In the Session Daily article, Republicans respond to failed Senate bonding bill, we read:
It came down to a single vote.
Republicans gathered outside the State Office Building Thursday afternoon to provide reaction to the Senate failing to pass a $1.8 billion bonding bill by a single vote. . . .
While the House has yet to unveil its capital investment bill, it is expected to be in the neighborhood of $600 million and could contain some funding for road and bridge projects.
At the Pioneer Press, Bill Salisbury has more in No Minnesota bonding bill this year? With Senate defeat, maybe:
Dozens of financially strapped rural Minnesota cities would be on their own to repair or replace substandard sewer and water systems — if they could afford it. . . .
If there’s no bonding bill this year, Management Budget’s Frans said the biggest loss would be clean water. “In light of the Flint, Mich., (lead contamination) situation, clean and affordable water is so critical,” he said.
Gov. Mark Dayton proposed spending $220 million on sewer and drinking water projects, saying they will be a top priority during his final three years in office.
Frans said state funding is especially critical for rural towns with aging systems and small tax bases. Without state money, those communities would have to borrow money at high interest rates or charge their residents higher water fees, “and they’re already paying about as much as some of those people can afford,” he said.
The House's mysterious dollar figure helped draw a letter to the editor from Dennison mayor Jeffrey Platen to the Red Wing Republican Eagle, Bonding bill indicative of connectedness. Platen writes in part:
. . .As mayor of a small town, I believe it’s my duty to ensure the drinking water is safe and our infrastructure is maintained properly.
The Flint, Mich., water crisis is a reminder that our water systems shouldn’t be taken for granted. We are all interconnected, whether we like it or not. That’s why I’ll keep fighting for my small town and others throughout the state.
I appreciate the support from Gov. Mark Dayton and the lieutenant governor for our bonding request.
I’m not sure how large the final state bonding bill will be, but the initial amount proposed by the House Republicans is totally unacceptable. The bonding bill and our project shouldn’t be a partisan battle. We have way too many infrastructure needs in this state to play the usual political games.
Platen is mayor of Dennison, population 215, that's located on the western edge of Goodhue County. Since we haven't seen the House Republicans' bonding bill, it's impossible to say with certainty that the small town will be left to fend for itself, but perhaps after this vote, we'll hear less about how Democrats are leaving Greater Minnesota behind.
Photo: Mayor Jeffrey Flaten climbs down to check the pumps in the city's sewer lift station (Pioneer Press: Jean Pieri)
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