Bus Tours Aid in Setting Bonding Priorities

The Senate Capital Investment Committee is dedicating time this fall to travel the state, jumping on a bus to obtain a first-hand look at the many proposed capital improvement projects seeking public support. Legislators consider the tours an essential step in compiling a capital improvements bill, which funds many building and infrastructure improvements through the sale of bonds.

Capital Improvements Chair LeRoy Stumpf said that the tours help offer a perspective unattainable in a committee room. "There's a huge benefit to actually see something in real life...there's a sense of the community's support or the regional support," he explained. The sentiment was endorsed by Senate GOP committee lead David Senjem. "There's literally hundreds of projects around the State of Minnesota vying for money. You really can't see them on a piece of paper. You can't even really see them on a power point," he said.

Through the tours, Senators will need to set priorities in choosing the projects to include in the 2016 capital improvements bill. Regional projects have grown in importance over the years, Stumpf said, and often they are of statewide importance. As an example, he cited proposed improvements to Rochester airport, which services Mayo Clinic visitors from throughout the state and world. Wastewater infrastructure improvements also are coming to the forefront, Senjem said, as more local communicates look to improve their systems.

While the tours are an integral part of developing a capital improvements bill, setting a bonding amount will determine the fate of many projects. As Stumpf underscored, the number of proposals are usually three to four times the number of projects that gain final approval.

Visit the committee's website at www.build.mn to follow the tours and obtain a glimpse into some of the project proposals.