State Budget & Bonding Bill 2013-14 Session

[twincitizen]

MN Senate (finally) released their bonding proposal: http://build.mn/spreadsheet

Like Governor Dayton, they propose $20MM for Nicollet Mall. The House offered only $5MM, because Alice Hausman wasn't titillated enough.

Transpo roundup: $10MM for aBRT, $1MM for Bottineau engineering, $3MM for Gateway engineering.

Dayton proposed $7MM for the Orange Line (namely 35W-Lake Station), but the Senate offers nothing. They better figure that out...

Nobody proposed any money for Southwest.

[mattaudio]

$5m for interchange at US 10 and Armstrong Blvd? An obvious development subsidy for that area (new coborns, Ramsey "downtown" etc). Only way this makes sense is if it results in many many access closures on that stretch of Hwy 10.

Also the Richfield 77th Street underpass to nowhere is an easy way to cut $1.5 million. That's 75% of the SRTS line item, for nearly zero return.

[twincitizen]

The House has now updated their proposal as well: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/comm/docs/H2490DE5.pdf

Nicollet Mall now has $20MM, in line with the Senate and Gov's proposal. It is certainly possible that the amount will get negotiated downward, but funding for Nicollet Mall seems all but certain at this point.

All 3 parties now propose $8MM for the Sculpture Garden as well, which is apparently sinking. It would be great if some of that money went towards wider and more human sidewalks along Hennepin Avenue in front of the Garden and the Walker itself, but who am I kidding?

The House is still being extremely stingy towards transportation, offering nothing for specific projects, other than $15MM to the Met Council for the following projects: 35-Lake (Orange), Cedar Grove re-do (Red), as well as Snelling and Penn aBRT, Bottineau, Gateway, Riverview, Tush Line, Robert St, blah, blah, blah. It basically names every single transitway on CTIB's map. The Orange & Red Line projects seem to be worded differently than the others to suggest priority, while the rest are just kind of listed. It says East 7th rather than West 7th...perhaps that's a typo.

[twincitizen]

Looks like mattaudio got his wish, as the Richfield 77th St tunnel was indeed cut. OTOH, he might not be thrilled that the $1.5MM moved to the Nicollet Mall project, giving it a total of $21.5MM.

Transit capital funding remains an extremely stingy $15MM.
http://build.mn/joint-spreadsheet/

F&C: http://finance-commerce.com/2014/05/hou ... udt-balks/

[mattaudio]

Am I the resident spending critic? At least I critique spending because I know we can do better, not because I dislike investment. We need to demand more progressive outcomes with our investment, not settle for less.

[twincitizen]

Here's what is in the final bill, as passed on Friday: http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/fiscal ... ngGF14.pdf