Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz proposes $1.3 billion in infrastructure projects

Minnesota should borrow nearly $1.3 billion to repair college campus buildings, create more affordable housing and fix roads, bridges and other infrastructure, Gov. Tim Walz said. While many pieces of Walz’s plan have widespread appeal, Republicans legislators said this is not the year for a large borrowing package. State lawmakers typically pass a bonding bill in even-numbered years. Walz, a Democrat, argued that with low interest rates and high needs, the state should strike a different path this year.“It is fiscally irresponsible to pretend like our roads, our infrastructure, our prisons, our transportation system, anything that’s out there, is going to magically fix itself without having the courage to talk about how we get there,” Walz said.He wants to use state-backed borrowing to spend about $350 million on transportation and transit and $300 million on higher education, evenly divided between the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State systems. The governor also aims to put $150 million toward housing.