Saint Paul - Following Governor Dayton's State of the State Address, Minnesota mayors spoke in support of his vision for economic prosperity in Minnesota.

The Governor spoke to the importance of thriving communities across the state in his speech this evening. Governor Dayton said, "My father and my uncles taught me the importance of continuously improving the downtowns of our major cities. They are the economic hearts of entire regions. If the heart weakens, the rest of the body suffers."

St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman responded to the Governor's speech, saying, In today's State of the State, Governor Dayton has made it clear: we need to get Minnesotans back to work. The governor's bonding bill, which includes the Lowertown Ballpark, will do exactly that. The overall bonding package will get 25,000 people back to work and will make crucial investments in communities across the state. I applaud him for his efforts and urge the Legislature to move forward without delay.

Mayor Don Ness of Duluth said, "In his State of the State Address, Governor Dayton outlined an impressive vision. The Governor's jobs plan will help put tens of thousands of Minnesotans back to work, including right here in Duluth. Dayton's priorities of jobs, education and government reform are exactly what Minnesota needs to increase our economic recovery and growth. We in Duluth look forward to working with the Governor to support his positive vision for Minnesota."

"Tonight, Governor Dayton demonstrated once again that he understands the critical contribution of strong communities and strong downtowns to the economic health of our state," added Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak.