Grand Rapids Herald Review: Governor says jobs bill balances between Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota

Gov. Mark Dayton’s Jobs Bill has a carefully crafted balance between the Twin Cities area and Greater Minnesota.

“It balances the needs of the state, with 35 percent of projects in Greater Minnesota, 35 percent in the Twin Cities Area, and 30 percent having impacts statewide,” the governor said in a news release on Friday when he released his $1.4 billion public works proposal for the 2016 legislative session.

Dayton on Thursday separately proposed a nearly $220 million plan to begin trying to fix the state’s aging water and sewage systems.

Here are highlights of the governor’s Jobs Bill:

• Lewis & Clark Regional Water System: $16 million to deliver water to the City of Worthington to meet the growing needs of businesses and residents. This funding would complete the project and deliver water to more than 20,000 Minnesotans.

• Duluth Energy Efficiency Upgrades: To increase energy efficiency and reduce utility expenses through $21 million to convert Duluth’s steam energy system to a hot water system.

• Red Wing River Town Renaissance: $4 million to improve access between the dock and downtown Red Wing and renovate that city’s performing arts center.

• Bemidji Regional Dental Facility: $6 million to construct a new, larger community facility for Northern Dental Access Center.

• Rochester International Airport: $5 million for improvements to Customs and Border Patrol at the Rochester International Airport.

• Buffer Reimbursements: $30 million in the Reinvest in Minnesota Reserve program, which compensates private landowners for granting permanent conservation easements and establishing wetlands on their lands. The funds will help Minnesotans implement the new buffer strip law passed last session.

• Keeping Clear Water out of Wastewater: $5 million for an inflow/infiltration grant program at the Metropolitan Council. The initiative provides matching grants to local governments to keep clear water from entering the municipal wastewater system, which can overwhelm and back up these systems.

• Duluth Area Contamination Cleanup: $12.7 million at 10 locations at the St. Louis River Estuary and the Duluth harbor and bay.

• Wetland Replacement: $5 million to replace an estimated 300 acres of wetlands that are lost due to road construction across the state.

• Rail and Pipeline Safety: Funding for three major grade separations. The proposal also would improve warning systems at highway rail crossings and quiet zones and fund the construction of training centers.

• Highway Rail Separations: $69.6 million for highway rail grade separations in Moorhead, Prairie Island and Coon Rapids.

• Highway Rail Warnings: $5 million to replace highway rail grade warning systems across the state.

• Quiet Zones Grants: $10 million in a quiet zone competitive grant program for local communities.

• Rail and Pipeline Safety Training: $3.5 million for construction of an oil train derailment and pipeline safety training venue at the Camp Ripley Joint Emergency Response Training Center.

• Minneapolis Emergency Training Facility: $2.5 million for the expansion of Minneapolis’ Emergency Operations Training Facility to provide repetitive training for first responders in rail, gas, and electrical emergencies.

• New State Emergency Operations Center: $33 million to construct a new State Emergency Operations Center, to help coordinate during disasters and emergencies and serve as a training center for emergency operations.

• Maintaining World-Class Learning Facilities: $135 million in asset preservation and replacement at Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, and at University of Minnesota campuses statewide.

• Training for Jobs of Tomorrow: $5.7 million for upgrades to laboratories and other facilities for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and healthcare education at South Central College in North Mankato and $27.2 million build a new science and engineering laboratory building at the University of Minnesota Duluth.

• Health Education and Research: $66.7 million in a health science education facility at the University of Minnesota Medical School.

• Innovative Education: $16.9 million to develop an innovative Education Village at Winona State University.

• State-of-the-Art Learning: $34 million to overhaul facilities at Bemidji State University, Minnesota State Community and Technical Colleges in Fergus Falls and Wadena, Northland Community and Technical College in East Grand Forks, Rochester Community and Technical College, and Hibbing Community College.

• Statewide Growth & Innovation: $26 million for programs to help local governments statewide complete infrastructure projects to support high-growth and innovative industries in Minnesota.

• Port Improvements: $10 million to make navigation improvements and other enhancements at the ports of St. Paul, Winona, Red Wing, and Duluth to promote regional economic development.

• North Country Food Bank: $3 million to construct a new building for the North Country Food Bank in Crookston.

• Public Safety: $70 million to complete renovation of the Minnesota Security Hospital, and more than $25 million for public safety and security upgrades to the Minnesota Sex Offender Program.

• Minnesota Security Hospital: $70.3 million to complete the renovation of the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter.

• Minnesota Sex Offender Program: $14.5 million to expand the St. Peter Community Preparation Services program to serve the growing number of MSOP clients at this later state of treatment. Also, $12.4 million to build two new less restrictive, community-based facilities for MSOP clients with particular medical needs.

• St. Cloud Correctional Facility: $19 million to complete new intake and loading dock at the St. Cloud Correctional Facility.

• Lino Lakes Correctional Facility: $5 million to add 60 new beds at the Lino Lakes Correctional Facility.

• Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center: $2.25 million in upgrades to ensure safety and security at the Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center.

• Fort Snelling Visitor Center: $34.4 million for the renovation of vacant facilities in to a new visitor center.

• Itasca State Park: $6.1 million to renovate Itasca State Park.

• Statewide Historic Preservation: $2.5 million to preserve and restore historic sites across Minnesota; including the Forestville site in Preston and the Mill City Museum in Minneapolis.

• $49.3 million to revitalize the Science Museum of Minnesota as a statewide resource for STEM education, and the Minnesota Zoo and Como Zoo.

• Preserving Minnesota Parks: $35 million for Minnesota’s state parks and $10 million in metropolitan area parks.

• Lake Mille Lacs Walleye Population: $3.5 million to develop a fisheries management station on the lake, including a DNR office, laboratory, and hatchery infrastructure.

• Supporting Minnesota’s Pheasant Population: $9.5 million to aquire, develop, and improve lands for wildlife and aquatic management areas.

• Statewide Fish Population Support: $1 million to improve fish hatcheries statewide to control invasive species, enhance production capacities, and upgrade water systems.

• National Guard Readiness Centers: $3.5 million to renovate and expand the National Guard Readiness Center in St. Cloud.

• Minneapolis Veterans Home: $7.85 million to repair the historic truss bridge on the Minneapolis Veterans Home campus and ensure the safety of residents and workers on the campus.