ST. PAUL -- Minnesota senators passed one of the richest public works bills in state history Thursday, and did it earlier in their legislative session than ever.
The bill would provide temporary construction jobs across the state and train more people for jobs in colleges and universities, Sen. Keith Langseth said.
"You are preparing people for the job market for the rest of their lives," the Glyndon Democrat said about the heavy emphasis on college and university funding.
Langseth, chairman of the committee that drew up the bill, made sure the bill includes $9.7 million to remodel Minnesota State University Moorhead's MacLean Hall and $600,000 to design a plan to remodel and construct an addition to Lommen Hall.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty included no money for either MSUM project.
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The Senate also approved flood prevention projects in East Grand Forks, Oakport Township, Manston Slough and Crookston.
An Alzheimer's disease unit at the Fergus Falls Veterans' Home was granted $2.7 million.
The Senate bill did not include nearly $30 million being sought to expand the Conservation Reserve Enhanced Program. CREP is designed to remove marginal cropland from production in northwest, southwest and southeast Minnesota.
Langseth said money being paid landowners is not going as quickly as expected, and enough funds remain from last year's bonding bill that more does not need to be appropriated this year.
Langseth, chairman of the Senate Capital Investment Committee, earned praise from Democrats and Republicans alike for crafting the bill. The main complaint came from senators who would have liked a bigger bill.
"I wish we had more money," said Sen. Cal Larson of Fergus Falls, the top Republican on Langseth's committee.
"There are a lot of disappointed people," Langseth said, adding that 165 projects received no funding.
The bill would borrow $990 million to be repaid by taxpayers, but Langseth's committee received requests for $2.8 billion.
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The full Senate approved the bill 56-9, with fiscally conservative Republicans opposing it.
"It's a nearly $1 billion credit card we are maxing out this year," said Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove.
If the economy turns bad, borrowing so much money could trigger a state budget deficit, he added.
