House, Senate pass reworked bonding bill
by The Associated Press, and Jim Maurice, WJON.com

ST. PAUL -- The Minnesota Legislature has sent a $1
billion construction projects bill to Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

The Senate approved the bill 49-17 after an 89-44 House vote on Thursday.

The votes come a day after Pawlenty said he was inclined to sign the bill and cut it down using his line-item veto. The Republican governor's remarks ended a weeks-long standoff with the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

The package includes money for local projects, including: The St. Cloud Civic Center Expansion, a new science lab at St. Cloud State University, money for the St. Cloud Technical and Community College, Phase II of the Northstar Commuter Rail, and the Rocori Trail.

Pawlenty hasn't said how deeply he'll cut the bill, but has said before that he wanted to borrow no more than $725 million.

Our local lawmakers voted along party lines on the bonding bill.

Democratic Representatives Larry Hosch and Larry Haws, and Senator Tarryl Clark all voted for the bill.

While, Republicans Steve Gottwalt, Dan Severson and Michelle Fischbach all voted "no". Gottwalt says he voted against it because it's too large. However, he said he'd lobby Governor Pawlenty to keep all of our local projects in the bill. Severson says he voted no because it's too big, and it's too soon. He wanted the bonding bill to be tackled at the end of the session.