ELKHART, Ind. (AP) — Gov. Mike Pence said he’s confident the Legislature will allocate another $42 million to the Indiana Economic Development Corp. so all three regions selected to receive state redevelopment money will be fully funded.

The IEDC last week selected three metro regions centered around South Bend, Fort Wayne and Evansville to receive the grants.

Pence said at an event Tuesday in Elkhart that funding such projects is essential to keeping and attracting workers to Indiana, calling it one of the state’s biggest challenges. He says the redevelopment money will be used to make those three regions better places to live.

Pence says even the four regions that weren’t selected will benefit because those cities and counties have begun working together to improve their quality of life.