Governor Dayton’s New Bill Proposal Means Millions for Duluth

Governor Dayton introduced a bill that would invest 1.4 billion in infrastructure projects statewide. Millions from the bill would stay locally in Duluth.

Nearly 27 million of the proposal would go to a new science and engineering building at the University of Minnesota Duluth. Officials have said their nearly seventy year old building needs repair and a face lift to cater to their students needs. “We really need a new building to have the quality in the laboratories in the building match the quality of our programs,” said science and engineering dean Joshua Hamilton.

Nearly half of UMD’s students take some sort of chemistry class each year. If bonding is passed ground will break on the building in July.

The Jobs Bill will also benefit the city as they will upgrade their aging steam energy system energy system to a hot water system. The current structure in place is nearly eighty years old. “We would like to thank the governor’s office, Governor Dayton and all his staff for believing in northeast Minnesota, recognizing the needs up here and the benefits these projects will bring not only to the region and city but also the state,” said Duluth Chief Administrative Officer Dave Montgomery.

Under the Governor’s proposed bill, the Duluth airport would also receive funds to modernize their runway and some money would go the cleanup of the St. Louis River.

The bill needs to pass in the state legislature. The next session starts in March.