. Paul to help homeless persons and people at risk of becoming homeless by providing services “that improve their health, income, housing stability or well-being;”
• $7.85 for truss bridge renovation at the Minneapolis Veterans Home;
• $6 million for repairs and renovation of the Lake Byllesby Dam on the Cannon River;
• $5 million for metropolitan regional parks
• $3.13 million for development of the Gitchi-Gami State Trail from Garand Marais to Cascade State Park;
• $3 million for a law enforcement and emergency center in Chisago County;
• $3 million more (up to nearly $59.25 million) for local road improvement programs; and
• $1.65 million for Safe Routes to School.

MORE See the spreadsheet

More than $3.7 billion in requests were submitted. Gov. Mark Dayton unveiled a $1.5 billion proposal in January. Sponsored by Sen. David Senjem (R-Rochester), SF210, which includes $973 million in general-obligation bonding and $201.9 million in General Fund spending, awaits action by the full Senate.

Odd-numbered years are traditionally focused on establishing a state budget with a smaller bonding bill; even-numbered years are often centered on a large capital investment plan.

However, last year’s inaction has led to calls for a bigger bill this year. Supporters note a construction season was lost in 2016, construction costs are ticking upward and interest rates are relatively low.

A House vote was taken in the chaotic final minutes of the final day on a plan introduced a few hours earlier. The DFL-controlled Senate added a plan to pay for the controversial Southwest light-rail project just before the clock struck midnight, but the House had adjourned sine die. Capital investment was part of the unsuccessful special session discussion over the final seven months of 2016.

Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington) suggested a $2 billion bill be passed this year and then have no bill next year.

Urdahl called it “an interesting concept that has been bantered about,” but said that’s not going to happen.