More work ahead on bonding bill

A $600 million public works borrowing bill introduced by House Republicans early last week is making its way through legislative committees — and picking up some criticism from communities and organizations it leaves out.

The bonding package, focused primarily on transportation and water projects, includes some of the projects that were part of the approximately $1 billion bonding plan that imploded in the final minutes of the 2016 legislative session. But because it leaves out a considerable amount of those projects — including upgrades to college campuses, local road and rail-crossing fixes and bridge repairs — the bill's first committee hearing included testimony from a long list of people seeking to have their work funded.

Rep. Dean Urdahl, R-Grove City, chairman of the House Capital Investment Committee, told the crowd that House GOP leaders aim to pass two smaller borrowing plans in 2017 and 2018, rather than a broader package like the one nearly approved in 2016. He said it was possible the plan could change as it winds its way through committees on the way to a final vote.

"I guarantee the bill's not going to shrink in the process," he said.

But DFLers say the GOP plan falls far short of the 2016 bonding bill — and not just in size. Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul, said the proposal does not include a fair mix of funding for projects in communities around the state, and it favors transportation projects rather than spending on higher education and other typical priorities.