Ballpark, dolphins and civic center: Dayton makes bonding picks

The governor introduced the specifics of his bonding bill request for the 2012 legislative session this morning. He has billed the projects as a way to get people back to work.

January 18, 2012 at 12:03AM
Gov. Mark Dayton announced his bonding picks while surrounded by union workers at the Capitol on Tuesday.
Governor Mark Dayton announced a new construction projects borrowing plan surrounded by union workers at the Capitol, Tuesday, January 17, 2012. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

By Jennifer Brooks

Gov. Mark Dayton's wish list for the 2012 legislative session includes borrowing $27 million to build a new ballpark for the St. Paul Saints, $25 million to give Nicollet Mall a face lift and millions more for infrastructure, education, housing and capital improvement projects across the state.

The governor introduced the specifics of his bonding bill request Tuesday. The total price tag for the general obligation bonds is $750 million, another $25 million in housing finance bonds, $33.6 million in trunck highway bonds and about $90 million in MnSCU and university bonding.

It also includes $30 million for bridge repairs statewide, $25 million toward the growing Southwest Corridor Light Rail, $25 million for housing infrastructure bonds, $78 million for the University of Minnesota system and another $63 million for building projects at other state colleges and universities.

The governor has billed the projects as a way to put as many as 25,000 unemployed Minnesotans back to work.

Other projects in the bill include $35 million for the expansion for the Rochester Mayo Civic Center, $21 million for repairs of the aging capitol building, $33 million in bonds for the Rural Finance Authority, $15 million to repair state prisons and $7 million to repair the dolphin tank at the Minnesota Zoo.

about the writer

about the writer

Baird Helgeson

Deputy editor

Baird Helgeson is deputy local editor at the Star Tribune. He helps supervise coverage of local news. Before becoming an editor, he was an award-winning reporter who covered state government and politics. He has worked for news organizations in Minnesota, Florida and North Dakota.

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