On April 9, Governor Dayton gave his State of the State Address on the floor of the Minnesota House of Representatives. I thought it was an interesting speech, if for no other reason than at times he seemed to be talking out of both sides of his mouth.
For instance, the governor touted Minnesota’s economic growth, then told us things are in bad shape. He talked about excellence in education and then jumped to graduation disparities. He talked about having one of the best transportation systems in the country and then tried to convince us our roads and bridges are going to pieces. He said we needed to act on his priorities today, yet that same urgency didn’t exist when Democrats had total control of the legislature and governor’s office two years ago.
There is no doubt that we are a high spending, highly taxed state, and Governor Dayton still wants Minnesota to spend $3 billion more on state government programs than we are today. The rate of state government spending is massively outpacing the growth of family incomes, and moving forward I believe the state needs to practice some fiscal responsibility.
In the coming weeks, all sides will come together and try to find areas of agreement on our new budget. I will keep you updated throughout this process.
In other news, with road construction season nearly upon us drivers should be aware of a number of area projects this summer. The 2015 road construction project list has been released by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and several area roads will be receiving some needed upgrades.
Along Highways 2 and 89 west of Bemidji, drivers can expect to see lane closures and even a short term detour beginning in July when construction crews install a new bridge and turn lanes. Highway 197 in Bemidji from 23rd Avenue to Hannah Avenue will also see work this summer as pedestrian curb ramps and other enhancements will be installed.
Centerline rumble strips will be put in place along Highway 2 from Cass Lake to Deer River, and on Minnesota Highway 34 from Akeley to Walker and from Osage to Park Rapids. Finally, a road resurfacing project will happen along Highway 371 from Walker to just south of the railroad crossing in Cass Lake.
No one enjoys delays in their travel time during the summer months, but this fall drivers should be enjoying a number of improved roads in our area.
Rep. Dave Hancock
District 2A
