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Tighter financial controls in Mayo bill

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Feb 26, 2013 at 5:00 pm

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) A bill paving the way for a significant expansion of Rochester's Mayo Clinic has picked up more accountability features as it steams ahead.

The House Government Operations Committee on Tuesday advanced the measure after adding provisions intended to better track a proposed public contribution.

Mayo is seeking state and local financing for almost $600 million of a multibillion dollar expansion. The public dollars would pay for infrastructure upgrades associated with the private build-out.

One change requires that consulting arrangements and other contracts using the public money are subject to state audits. Another would give the state revenue commissioner a bigger role in determining whether the development is meeting promised benchmarks.

The bill heads next to the House Taxes Committee, where it is likely to face its biggest test yet.