Winners, losers hold different views
In politics, it is all about winning.
Take, for instance, Al Franken's razor-thin victory over Norm Coleman in the Minnesota U.S. Senate race.
The day after the state Supreme Court ruled in Franken's favor, making him Minnesota's newest senator, Brian Melendez, the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party chairman proclaimed: "Our election system in Minnesota works."
His comments, delivered to a Franken rally, brought loud and long cheers. That was in stark contrast to his GOP counterpart.
In a quiet conference room a couple of hours later, Republican state Chairman Tony Sutton had a far different view of things.
"We were robbed," Sutton said.
Talking to political reporters and in a letter to GOP leaders, Sutton said the high court messed up by allowing some Minnesotans' absentee votes to be counted while rejecting others. That is not fair, he said.
Posted by: Don Davis on 7/03/2009 at 1:47 PM | Permalink
Tags: coleman, franken, politics
GOP candidate announcements start
An onslaught of Republican governor candidate announcements begins in the next few days.
State Rep. Marty Seifert of Marshall visits 14 cities on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to formally announce he will run. He just left the House minority leader job to seek the governor's position.
State Sen. Michael Jungbauer of East Bethel announced his intention to run on Facebook, but plans a more traditional announcement soon. State Sen. David Hann of Eden Prairie has filed his paperwork and should announce soon, too.
State Rep. Paul Kohls of Victoria also is running. So is former state Rep. Bill Haas of Champlin.
While many are considering a run, those who appear almost ready to jump into the ring include former State Auditor Pat Anderson, state Rep. Laura Brod of New Prague, state Rep. Tom Emmer of Delano and Charlie Weaver, Gov. Tim Pawlenty's first chief of staff.
Then there is the big elephant, Norm Coleman. The former U.S. senator plans some announcement soon, but is not saying what he will tell Minnesotans.
Posted by: Don Davis on 7/03/2009 at 9:49 AM | Permalink
Tags: governor 2010, politics
Taxpayers watch tax dispute
Nearly 80,000 people along the Minnesota and Wisconsin border face a more complex and costly income tax filing routine if the two states can't work out a dispute.
And $106 million to plug a Minnesota budget deficit is at stake.
While both states deal with massive budget deficits, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty demands that Wisconsin speed up payments to his state under a 41-year-old reciprocity agreement in which residents who live in one state and work in the other can pay income taxes only in their home state. The state where the employee works is reimbursed by the person’s home state.
The agreement saves hassle and tax preparation costs for 57,000 Wisconsinites who work in Minnesota and 22,500 Minnesotans who work in Wisconsin.
Since so many more Minnesotans drive across the border to work than do Wisconsinites, the Badger state always owes Minnesota.
Pawlenty says the trouble is that Wisconsin's payments are 17 months late. In looking for ways to plug a $6.4 billion deficit in the two-year budget that begin Wednesday, Pawlenty told Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle that he wants a $35 million payment next year and $71 million the following year to bring Wisconsin current in its debt.
"If we cannot reach agreement as to a more timely payment plan, Minnesota will need to consider terminating the reciprocity agreement as of Dec. 31, 2009," Pawlenty wrote to Doyle.
Doyle has received Pawlenty’s letter and is reviewing it, according to Carla Vigue, the governor’s deputy press secretary.
Minnesota Revenue Commissioner Ward Einess said he hopes to talk with his Wisconsin counterpart in the coming days to see if they can agree to a faster payment schedule.
"We are willing to accommodate them," Einess said.
The 80,000 taxpayers may be concerned about how hard Minnesota will try to negotiate a new deal because there is no fiscal incentive. If Doyle agrees to Pawlenty's demand, Minnesota would get $106 million. If the agreement is dissolved, which either state can do unilaterally, Minnesota stands to gain $134 million.
Still, Einess said, the Pawlenty administration would like to continue the reciprocity arrangement.
Doyle and Pawlenty earlier this year signed an agreement to work closer together in a number of areas, an effort to save both states money. However, the two have talked only in passing about the tax reciprocity issue.
