Star Tribune
Minnesota public colleges sought $1 billion for building projects; Walz plan offers much less
Minnesota’s public colleges and universities would receive more than $200 million for construction projects under Gov. Tim Walz’s new infrastructure proposal — a fraction of what the schools requested.
The University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities each asked for roughly $500 million to help repair and upgrade old buildings or complete other projects, arguing in part that their needs had grown after years of incomplete funding.
Leaders at both systems offered thanks after reviewing the governor’s proposal, but made clear they’d continue to push for more funding.
“Minnesota State appreciates Governor Walz’s bonding recommendation,” Chancellor Scott Olson said in a statement. “He is clearly committed to supporting the success of our students and making investments that will strengthen Minnesota’s economy.”
But Olson added that the system would keep working with government leaders “toward funding our request to position Minnesota State to successfully deliver the talent our state needs.”
The money for the state’s public colleges and universities is included in a larger $982 million bonding bill proposal that would also fund projects focused on housing, the environment and maintaining state-owned buildings. The governor’s proposal represents the starting point in a process that is expected to unfold over several months and involve negotiations with Republican and DFL lawmakers. Leaders from both parties have signaled that they’ll want university leaders to explain why they need the money and how they would reverse declining enrollment.
Sen. Karin Housley, R-Stillwater, who leads bonding work for Senate Republicans, noted that universities received funding last year, too, and said, “It’s going to take a real, real need by an institution to be coming back again this year.”
The governor’s proposal would set aside nearly $103 million for the University of Minnesota to repair and upgrade buildings across its five campuses. It calls for giving nearly $82 million to the Minnesota State system for similar efforts and nearly $32 million to help with renovations at St. Paul College, where leaders hope to upgrade classrooms and lab spaces for programs seeing increased interest, such as business, math and computer science.
The governor’s office said he arrived at those numbers after trying to balance the needs from various sectors while providing comparable support to the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State system. The office also noted that the governor was trying to stay within the state’s debt capacity guidelines, which limit general obligation bonds to $830 million.
The University of Minnesota listed 143 projects to support its request, ranging from roof replacements and heating and air conditioning upgrades to fire sprinkler installation and elevator modernizations.
“It’s too soon to know exactly how this level of funding would be applied to our highest priority infrastructure projects,” the University of Minnesota said in a statement. “Any funding for these urgent needs is appreciated but funding short of what we have requested will further delay pressing projects and leave a number of our biggest needs unaddressed.”
The Minnesota State system asked for $200 million to help maintain buildings at 28 schools, and roughly $341 million for newer construction projects. Spokesperson Doug Anderson said, “We are working on allocation strategies for this proposed funding and other various funding levels.”
Unlike other spending proposals, bills that borrow money require support from a supermajority of more than three-fifths in both chambers of the Legislature, meaning the DFL needs Republican votes to pass.
Senate Republicans noted that colleges and universities received $317 million in last year’s bonding bill. They’re also weighing requests from communities that want money for crumbling roads, improvements to wastewater treatment facilities and other projects.
Housley said college leaders will need to be prepared to explain what the buildings are being used for and why it’s worth it to fix a roof or put in a new HVAC system.
When lawmakers visited campuses, Housley said, “We saw a lot of empty buildings, and so I don’t know what’s their use going to be going forward.”
Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona, who chairs the House Higher Education Committee, said he has similar questions, particularly as some enrollments have declined.
But he also wonders if specific programs might benefit from funding boosts, saying that a recent tour in Rochester convinced him some facilities being used to train police officers, firefighters and medics could use upgrades.
“I’d say what the governor has here is a good start, and we certainly appreciate what the governor has done,” Pelowski said, “but I think there is much more of a need than the governor has included.”
Staff writers Rochelle Olson and Briana Bierschbach contributed to this report.
About 50 Ukrainian refugees have signed up to donate blood on Saturday in Minneapolis as a way to give thanks to Americans for welcoming them to this country and for support in the face of Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine.
