Wish list for state construction dollars is long, getting longer
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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.
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"We'll be saying no to $3 out of every $4 in requests."
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.
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
