The U.S. House of Representatives passed a $515.7 billion budget bill last night. The Strib reports the bill includes money for Minnesota. The Big Winners:

$195 million: Help rebuild the Interstate 35W bridge. $55 million: The Northstar Corridor from Minneapolis to Big Lake. $50 million: Security at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul in 2008. $10 million: The planned Central Corridor light-rail line that would link downtowns in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

The Senate is expected to pass a similar bill, though theirs would include funding for the Iraq war. Since providing infrastructure is a core purpose of government, taxpayers should fund bridges and road repair. But light-rail? The Republican National Convention? Senators Coleman and Klobuchar support that aspect of the bill, especially. I want security at the convention too but should taxpayers fund that? I'm not sure. With the bill totaling $515 billion, and Minnesota receiving no small chunk, it sounds like extravagant spending to me.