Is This Time the Charm for State Funds for Springbrook?

The Minnesota Legislature has more than once approved state bond funding for a big improvement project planned for Fridley's . But every time it reached his desk, Gov. Tim Pawlenty nixed it.

Now that , does Springbrook funding stand a chance?

"There's always hope," said (DFL-50). She said via email that she was writing a letter of support for Springbrook to Gov. Mark Dayton and has talked to his staff about the project, now pegged at $3 million.

Goodwin said she has also spoken to state Rep. Dean Urdahl (R-18B), who heads the committee controlling Legacy funds—an avenue that's been tried before, but Goodwin said she'd try again.
 
"We'll see," Goodwin said. "It's certainly not a given and we have lots of hard work to do to try to make it happen, but stranger things have happened here."

Teachers Union Bills
Goodwin's Springbrook bill, a companion to a House bill chief authored by (DFL-50A), got its first reading in the state Senate on Monday. Fridley's other state Senator, Pam Wolf (R-51), also had bills introduced Monday. , wants to require teachers unions to give their members annual financial reports. Wolf's other bill would decertify teachers unions once contracts are settled.

Bills out of Fridley
Fridley's four representatives at the State Capitol have authored eight or co-authored another 35 bills so far this session—with (DFL-51B) alone signing on to 21. Listed here are the bills for which each is chief author, along with a link to a list of their co-authored bills.

Sen. Barb Goodwin (DFL-50)
S.F. 404: Spends as much as $3 million in state funds raised by bonding on redevelopment and expansion of facilities at Springbrook Nature Center. (Companion: H.F. 570)
S.F. 245: Modifies the law governing grandparents' visitation rights.
S.F. 70: Spends $2 million from the state general fund on food shelves and food-shelf outreach.
Goodwin is also a co-author on seven other bills.

Sen. Pam Wolf (R-51)
S.F. 408: Requires teachers unions to give members an annual financial report, including any spending on election campaigns.
S.F. 409: Decertifies teachers unions once they settle a contract and allows recertification later by vote.
S.F. 413: Spends as much as $400,000 in state funds raised by bonding on construction of highway sound barrier walls along Hwy. 10 between I-35W and Airport Road. (Companion: H.F. 634)
Wolf is also a co-author of four other bills.

Rep. Carolyn Laine (DFL-50A)
H.F. 570: Spends as much as $3 million in state funds raised by bonding on redevelopment and expansion of facilities at Springbrook Nature Center. (Companion: S.F. 404)
Laine is also a co-author on three other bills.

Rep. Tom Tillberry (DFL-51B)
H.F. 634: Spends as much as $400,000 in state funds raised by bonding on construction of highway sound barrier walls along Hwy. 10 between I-35W and Airport Road. (Companion: S.F. 413)
Tillberry is also a co-author on 21 other bills.

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