Range engineering program vetoed by governor
On March 15 Governor Pawlenty line-item vetoed $319 million from a $986 million capital investment bill, including over $144 million in higher education investments across the state. $3 million in funding for an innovative engineering program at Mesabi Range Community and Technical College was vetoed.
State Rep. Tom Rukavina (DFL – Virginia), House Chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Development committee, said he’d like to ask the Governor why higher education took the biggest hit. Unfortunately, those questions will have to wait until the Governor returns from his trip to Florida.
“Governor, please come back to Minnesota to face the workers and students you are hurting with these vetoes. Unlike you, they can’t afford a spring break vacation in Florida and they deserve some answers.”
$5.4 million for shop space addition at Mesabi Range Community and Technical College was finally approved by the Governor. He had line-item vetoed this project twice before. However, $3 million was vetoed from a project that would have jumpstarted an innovative program to train upper-division engineering students at Mesabi.
“The Governor vetoed a cutting-edge program that would have provided hands-on engineering training to students who will make up the workforce of the next generation,” said Rukavina. “This program was nationally recognized by engineering leaders and would have put the Iron Range on the map when it comes to engineering.”
“Every time Minnesota has made economic gains it’s been the result of our research, innovation, and infrastructure investments at our higher education facilities,” Rukavina said. “It’s why we have the best workforce in the world and why more Fortune 500 companies per capita are located here than any other state. Unfortunately, this Governor has a long history of rejecting new ideas.”
Rukavina said the key to long-term economic recovery will be a renewed investment in the workforce of tomorrow. “Unemployed Minnesotans are returning to colleges in droves to get re-trained,” said Rukavina. “Their hard work and ingenuity will lead us out of this recession. By investing in these workers, we are creating jobs now and helping create the jobs of tomorrow that will return Minnesota to its position as a national economic leader.”
Submitted by Michael Howard, Communications
Specialist, MN House of Representatives
DFL Caucus, St. Paul, MN.
