On Monday, Gov. Mark Dayton announced his intention to pursue a $1 billion public works and construction bill that he said would create 28,500 jobs. Republicans, in dismissing the idea, called on Dayton to focus on stimulating the economy through spending cuts and tax breaks for businesses.
DaytonâÄôs 28,500 jobs contention was likely a bit of an exaggeration, but the plan at least gives workers some optimism when itâÄôs contrasted with the ideas coming from the other side of the aisle. So far this session, Republicans have shown themselves to be neither deficit hawks nor job supporters. One of the first bills the party introduced would cut corporate taxes in half over six years, adding $200 million to the stateâÄôs $6.2 billion deficit without the promise that the cut could create new jobs for Minnesotans. Making matters worse, the GOP introduced a plan last week that would âÄî by their own admission âÄî lead to the loss of 5,000 government jobs by 2015.
Facing such a high budget deficit, itâÄôs appropriate to expect cuts, but we could do without the overt cheers for the loss of constituentsâÄô jobs.
DaytonâÄôs bonding bill is not perfect, but itâÄôs guaranteed to create both short- and long-term jobs. Construction workers will benefit immediately as work begins on projects for which the planning is already complete, like Central Corridor light-rail mitigation efforts at the University of Minnesota. Other projects, like the UniversityâÄôs Physics and Nanotechnology building, will facilitate higher learning and improve the stateâÄôs ability to train its future workforce.
Republicans would do well to find actual solutions to the stateâÄôs budget and job woes before they attack the solutions coming from the other side.