If the two states do not reach a deal to continue the arrangement, many of residents who cross state lines to work would have to file income tax returns in both states, although they usually would not actually pay both states.
Einess said some would pay higher taxes if the agreement ends.
Minnesota has similar deals with North Dakota and Michigan, but Einess said so little money is involved that there will be no change. Likewise, Wisconsin has tax reciprocity agreements with Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan, but they are not being scrutinized.
Western Wisconsin lawmakers are working to keep the Minnesota agreement in place.
In a letter signed by 18 western Wisconsin legislators, they urged Doyle to cooperate with Minnesota in resolving the dispute.
“It’s not good to unravel reciprocity agreements,” Sen. Harsdorf, R-River Falls, said. “I strongly support maintaining the income tax reciprocity agreement and have written letters to both governors urging them to cooperate on this matter to protect the interests of nearly 80,000 affected residents in both states.”
Without the continued agreement, Harsdorf said, many of her constituents will face additional tax filing each spring and the cost for reporting taxes will increase.
Rep. Kitty Rhoades, R-Hudson, said the reciprocity agreement has worked well for years and now is not the time to end it.
“Since 1968, the Minnesota-Wisconsin income tax reciprocity has streamlined the tax filing process for individuals who live in one state but work in another state,” Rhoades said. “Through the years, this agreement has been the topic of budget discussions in both states but, through negotiations, the program has been successfully maintained.”
Posted by: Don Davis and Jeff Holmquist on 7/02/2009 at 3:14 PM | Permalink
Tags: pawlenty, unallotment, wisconsin
GOP chairman goes after Franken
Minnesota's new Republican chairman used his first day on the job to come out swinging against Sen.-elect Al Franken.
Shortly after Democrat Franken's supporters rallied at the Capitol Wednesday, Tony Sutton accused Democrats of fixing Franken's election against Republican Norm Coleman. "They stopped finding votes when they got enough. ... We got robbed."
Sutton hinted the election and an ensuing recount and court battle over the counting of absentee ballots will taint Franken's senatorial career.
"This guy has a bigger asterisk behind his name than Barry Bonds," Sutton said, referring to the record-holding baseball player accused of using banned performance-enhancing drugs.
Sutton said the Senate election's outcome, decided Tuesday by the Minnesota Supreme Court, could fire up enraged Republicans. It could "really motivate people to get out and work hard," he added.
Sutton strongly criticized the court decision in a letter to Republican leaders.
"The court's ruling wrongly disenfranchises thousands of Minnesotans," Sutton wrote. "There were unacceptable disparities in the way Minnesotans' ballots were treated based upon the counties in which they reside. Democrats seized on these disparities and hunted for ballots so they could win the election through the courts. This is completely unacceptable and we will never let it happen again."
Certificate delivered
Gov. Tim Pawlenty's office reported that Franken's election certificate, signed by the governor and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, was hand-delivered to the U.S. Senate secretary Wednesday morning.
An overnight package service delivered the certificate to Washington and a Minnesota Washington office official gave it to the Senate secretary's office.
Franken is to be sworn in early next week, probably by Vice President Joe Biden, who also is Senate president.
Coleman for governor?
When Coleman conceded defeat Tuesday in the U.S. Senate race, he said he would announce his future plans within days.
That set off serious speculation that he will run for governor next year, especially since GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty is not running for a third term.
Coleman would not go near that topic Tuesday, but some Republicans are courting him for the race.
"It is my understanding that nothing has been ruled in or out," Sutton said.
Faster resolution
A key state representative wants to find a better way to resolve election disputes like the U.S. Senate race that stretched on for eight months.
“Minnesotans have had only one U.S. senator for over five months and if Sen. Coleman took this to the U.S. Supreme Court, it could have been much longer; this is just isn’t fair to the citizens of Minnesota,” Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis, said. “Providing a provisional certificate of election to the winner of the recount is a common sense remedy that would ensure this never happens again.”
Kahn is chairwoman of a House committee that deals with such issues.
