Lt. Governor Smith Highlights Need for Comprehensive Investments in Infrastructure that Supports Innovation and Economic Growth
ST. PAUL, MN – Lt. Governor Tina Smith visited Falls International Airport in International Falls today to highlight the Administration’s Jobs Bill, which would invest in infrastructure that supports innovation and economic growth across Minnesota. Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith’s Jobs Bill would invest $3 million in Falls International Airport to finish construction of a new terminal building that would include necessary security and customs improvements and better public spaces for travelers. Completion of the terminal project would allow International Falls and Koochiching County to retain their position as a critical hub for transnational commerce and economic development.
“Our Jobs Bill puts Minnesota families and communities first by investing in transportation, housing, education, and economic development,” said Lt. Governor Tina Smith. “This airport expansion will support additional international trade and business travel, which is essential to growing our economy and creating good jobs everywhere in Minnesota. I urge the Legislature to pass a significant Jobs Bill this year that invests in critical infrastructure that Minnesotans depend upon.”
“As the chief author of the Falls International Airport bonding request, I’m pleased to have Governor Dayton’s support,” said Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk. “This second request for state investment is very important to the local economy of International Falls and surrounding areas and will increase the security and customs procedures.”
The new terminal will include pre and post customs passenger waiting areas, storage space for U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, a National Weather Service office, and an improved passenger processing area. After completion, Falls International Airport will be to accommodate increased domestic and international passenger travel, increased business traffic, and additional U.S. Customs activities.
“Making this investment in the Falls International Airport is critically important for our local and regional economies,” said State Rep. Rob Ecklund, who strongly supports the project and is advocating for its passage this session. “I thank Lt. Governor Smith and Governor Dayton for their strong support of the project. It will have a tremendous and lasting impact on area businesses and residents for years to come.”
In addition to the terminal project, Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith’s Jobs Bill includes a $500,000 investment for the Grand Mound Historic Site, an ancient burial site along the Rainy River. The burial mound is one of the largest prehistoric structures in the Upper Midwest. The Jobs Bill investment would help the Minnesota Historical Society make improvements to the Grand Mound Historic Site, including visitor services and walking trails. These improvements would allow visitors to learn about the site, while respecting the dignity and integrity of the grounds.
About Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith’s Jobs Bill
Governor Dayton and Lt. Governor Smith's Jobs Bill would invest $1.4 billion in infrastructure projects statewide, creating an estimated 39,900 Minnesota jobs. This new Jobs Bill would help address many of the state’s critical infrastructure needs, including essential water infrastructure, while strengthening Minnesota’s economy and putting thousands of people to work.
The Jobs Bill includes critical infrastructure projects distributed across Minnesota. It balances the needs of the state, with 35 percent of projects in Greater Minnesota, 35 percent in the Twin Cities Area, and 30 percent having impacts statewide. And Governor Dayton’s Jobs Bill is designed to make state resources go further, by leveraging more than $600 million in private, local, and federal dollars.
