Late last week, Minnesota Management and Budget forwarded legislative leaders the preliminary bonding requests from local governments and state agencies. Local governments requested $1.2 billion and state agencies requested $4.2 billion. Agency requests included (among other requests):
- $200 million for the Public Facilities Authority for water and wastewater infrastructure funding programs
- $13 million for the Greater Minnesota Business Development Public Infrastructure (BDPI) Grant Program
- $20 million for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for a new grant program that would help build stormwater projects to address extreme weather events.
These preliminary requests are the first major step in the bonding cycle for the 2022 legislative session. Legislative committees will begin reviewing the requests and deciding which projects warrant a visit by members of the Capital Investment committees.
Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman has also indicated that chairs of the Capital Investment Committee and other legislative leaders have been discussing a potential bonding bill for the anticipated September special session. The bill would focus on what she described as “bread-and-butter” projects, such a repairing state-owned buildings and water infrastructure. We will continue to advocate that any bonding bill must pay attention to Greater Minnesota’s infrastructure needs.