Her proposal would allow a temporary election certificate to be granted, and thus a person seated in the Senate, until legal challenges are exhausted. Earlier this year, the state Supreme Court rejected a Franken attempt to give him an election certificate before Coleman's court case played out.
“If this law had been in place, Franken could have received a provisional election certificate and been sworn in to office with all the other U.S. senators,” Kahn said.
Franken on immigration
The immigration-reform organization America's Voice is glad Franken won.
The organization said he "supports common sense solutions to our broken immigration system."
Franken's comments that it is not practical to depot illegal immigrants and the need to set up a program that treats them fairly earned the group's praise.
On the Senate Judiciary Committee, one of Franken's assignments, he will have a chance to work on immigration policy.
Posted by: Don Davis on 7/01/2009 at 5:34 PM | Permalink
Tags: coleman, franken, us senate
Franken rallies supporters
Al Franken
"Live, from Washington, it's Sen. Al Franken!"
That may not be Minnesota senator-elect's line, but on Wednesday hundreds of supporters got a glimpse of a looser Al Franken than has surfaced in quite some time.
He thanked Minnesotans for putting him in the U.S. Senate, promising, "I'm not going to waste that chance."
The party on the state Capitol's front lawn came 23 hours after the Minnesota Supreme Court released a ruling declaring Democrat Franken beat Republican Norm Coleman by 312 votes in Nov. 4's U.S. Senate election. Franken is to take the oath of office next week.
After 2.9 million Minnesotans voted, it took a recount and a Coleman court challenge to determine the winner.
Franken enlisted applause from the crowd when he praised Coleman's statesmanship on Tuesday by conceding the election.
"We wish him and his family the best," Franken said to cheers, quite a contrast from the reaction the name "Coleman" received at Franken campaign rallies last year.
Freed from the stress of an eight-month election recount and court challenge, the 58-year-old former "Saturday Night Live" star and writer cracked jokes and launched into a crowd in front of the Minnesota Capitol.
"I would like to take all of you to Washington," he told the crowd. "I can't. I costed it out."
He also was sentimental, especially when it came to his wife, Franni. Tears came to his eyes when he thanked her for her help, then recalled that the two met nearly 40 years ago at a college freshman mixer. "We have been together ever since."
Franken told the victory rally that without his wife, "I would have lost, by kind of a lot."
She was introduced to the chants of "Franni, Franni." She simply responded: "We have to keep meeting like this."
While state Republican Chairman Tony Sutton, in his first day on the job, criticized Franken for holding a partisan rally instead of an inclusive one in light of his tight victory, the Democrat-heavy rally was enthusiastic.
Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota's only senator since Coleman's term ended in early January, fired up the rally by saying, "This is the day we move forward."
Ironically, 13 months ago Klobuchar was not behind Franken the day before the state's Democrats endorsed him in Rochester. She and other Democratic-Farmer-Laborite women were not happy with his writing that some described as pornographic and degrading to women. After the endorsement, Klobuchar campaigned for Franken.
State Sen. Ann Lynch, DFL-Rochester, said on Wednesday that she always has supported Franken and dismissed claims that his writing hurt women. If she felt that, she said, "I would be at the front of the line screaming."
Rural Minnesotans should do well by Franken, despite his lack of rural roots, said Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union president and former state lawmaker.
"He is fairly progressive for prices to farmers," Peterson said, and prices are what matters.
Peterson said he expects Franken to take the advice of Klobuchar, who sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee, and U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson, chairman of the House Agriculture Committee.
Sen. LeRoy Stumpf, DFL-Plummer, said sugar beet farmers and others in northwestern Minnesota like Franken. "he sure went over well before the election."
Like others rallying, Peterson was most happy that Minnesota can move on after a trying election process.
"I'm real that that we have a senator now," said Doug Peterson, who is considering running for governor. "We can get on with doing the business we have to get done."
More scenes from the Franken rally:
Posted by: Don Davis on 7/01/2009 at 4:51 PM | Permalink
Tags: franken
Franken wins 5-0
Franni and Al Franken
Nearly 3 million Minnesotans voted for a U.S. Senate candidate eight months ago, but in the end only five votes counted, those state Supreme Court justices who Tuesday decided Al Franken will be the state's second U.S. senator.
