ST. PAUL, MN – Lt. Governor Tina Smith today visited Winona to call for essential public works infrastructure projects included in Governor Dayton’s 2017 Jobs Bill proposal. The Governor’s Jobs Bill includes $25.3 million to finish the Winona State University (WSU) Education Village and train the next generation of teachers, and $280,000 for the Winona Port Authority, to help get the state’s goods to market.

 

“Governor Dayton’s Jobs Bill invests in world-class educational facilities at Winona State University, and supports the great work on the Winona Port Authority. This creates jobs and economic opportunity in Winona and southeastern Minnesota, but only if the State House and Senate move this bill forward,” said Lt. Governor Tina Smith. “I'm grateful to Representative Pelowski and Mayor Peterson for showing us the great things happening in Winona today, and for their support for the Governor's Jobs Bill. Let's get it done!”

 

In addition to $25.3 million for the Education Village, the Governor’s Jobs Bill would invest $2.3 million for maintenance and repairs at WSU. And, to help make higher education opportunities more affordable to more Minnesota Students, Governor Dayton has proposed a $62 million investment in the State Grant Program, which would provide an additional $981,000 in direct support to WSU students.

 

In her visit to Winona, Lt. Governor Smith also visited two recent development successes, the Latsch Building in downtown Winona, and the new Winona Bridge.

Governor Dayton has proposed a Jobs Bill that would invest $1.5 billion in community infrastructure projects statewide, creating an estimated 22,950 Minnesota jobs, and supporting local economies across the state. Below, see what Governor Dayton’s Jobs Bill would mean for Winona and the surrounding area.

 

·         Winona State University – WSU has more than 2,000 education majors, comprising 20 percent of the student body. The Education Village project would complete the renovation of existing space into modern, integrated classrooms for students pursuing careers in teaching. Governor Dayton’s Jobs Bill would invest $25.3 million to help WSU complete the project, and ensure its graduates are ready for careers teaching Minnesota students. The Governor’s Jobs bill includes an additional $2.3 million for maintenance and repairs at WSU, to ensure students have access to high-quality education facilities.

 

·         Connecting Winona to Markets – Minnesota’s commercial ports located on Lake Superior and the Mississippi River connect our businesses to markets across the country and around the world. The state’s Lake Superior ports alone generate $1.3 billion for the state’s economy and support over 6,200 jobs. To ensure Winona can continue to support Minnesota’s growing economy, Governor Dayton has proposed a $280,000 investment for the Winona Port Authority to improve port facilities and capacity.

 

·         Rail Quiet Zones – Governor Dayton’s Jobs Bill would invest $10 million in the state’s Rail Quiet Zone programs, to make improvements at railroad crossings so that trains don’t have to blow their horns. This is important for the quality of life in communities across Minnesota, including the city of Goodview, just north of Winona.

 

Governor Dayton’s Jobs Bill would invest $1.5 billion in community infrastructure projects statewide, creating an estimated 22,950 Minnesota jobs and supporting local economies across the state. Thanks to Governor Dayton’s sound fiscal management over the last six years, the State of Minnesota has a triple-A bond rating and over $3 billion in available bonding capacity for 2017-2018. The Governor’s 2017 Jobs Bill proposal would remain well within these limits – protecting the state’s financial standing, while making critical investments in our future.

 

Governor Dayton’s Jobs Bill includes critical infrastructure projects distributed across Minnesota. It balances the needs of the state, with 35 percent of projects in Greater Minnesota, 30 percent in the Twin Cities Area, and 35 percent having impacts statewide. And the Jobs Bill is designed to make state resources go further, by leveraging more than $600 million in private, local, and federal investment in Minnesota’s infrastructure. You can learn more about Governor Dayton’s Jobs Bill by clicking here.