On the final day of the 2018 session, the Minnesota legislature passed a comprehensive bonding bill that focuses on core public infrastructure projects throughout the state of Minnesota, including funding for a proposed veterans home in Preston. The bill will be sent to Gov. Dayton’s desk for his signature or veto.

“I am glad we were able to work across the aisle to deliver funding for the Preston veterans home,” said Senator Jeremy Miller (R-Winona). “The facility is an urgent bipartisan priority, because federal guidelines allow Minnesota an additional 200 veterans home beds, but if we don’t take action, we could lose out after the next census. I couldn’t be happier for the countless veterans it will help.”

The proposed 72-bed veterans home in Preston would serve more than 200 veterans in southeast Minnesota, and construction could generate $36 million in economic activity.

“Our bricks-and-mortar bonding bill targets Minnesota’s most important statewide assets, like roads and bridges and sewer and water infrastructure,” added Senator Miller. “But beyond that, we also build on our commitment to the brave men and women who served in the armed forces, and caring for people struggling with urgent mental health issues. It truly focuses on our most important shared priorities.”

In addition to the Preston veterans home, two other projects in southeastern Minnesotan received funding in the Senate’s bonding proposal.

• $2.5 million for Wagon Wheel Trail in La Crescent. The third phase of this four-phase project calls for the construction of a bridge over Trunk Highway 14 near downtown La Crescent that will connect to the existing first two phases of Wagon Wheel Trail. The trail will eventually be a safe, reliable multi-use trail connecting downtown La Crescent with downtown La Crosse.
• $1.5 million to acquire land for, construct, and pay expenses for an extension of the Blufflands state trail system from Harmony to the Iowa border, including a connection to Niagara Cave in Fillmore County.

In addition to these Southeast Minnesota projects, the Senate’s bonding bill includes these priorities:

• $542 million for statewide transportation infrastructure.
  • $78.6 million for local road improvement grants
  • $5 million for local bridge replacement
  • $400 million for Corridors of Commerce
• $32 million to construct new veterans homes in Bemidji, Montevideo, and Preston, and $12.8 million for veterans readiness centers in Brainerd, Grand Rapids, St. Cloud, and Wadena.
• $28 million to establish regional mental health crisis centers throughout the state of Minnesota.
• $90 million for the Housing Finance Agency to help more low-income Minnesotans get access to affordable housing.
• Economic Development grants to spur job creation, encourage businesses grow and expand, and help communities improve their public infrastructure to attract new businesses.
  • $5 million for Business Development Public Infrastructure
  • $1 million for Transportation Economic Development Infrastructure
  • $2 million for Innovative Business Development Infrastructure