The high court's unanimous decision giving Franken a 312-vote victory convinced Norm Coleman to end his re-election battle, sending Franken to Washington to give Democrats 60 Senate votes, the most dominate voting bloc in 30 years.
Tuesday's court ruling ended Minnesota's longest election contest.
"Franni and I are so thrilled that we can finally celebrate this victory," Franken said, his wife at his side in front of their downtown Minneapolis townhouse.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie signed Franken's election certificate Tuesday night. He could be sworn in early next week, although that has yet to be decided.
Franken is to attend a mid-day state Capitol victory rally today, then head to the Iron Range for holiday parades this weekend before flying to Washington early next week.
The election was watched across the country because with Franken's win, Democrats and their allies have 60 votes in the Senate. That allows Democrats to break Republican filibusters, giving them a better chance to pass their bills, as well as those of Democratic President Barack Obama. The president on Tuesday issued a statement congratulating Franken.
But the former "Saturday Night Live" star and author said that while he will be the 60th senator to vote Democratic, that is not why he ran. "I'm going to Washington to be the second Minnesota senator."
Coleman said he fought in court because he thought he won the Nov. 4 election, but on Tuesday he accepted the court's decision.
In a call Coleman made to Franken, the two agreed "it is time to bring this state together," Franken said.
“I congratulate Al Franken and his victory in this election," Coleman said from the lawn of his St. Paul home. "He now enjoys the advantage that our congressional delegation has over the other 525 people on Capitol Hill: He represents Minnesota. "
Coleman would not comment about his future, but said that information will come soon enough. Some speculate he will run for governor.
“I don’t reach this point with any big regrets," said Coleman, who served one term in the Senate after working in the state attorney general's office and being St. Paul mayor. "I ran the campaign I wanted. I conducted the legal challenge I wanted. And I have always believed you do the best you can and leave the results up to a higher authority. I’m at peace with that."
Franken began his campaign in February of 2007, a campaign that landed him in hot water with some in his own party when they learned about comments many thought were offensive to women. But he survived and won the party's endorsement, only to fight Republican Coleman in one of the country's fiercest political battles.
It also was expensive, probably topping $50 million for the campaign and post-campaign court expenses between the two candidates.
Coleman led early the morning after election day, but by just 727 votes, 0.01 percent of the 2.9 million cast. As election officials checked their work, however, Franken soon gained a slim lead and expanded that lead in a statewide recount.
The lead held when a three-judge panel ruled against Coleman's challenge in April, a decision the Supreme Court affirmed Tuesday.
"I think what you had was 12 judges look at this through the canvassing process, through the recount and throughout the trial, and all agreeing unanimously that I won more votes than anybody else in the election," Franken said.
Soon after the Supreme Court decision, Franken sent a letter to supporters seeking more money for his court costs, but also talked about issues he will face in Washington.
"We know what we want: an economy that works for everyone, universal health care and to create new jobs through renewable energy investment," Franken wrote. "As senator-elect, I intend to take our shared vision of progress to Washington and try to do right by every single Minnesotan."
He said he will serve on committees dealing with health, education, labor, pensions, courts, Indian affairs and aging.
Much of Franken's time in recent months has been spent getting ready to be senator, both at home and in Washington. He said he already has hired most of his Washington and Minnesota staff.
"I can hit the ground, if not running, trotting," he joked.
Franken will get to a late start in the Senate, and with such a small margin of victory, the Democrat said the job will not be easy He said he needs to earn the trust of those who did not vote for him.
In their Tuesday ruling, justices repeatedly wrote that Coleman failed to prove his claim that there were problems counting absentee ballots.
"We affirm the decision of the trial court that Al Franken received the highest number of votes legally cast and is entitled ... to receive the certificate of election as United States senator from the state of Minnesota," the justices wrote.
