UPDATED: Tubman Center In, Vets Memorial Out of Bonding Bill
The Minnesota House and Senate both passed a bonding bill late Monday.
The Minnesota House and Senate both passed a bonding bill late Monday that doesn’t include Oakdale’s $30,000 request for funding for a veterans memorial outside of city hall.
“We felt we had a good chance to get it,” said Mayor Carmen Sarrack. “It was in there all the way until the final cuts were made, so it’s disappointing.”
The House passed the bill 99-32, and then the Senate passed it 45-22 later Monday with a couple amendments, according to Session Daily.
One of the Senate amendments was proposed by Sen. Chuck Wiger (DFL-Maplewood)—$2 million for renovations at the Tubman Center East located in the former monastery at Larpenteur and Century avenues.
The bill is expected to go to conference committee, according to Session Daily.
Sarrack said the city will help the Veterans Memorial Committee by providing a loan to get the structure installed this year. The committee will be expected to slowly pay the city back as they bring in more contributions, he said.
Patty Busse
10:23 am on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
I just received an email update on this from Sen. Chuck Wiger: "I was at the Tax conference committee meeting this morning and spoke with the Senate Taxes Chair, Julianne Ortman, who assured me that the Oakdale TIF provision will be included in the Omnibus tax bill (HF 247) being discussed this morning in committee. I also spoke with the House Taxes Chair, Greg Davids, who said that there will be a continuation of the TIF through 2017. This is great news and I anticipate everything going well."