Lawmakers to Push for Becker Funding in Special Session

BECKER -- The regular session of the state legislature has come to an end, but lawmakers still have a lot of work to do.

Senator Andrew Mathews of Milaca says he remains hopeful that his bill for $20.1 million to help make improvements to the Becker business park will be included in one of the budget bills or in a bonding bill.

We're looking for a way to make it work, whether there's a bonding bill that comes out or whether there's an appropriation in one of the bills, I've still been fighting for this and I'm still pretty confident we'll find a way to get it done.

Mathews says with Monday's news that Xcel Energy plans to shutter Sherco Unit 3 by 2030, making improvements to Becker's business park becomes even more of a priority as the city tries to attract new companies like Google.

That project is, unfortunately, going to be another hit on Becker and the central Minnesota region and that makes this infrastructure investment even that much more of a priority right now.

A companion bill in the Minnesota House has been introduced by Representative Shane Mekeland of Clear Lake.