Nikki Hess is disappointed that Austin’s Historic Paramount Theatre was not included in the Capital Investment Bill passed by the Minnesota House, but the project director for the Paramount is hopeful that the Senate will be kinder to the arts.

Friday, March 17, 2000

Nikki Hess is disappointed that Austin’s Historic Paramount Theatre was not included in the Capital Investment Bill passed by the Minnesota House, but the project director for the Paramount is hopeful that the Senate will be kinder to the arts. The city of Austin has asked that the state include funding for two Austin projects in its 2000 bonding bill: $550,000 for the Paramount Theatre and $919,000 for Riverside Arena.

"I wasn’t really surprised when it didn’t pass forward after the governor’s comments about what he wanted to see funded," Hess said, explaining that Gov. Ventura had said he only wanted to see "necessary" items funded. "For people in Austin who have put 10 years of their lives into saving the Paramount, it is a necessary item. The Paramount could provide so much for the community."

State Rep. Rob Leighton (DFL-Austin) echoed her sentiments.

"I am very disappointed by the House bonding bill and feel that many worthwhile projects were ignored," Leighton said. "The spreadsheets we have been provided show zero dollars for the Paramount, the Shooting Star Trail and the Austin Area Activity Center.

"Certainly politics play an important role in bonding bills," he continued. "One of the projects in the House bonding bill, to the tune of $500,00, is a boat ramp on Lake Minnetonka in the district of House Tax Committee Chair Ron Abrams (R-Minnetonka). For the Republicans to claim that many rural projects were left out because they were not of regional or statewide significance, and then to include a boat ramp on Lake Minnetonka, is very difficult to accept."

Hope is not dead, however, it just had to change locations.

News from State Sen. Pat Piper (D-Austin) is that the Senate did pass the Paramount proposal forward Thursday.

One round down, two to go in the Senate.

Earlier in the week, Piper said she thought the Paramount bonding request had a better chance of making it into the final bonding bill, due to the uniqueness of the atmospheric theater. She expressed a cautious hope.

"It’s an unusual year," Piper said. "It’s a non-budget year and we have some extra money," Piper said. "Our hopes are high, but you never know what the governor will do."