Governor Walz signs $1.9B bonding bill into law | FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul

Governor Walz signs $1.9B bonding bill into law

Governor Tim Walz signs the bonding bill into law at the Ironworkers Union Training Center in St. Paul. (FOX 9)

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed a nearly $2 billion package of construction projects, tax breaks and new spending into law.

He made it official Wednesday at the Ironworkers Union Training Center in St. Paul. The construction trades and business groups were fighting for the bill. Lawmakers passed the bill last week, ending a months-long jam.

“Right now there’s not enough work in construction to keep the construction industry afloat,” said Barry Davies of Ironworkers Local 512. “This job package we’re going to sign today, Governor Walz is going to sign today – is going to take care of that.”

“These bonding bills, if they’re done right, they fill the pipeline for several years,” said Walz. “You have several major projects here. The Kellogg Bridge in St. Paul is a big one, that’s going to take a few years.”

The package contains funding for a new state emergency operations center, plus public works projects around the state, tax breaks for farmers and businesses that buy new equipment and money to keep two state prisons from closing.