Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB) is a government agency that issues grants to the iron range to foster economic growth. To the outrage of citizens, the agency has been giving disproportionate grants that seem to benefit Democrat legislators, not the actual people.
Democrat Senate Minority Tom Bakk has been the largest beneficiary of the taxpayer-funded grants. Per Capita Democrat controlled districts show Democrat districts receiving nearly double the dollars per capita compared to districts held by Republicans according to research found by the Star Tribune.
Districts 10 and 5 are are Iron Range Districts held by Republicans and District 3 and 6 are held by Democrats. The number is reduced to show average grant per capita.
Total Grants in 2015 (numbers in millions)
Rep. Sandy Layman, R-Cohasset, a former IRRRB commissioner, called the split in per capita spending “extraordinary.”
