ST. PAUL (AP) - Bemidji's regional events center is included in the Minnesota House of Representatives' bonding bill released this morning. The measure seeks $20 million for the Bemidji project.
Convention center expansions, new college labs, renovated zoo exhibits and prison build-outs are all part of the House construction plan.
The $1 billion proposal differs from plans already on the table from Governor Tim Pawlenty and the Democratic majority in the state Senate. All are roughly the same size, but the destination of the dollars varies. It'll likely be a few weeks before a uniform bill for long-term borrowing is negotiated.
House Democratic leaders say they crafted her bill to maximize projects that can get under way soon, which they say would help a suffering construction sector rebound.
About 40 percent of the projects authorized by the House bill are on public college campuses.
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Some of the regional event and convention centers that would benefit are in Bemidji, Duluth, Rochester and St. Cloud.
The proposed Bemidji events center was included in the Senate Capital Investment Committee's $965 million state building projects bonding bill, fully funded at $22 million.
Pawlenty did not include the Bemidji project in his bonding proposal earlier this year.
The $50 million events center, proposed to be located on the south shore of Lake Bemidji, would serve as an events and convention center, and would feature Bemidji State University hockey as its anchor tenant.
The Democratic-led House outlined its priorities Monday, offering a package of convention center expansions, new college labs, renovated zoo exhibits, hiking and biking trail upgrades and prison build-outs. About 40 percent of the projects authorized by the House bill are on public college campuses.
House Capital Investment Committee Chairwoman Alice Hausman said she crafted her bill to maximize work-ready projects that can move quickly off the drawing board.
"This bill puts people to work, and that's a good thing in a year like this," said Hausman, DFL-St. Paul.
Republicans involved in the borrowing debate agreed the bill would prime the economic pump.
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"If government is going to spur the economy, a bonding bill is the only way you're going to do it," said Rep. Larry Howes, R-Walker.
Among the proposed spending in the House bill is:
--$100 million to fix windows, roofs and building interiors on the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities campuses. There's tens of millions of dollars more for new or expanded buildings.
--$70 million toward a Minneapolis-to-St. Paul light rail line.
--$75 million combined for civic center and arena work in Bemidji, Crookston, Duluth, Rochester and St. Cloud.
--$16 million for expansion of the Faribault prison.
--$15.5 million to buy land for a proposed state park at Lake Vermilion.
--$13.4 million for state Capitol restoration.
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--$11 million for polar bear and gorilla exhibit renovation at the Como Zoo.
A state economic forecast released last week found that employment in the Minnesota contruction sector was down 5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2007 compared with the same quarter a year earlier. The report also said that building material and supply stores were experiencing a job slide as well.
On Monday, the U.S. Commerce Department said nationwide construction spending plunged by 1.7 percent in January as builders slashed spending on residential projects. They also made cutbacks in spending on hotels and motels, highways and various projects by state and local governments.
The roughly $1 billion House proposal differs from plans already on the table from Pawlenty and the Democratic majority in the state Senate. All are roughly the same size, but the destination of the dollars varies.
What's more, Pawlenty wants everyone to slim their wish lists even more so the state doesn't face more debt repayment than it can afford.
Hausman said she fully intends to scale back the House plan during negotiations with the Senate because she doesn't want to put the whole bill in danger of a veto.
The House bill is tentatively set for a Thursday vote.
