Minnesota municipal, county and trade groups urge robust 2025 bonding bill to address water, roads and bridges

Testimony to the Minnesota Senate Capital Investment Committee on the need for a 2025 capital investment (bonding) bill stressed the urgency of funding water and wastewater upgrades, local roads and bridges, wetland replacement, transit facilities, and state asset preservation.

Craig Johnson, senior intergovernmental relations representative for the League of Minnesota Cities, told the committee the League represents almost all Minnesota cities and highlighted the breadth of municipal capital needs. "The state of Minnesota has 8 56 cities, 8 41 of those are now members of the League of Minnesota Cities, we have 15 that are not," Johnson said, adding that cities rely on state partnership to meet infrastructure needs.

Why it matters: Committee members heard that delayed bonding makes some projects more expensive, risks federal matching funds, and pushes costs onto local taxpayers. Speakers argued that regular, predictable bonding bills support public health and safety, economic development and family-supporting jobs.

Committee testimony described several high‑priority program areas. Emily Murray, policy analyst for the Association of Minnesota Counties, emphasized the local government road wetland replacement program overseen by the Board of Water and Soil Resources (BWSR) and said "Minnesota law requires the Board of Water and Soil Resources to oversee the replacement of wetlands." Murray said five of the state's wetland bank service areas have less than one year of capacity and that workgroup recommendations include a mix of operating and capital funding; she said Senate File 1535 being advanced by several senators would include…