Coleman contended that absentee ballots accepted on election day and in the recount that followed did not meet standards the lower court established and there were differences in among counties in deciding what ballots should be counted.
However, the justices said state law is clear that decisions about what ballots should be counted need to be made before they are deposited in ballot boxes, not afterwards.
The law is "not violated every time public officials apply ... state laws differently," the five justices wrote.
Two justices did not take part in the decision because they were involved in the race's recount.
The high court essentially was looking at whether thousands of absentee ballots from outside Minnesota's largest cities were improperly rejected.
Coleman's attorneys told the justices on June 1 that laws were not evenly applied, and actions in larger counties such as St. Louis, Ramsey and Hennepin tilted last Nov. 4's U.S. Senate election in Franken's favor.
Democratic-heavy counties "are the counties that relaxed the standards and let the votes in," Coleman attorney Joe Friedberg said.
Coleman had hoped that the justices would send the case back to the three-judge district court panel to consider counting more ballots.
The high court was looking at a case resulting in the longest-ever time Minnesota has gone without one of its two U.S. senators. Coleman's Senate term ended in early January.
Franken, 58, became nationally known as a "Saturday Night Live" performer. He started out as a writer on that comedy show, where he worked in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. He also has written political books and screen plays, as well as hosted a talk radio show.
He was born in New York City, but raised in Albert Lea and St. Louis Park, Minn. He and his wife have two adult children, daughter Thomasin and son Joe.
Norm Coleman
Frankens wave
The senator-elect
Posted by: Don Davis on 6/30/2009 at 8:04 PM | Permalink
Tags: coleman, franken, senate election
Unallotment job loss up to 4,700
Commissioner Hanson
Gov. Tim Pawlenty's decision to make unilateral budget cuts could cost up to 4,700 jobs across Minnesota, the state economist told legislative leaders this morning.
In a confrontational meeting, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, disputed some of those numbers. She told State Economist Tom Stinson that he undershot the number of jobs that school districts will be forced to cut, perhaps by several hundred.
Stinson said up to 600 of the 4,700 job loses would come from schools. But Kelliher pointed out that Twin Cities school districts themselves, not counting any other districts in the state, estimate they would need to eliminate 825 jobs.
Stinson said up to 1,970 local government jobs and 1,630 state jobs could be lost due to the cuts. Another 500 private jobs would disappear, he added.
The economist did not estimate indirect job loses, such as when a firm loses state business and is forced to lay off employees.
Pawlenty today plans to formally order that the state delay making some payments to school districts, part of a $2.7 billion budget-balancing action the Republican governor is taking.
This morning's meeting featured Democratic legislative leaders, who control the Legislature, criticizing the Pawlenty administration's handling of the cuts, known as unallotment.
Commissioner Tom Hanson of Minnesota Management and Budget, a Pawlenty appointee, said the Legislature only passed a balanced budget in the last eight minutes of this year's legislative session. That is when lawmakers approved a tax increase that Pawlenty vetoed.
When the tax increase failed, the budget had a $2.7 billion deficit that Pawlenty opted to plug by making cuts on his own instead of calling lawmakers back into special session.
Kelliher said Pawlenty made his decision to unallot well before the session ended. She said he was disengaged, not interesting in negotiating a budget deal with Democrats.
"It is absolutely essential that the Legislature curbs the power of the executive branch," she said, adding that bills will be considered in 2010 to limit a governor's unallotment power.
Leader Sertich, Speaker Kelliher
Posted by: Don Davis on 6/30/2009 at 12:25 PM | Permalink
Tags: budget, legislature, unallotment
Women picked for top 2 ag spots
Two Minnesota women are set to take over top federal agriculture spots in the state, if the Senate approves.
Linda Hennen of Woodbury would become state Farm Service Agency executive director and Colleen Landkamer, a long-time Blue Earth County commissioner, would be state rural development director.
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., recommended the two in January and the Obama administration now has made their nominations official.
“These two individuals understand Minnesota agriculture and will work hard to keep our farms and rural communities strong," Klobuchar said. "They recognize the importance of having a strong safety net for farmers and investing in the rural energy economy, which will create jobs, boost our economy and help Minnesota farmers."
