Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced line-item vetoes on several items in the bonding bill Monday. This was a modest surprise for some in state political circles because it was believed that Pawlenty might veto the whole thing to force legislators to make the unpopular choices about which projects to cut. Instead, Pawlenty did the dirty work himself, but cut the bill down to $718 million -- well below the $825 he originally proposed (the legislature passed a $925 million bill). The Star Tribune has a write-up that lists some of the projects.
In northern Minnesota, bonding priorities enjoyed mixed results. Pawlenty is allowing the $28 million for Essar's Minnesota Steel infrastructure near Nashwauk. He also OK'd the funds to mitigate the flood threat at the Canisteo Pit near Bovey, two of DFL freshman Rep. Tom Anzelc's top 2008 goals. But the science classrooms at Mesabi Range Community and Technical College (indeed, upgrades at MNSCU colleges across the state) got the ax, as did improvements to the Hibbing Memorial Building and other smaller Range projects.
Duluth can finally rest easy as Pawlenty allowed the bonding funds for the DECC expansion. But proponents of light rail are outraged over the veto of a $70 million project to improve passenger rail in the metro area. St. Paul in particular took a big hit in its requested projects, something that some folks consider political retribution for the legislature's rebuke of Pawlenty's pet projects.
In any event local pols may have fodder for the upcoming election but by and large this seems to be a mixed bag for northern Minnesota. It could have been a lot better but it could have easily been much worse.