The donated blood will then be given to the Children’s Hospital of Minnesota.
The Ukrainian American Community Center, located at 301 NE Main St. in Minneapolis, has organized the event. The blood drive will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, said Iryna Petrus, community outreach manager at the center.
“It’s a sign of gratitude to Americans for supporting Ukraine and saving children’s lives in Ukraine,” said Yosyf Sabir, speaking on behalf of the blood drive.
It’s also a way to say “thank you to the United States for welcoming us so warmly,” said Petrus. She said there will be a program at 10 a.m. Saturday when several leaders of the Ukrainian American Community Center will speak. She said the center is hopeful that Ukrainian groups in other parts of North America will do similar blood drives.
Those who are unable to give blood have been asked to donate cash, which will be used to purchase tourniquets that will sent to Ukraine to be used by persons who have been injured in the war. Every $50 raised will purchase one hemostatic tourniquet, the Ukrainian Center said in a news release.
If approved, that approach would drop the district’s fund balance to 6% of general fund expenditures. The current board policy is to maintain a fund balance of at least 10% of general fund expenditures.
Anoka-Hennepin’s current operating referendum brings in about $1,154 per student, but the state-allowed cap is about $2,200 per student. If increased to the cap amount, a referendum would bring in another $40 million, McIntyre said.
According to community feedback collected through surveys and community meetings over the last month, nearly 90% of respondents said they supported a referendum. Parents and families also expressed concern about growing class sizes as a result of cuts.
The two options have already been revised based on board members’ requests to reduce cuts that would mean fewer teachers at schools, McIntyre said.
At one point in the discussion, the district floated changes to middle and high school class schedules to save money, but that was removed after board member feedback. At the board’s meeting last month, several board members thanked district staff for transparency about potential cuts and responsiveness to board and community feedback.
“I would encourage people to keep asking questions,” Board Member Michelle Langenfeld said at the September board meeting, “because as we unfold more information, the opportunity becomes greater for us to make the most informed decision under these very, very difficult circumstances.”
On Monday morning, contract workers began snipping razor wire and removing it from fencing that was propped atop concrete barriers along the perimeter of the former Third Precinct police station, which was set ablaze during the uprising over George Floyd’s police killing.
Finally, the concrete barricades will come down, after 4.5 years. As private security guards looked on, contractors began removing the security measures put in place to secure the building at 3000 Minnehaha Av. after it became a focal point of protests.
For the past three years, Third Precinct police officers have been based out of a city building in downtown Minneapolis, with plans to eventually bring them back to a south Minneapolis Community Safety Center just down the street at 2633 Minnehaha Av.
What to do with the former police station – home to what has been called a “playground” for renegade cops – has been the subject of heated debate, with the Minneapolis City Council and Mayor Jacob Frey at odds.
While the city debated its future, some conservatives jumped at the chance to use the charred building as a backdrop to hold press conferences and news reports in which they blasted the city and its leaders. Most recently, vice presidential nominee JD Vance made a campaign stop in front of the building earlier this month to blast his opponent, Gov. Tim Walz, for his handling of the 2020 riots and portray Minneapolis as a city overrun with crime.
GOP vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance speaks outside the former Minneapolis Police 3rd Precinct building in Minneapolis on Oct. 14. (Leila Navidi)
After that, several council members expressed frustration at the city’s failure to clean up the site. Despite signs saying “cleanup efforts are underway,” concrete barriers, fencing and razor wire remained all summer.
Council Member Aurin Chowdhury said earlier this month that the blight makes people feel uncared for and gives opportunists a backdrop to manipulate the scene for political gain.
Council Member Linea Palmisano blamed some of her council colleagues for the delays, accusing some members of being “desperate for any objection” to Frey’s proposal. The council passed a resolution saying that the building should not be used for any law enforcement functions again. Palmisano called it disgraceful that the building remains, scarred and secured, over four years later.
