Iowa Legislator Suggests Buying Land from Minnesota

by Brian Wilson
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A central Iowa lawmaker is proposing that Iowa buy the nine southern Minnesota counties that are on the other side of Iowa’s border. State Senator Mike Bousselot, a Republican from Ankeny, is sponsoring a bill to start the ball rolling.

Bousselot is an attorney who was former Governor Terry Branstad’s chief of staff. He’s now operating a real estate business, and at this time, he isn’t suggesting how much the state would pay Minnesota for those counties.

Bousselot, who is chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, says it’s a very serious proposal.

Democrats like House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst say buying part of Minnesota would be an inappropriate use of Iowa tax dollars.

Bousselot suggests there would be immediate agricultural investment” in those nine counties if they become part of Iowa.

Changing state borders requires an act of congress. Bousselot notes it was last done in 1961, when Minnesota agreed to cede land to North Dakota because of a change in course of the Red River of the North.

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