Pawlenty pares $1B MN construction bill to $680M

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - Gov. Tim Pawlenty has significantly reduced a $1 billion construction projects bill the Democrat-controlled Legislature sent him last week.

The Republican governor used his line-item veto to remove $319 million worth of projects, including civic centers, trails and college buildings in Rochester, St. Cloud and other cities.

His office says he signed the bill into law on Sunday. It will borrow to pay for $680 million worth of projects, slightly less than Pawlenty originally proposed.

Democrats had urged Pawlenty not to cut anything. They had said the full package would have spread state-backed public works projects around Minnesota and employed more than 20,000 people.

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