Iowa state lawmaker proposes to buy 9 Minnesota counties

Republican State Sen. Mike Bousselot
By Marcus McIntosh
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DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — An Iowa lawmaker wants to expand the state of Iowa by buying Minnesota’s southern row of nine counties.
Though the proposal is far from a done deal, it’s already stirring up conversation at the Statehouse.
Republican State Sen. Mike Bousselot, of Ankeny, is spearheading the effort.
“It’s a mergers and acquisitions strategy for growing our state,” Bousselot told KCCI.
The senator’s proposal focuses on the nine counties in southern Minnesota that border Iowa, which he says were originally part of the Iowa Territory.
“Right now, there is a bill drafting in the Iowa House and the Iowa Senate that would announce our intent to enter negotiations to purchase this county property,” Bousselot said.
The House, the Senate and the governor would all need to sign off on the proposal to begin negotiating with Minnesota. Then it would go to the United States Congress to approve the new border.
Iowa House Speaker Pat Grassley, R-New Hartford, said Monday he’s willing to consider the proposal.
“I look forward to having that conversation,” he said. “Anytime we can continue to grow Iowa some, we should at least engage.”
Bousselot says his proposal makes sense for Iowa’s future.
“Iowa taxpayers would have a return on the investment that would be just unbelievable,” he said.
According to Bousselot, there are about 180,000 Minnesotans in those nine southern counties and buying that land would not change the electoral map in either state.
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