Dayton signs $500M bonding bill

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton signed a $496 million bonding bill Friday that he says will result in thousands of construction jobs throughout the state.

The borrowing package includes a long list of public works projects, including college campus buildings, flood mitigation, roads and bridges and a $44 million start on the renovation of the State Capitol building.

Dayton said he was disappointed that several important downtown projects did not make the final bill, including the civic center expansions in Mankato, Rochester and St. Cloud. He said it was also much smaller than the $775 million bonding bill that he proposed.

"In the bonding realm, two-thirds is better than nothing," he said. "I think most of them are good and important projects, and ones that will benefit the people Minnesota and benefit the institutions where they're going, and most importantly will put people to work."

Dayton said he'll propose additional funding next year for the remaining cost of the Capitol restoration project.

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