ST. CLOUD -- Governor Mark Dayton's plans to improve various areas of the state's infrastructure will be discussed at this year's legislative session. Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith visited WJON to discuss the impact Dayton's plans would have on the St. Cloud area.

Smith says Dayton's Jobs Bill, a $1.4 billion bonding bill to improve several projects across the state, would create about 40,000 new jobs.

"Beyond [jobs], it also will be making investments in buildings that Minnesotans will be able to use for years and years to come," Smith says. "It's a just a really great project and we're hoping the legislature will pass the bonding bill."

The Jobs Bill would call for $23.4 million to go to the St. Cloud Correctional Facility for a new loading dock and repairs to the perimeter wall. It also plans to use $3.5 million to renovate and expand St. Cloud's National Guard Center, as well as over $12 million to renovate Eastman Hall on the campus of St. Cloud State University.

Smith says she is optimistic the bonding bill will be well-received at this year's session and something will get passed.

"I think every legislator has a project that they know is really going to help the people in their district," Smith says. "It just makes so much sense to make these kinds of investments."

"In your family, you will borrow money to buy a car or a house, and that's essentially what the state is doing -- it's borrowing some money to build some things we know we're going to be needing for a long time."

The 2016 Minnesota Legislative Session started on March 8th.

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