Northland lawmakers' warm tapping fund...would have negative local consequences.
Over the years more than 200 businesses have been able to become a reality, thanks to assistance by the DJJ Fund.
"We do rotational and vacuum molding. We do a lot of parts for Premier Pontoons out of the Twin Cities market and their product is shipped nationally," said Bob Menne, president of Premier Plastics.
A skilled and dedicated workforce, along with assistance of loans from the Douglas Johnson Trust Fund, made the decision for Premier Plastics to relocate to the Iron Range where, recently, more than 20 jobs have been filled.
"All along the Iron Range Resources has been a good asset for us. Paying attention to us and helping us out with additional needs, whether it's adding on to the building or adding equipment or that sort. They have been real good to work with." said Menne.
Over in Gilbert, Minnesota, you'll find Delta Dental, also known as DeCare Dental.
Some two–million calls come through this main, state of the art, customer service center every year for the dental insurance company.
It was the availability of hard working Rangers and support from the Doug Johnson fund that drew DeCare Dental to the Iron Range.
Starting with 30 employees, the work center has now grown to 160...and in Cook, another service center, Disability Specialists, moved in thanks to similar support.
"They weren't interested in moving anywhere else. They wanted to stay right here on the Iron Range," said Kelly Blad with Disability Specialists.
It was investments from the DJJ Fund that helped the company not only move into a new building, but expand their workforce.
"They've certainly helped with a lot of the funding and loans needed to do some of the work to make this building what it is," said Blad.
While the fund continues to support projects that diversify the Range economy it also supports a new generation of mining projects, like Mesabi Nugget, Essar Steel, Polymet's copper nickel plant, and the reclamation work of Magnetation.
Each investment is paying off in its own way.
Recently Magnetation, which uses tailings left over from the taconite process, partnered with global giant Cargill creating an exceptionally promising economic investment for the Range.
"The DNR had the foresight to carefully track and monitor and hold on to and store and preserve these minerals for potential future use on the assumption that someday, somebody would come along to turn them into commercial value," said Larry Lehtinen, president and CEO of Magnetation.
Balancing economic diversification with support of core mining projects has been the guiding force of those who oversee the Doug Johnson trust fund.
"We need our mining industries to stay strong, we need to maintain our investments in that, but we need to also look out into the future and ask 'what are the jobs of tomorrow' and we need to be investing in those companies too," said IRRRB Commissioner Tony Sertich.
Range lawmakers say raiding the fund for short–term state–wide assistance will end up creating long term economy problems across Northeastern Minnesota.
The Douglas J Johnson Fund was established 30 years ago as a means to keep the Iron Range economy vibrant.
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