1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to economic development; providing for an 
  1.3             Itasca county tax increment financing district and 
  1.4             development powers for power plant related to taconite 
  1.5             mine direct reduction plant and steel mill; providing 
  1.6             for a challenge grant for construction of a steel 
  1.7             mill; authorizing spending to acquire and to better 
  1.8             public land and buildings and other public 
  1.9             improvements of a capital nature; providing for a 
  1.10            grant to Itasca County Railroad Authority for railroad 
  1.11            access and natural gas right-of-way and pipeline; 
  1.12            providing for a grant to Itasca county for highway 
  1.13            improvements; providing for a grant to the city of 
  1.14            Nashwauk for wells and wastewater treatment 
  1.15            facilities; authorizing issuance of bonds; 
  1.16            appropriating money. 
  1.17  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.18     Section 1.  [AUTHORIZATION.] 
  1.19     The governing body of the county of Itasca may create an 
  1.20  economic development tax increment financing district, as 
  1.21  provided in this act, on one or more parcels to contain an 
  1.22  electric power plant and which are adjacent to a taconite mine 
  1.23  direct reduction plant and steel mill.  Except as otherwise 
  1.24  provided in this act, the provisions of Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.25  sections 469.174 to 469.179, apply to the district. 
  1.26     Sec. 2.  [SPECIAL RULES.] 
  1.27     (a) The duration of the district established under section 
  1.28  1 is 25 years from the receipt of the first increment, 
  1.29  notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 469.176, subdivision 
  1.30  1b.  
  1.31     (b) Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 469.1763, 
  2.1   tax increment from the district established under section 1 may 
  2.2   be expended on improvements and activities in aid of the 
  2.3   electric power plant and the direct reduction plant and steel 
  2.4   mill and related administrative expenses, but may not otherwise 
  2.5   be expended outside the district. 
  2.6      (c) Minnesota Statutes, section 469.1782, does not apply to 
  2.7   this act or the district established under section 1.  
  2.8      (d) Minnesota Statutes, section 273.1399, does not apply to 
  2.9   the district.  
  2.10     (e) The captured net tax capacity of the district 
  2.11  established under section 1 includes any property taxed as 
  2.12  personal property having a situs in the district. 
  2.13     Sec. 3.  [DEVELOPMENT POWERS.] 
  2.14     The county may exercise all of the powers of a housing and 
  2.15  redevelopment authority under Minnesota Statutes, sections 
  2.16  469.001 to 469.047, and the powers of an economic development 
  2.17  authority under Minnesota Statutes, sections 469.090 to 469.108, 
  2.18  in connection with the development of the project described in 
  2.19  section 1. 
  2.20     Sec. 4.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.21     $60,000,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.22  commissioner of trade and economic development for a grant for 
  2.23  construction of a steel mill.  The grant requires a matching 
  2.24  amount in gross payroll at the steel mill by the fourth year of 
  2.25  its operation.  If the gross payroll at the steel mill is less 
  2.26  than $60,000,000 by the fourth year of its operation, the 
  2.27  difference must be returned by the grantee. 
  2.28     Sec. 5.  [APPROPRIATION; ITASCA COUNTY RAILROAD AUTHORITY.] 
  2.29     $21,774,000 is appropriated from the bond proceeds fund to 
  2.30  the commissioner of administration for a grant to the Itasca 
  2.31  County Railroad Authority for capital improvements for railroad 
  2.32  access and natural gas right-of-way and pipeline, subject to the 
  2.33  requirements of Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.695. 
  2.34     Sec. 6.  [APPROPRIATION; COUNTY OF ITASCA.] 
  2.35     $10,108,000 is appropriated from the bond proceeds fund to 
  2.36  the commissioner of administration for a grant to Itasca county 
  3.1   for public highway improvements in connection with the 
  3.2   construction of a new steel mill, subject to the requirements of 
  3.3   Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.695. 
  3.4      Sec. 7.  [APPROPRIATION; CITY OF NASHWAUK.] 
  3.5      $3,691,000 is appropriated from the bond proceeds fund to 
  3.6   the commissioner of administration for a grant to the city of 
  3.7   Nashwauk to design and construct freshwater wells and wastewater 
  3.8   treatment facilities and pipelines, subject to the requirements 
  3.9   of Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.695. 
  3.10     Sec. 8.  [BOND SALE.] 
  3.11     To provide the money appropriated in sections 5 to 7 from 
  3.12  the bond proceeds fund, the commissioner of finance, on request 
  3.13  of the governor, shall sell and issue bonds of the state in an 
  3.14  amount up to $35,573,000 in the manner, on the terms, and with 
  3.15  the effect prescribed by Minnesota Statutes, sections 16A.631 to 
  3.16  16A.675, and by the Minnesota Constitution, article XI, sections 
  3.17  4 to 7. 
  3.18     Sec. 9.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  3.19     Sections 5 to 8 are effective the day following final 
  3.20  enactment. 
  3.21     Sections 1 to 3 are effective the day after the Itasca 
  3.22  county board's approval is filed as provided in Minnesota 
  3.23  Statutes, section 645.021, subdivision 3.