While it's far better to have those estimates too high than the other way around, it does lead to complaints that fiscal planners deliberately err on the conservative side. Minnesota goes to extensive lengths to evaluate the condition of its capital assets. That sounded like an alarming amount of money, but at least the state had some idea where it stood. Except for that backlog, Minnesota is strong in capital management. It has one of the strongest executive planning processes in the country.
Agencies submit six-year capital plans to the department of finance.
Their requests explain the project need, the scope and scheduling information. Projects are evaluated through a detailed scoring system before they're approved. Agencies with similar interests are encouraged to develop joint plans. Once under way, facilities and roads projects are well monitored and evaluated, and most come in on time and on budget. Hiring systems are in transition in Minnesota.