Hennen has worked for the FSA 30 years, half in management.
For seven years beginning in 2000, Hennen was district FSA director for 10 southeastern counties, Dakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha, Washington and Winona.
Hennen lives in Woodbury, but continues to be part-owner of the family farm in Stevens County, where she grew up.
The FSA runs a variety of farm-related federal programs dealing with farm commodities, credit, conservation and disasters. The rural development office helps with economic development issues.
Also, Klobuchar recommended five people to serve as members of the FSA State Committee: David Haugo of Waubun, Roger Vogt of Palisade, Kent Kanten of Milan, Richard Peterson of Mountain Lake and Scott Winslow of Fountain.
Posted by: Don Davis on 6/29/2009 at 4:49 PM | Permalink
Tags: usda
Zellers names Hamilton an assistant
Rep. Rod Hamilton
A southwestern Minnesota legislator who delivered some memorable speeches this year will be an assistant House minority leader.
Rep. Rod Hamilton, R-Mountain Lake, was named to that position by new Minority Leader Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove. Zellers has made no other changes in the leadership team he inherited.
“I am honored to have been asked and appointed to serve as an assistant minority leader,” Hamilton said. “Rep. Zellers will work hard to balance the interests of rural and suburban Minnesota, and I look forward to helping him accomplish this goal.”
A year ago, the story was different for Hamilton. He was on the outs with the person who then led House Republicans, Marty Seifert of Marshall. Seifert removed Hamilton from authority positions in 2008 after he voted to override a Gov. Tim Pawlenty veto of a transportation bill that included a gasoline tax increase. Hamilton was one of six Republicans to vote for the override.
This year, however, Hamilton earned kudos from both parties when he delivered speeches defending the rights of rural Minnesotans.
In one of his most memorable speeches, he complained that not enough money was spent on a veterans and agriculture bill.
"We are willing to fund dog parks and trails and hockey arenas," Hamilton said. "Where is our priority?"
In past sessions, Hamilton had been quiet, but this year he delivered several passionate speeches to the full House.
He was first elected in 2004 and specializes in rural issues such as agriculture, nursing homes and school funding.
“This upcoming legislative session promises to be challenging, as many Capitol insiders predict lawmakers will need to solve another budget deficit during the 2010 session,” Hamilton said. “While this new leadership position brings added responsibilities, I look forward to continuing to advocate for the interests of my constituents, and encourage them to contact me if they have questions or concerns.”
Zellers took over as minority leader last week after Seifert left the post to run for governor. Zellers grew up on a Devils Lake, N.D., farm, but now l lives in Maple Grove, a northwest Twin Cities suburb.
Posted by: Don Davis on 6/29/2009 at 3:58 PM | Permalink
Tags: hamilton, legislature
Green, green, it's green they say
Mike Kilgore
Mike Kilgore says the green Minnesotans pay in a higher tax beginning Wednesday will mean a greener Minnesota in a year.
Minnesota forests will stay green, prairies will turn greener and some wetlands will return to their green state thanks to a sales tax increase voters approved last November, Kilgore said.
The increase, upping the state's portion of the sales tax from 6.5 percent of purchases to 6.875 percent of purchases, is to provide money to clean up the state's water, protect and restore wetlands and prairies, support parks and trails and preserve arts and cultural heritage activities.
The constitutional amendment that voters easily passed is the first statewide sales tax increase since 1994.
The state estimates the higher tax will bring in $234 million in the next year and $247 million the following year.
Kilgore said that it is a good investment.
For instance, he said, 180,000 acres of northern Minnesota forest land will be preserved by the state buying rights to the land, preventing development. Another 200,000 acres of prairies and wetlands will be improved with the money.
Kilgore is chairman of the newly created Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, which recommends to legislators how to spend part of the funds. The University of Minnesota professor said the 12-member council received 99 requests for funds and handed lawmakers a recommendation, which was accepted, for 18 projects.
Funds are due to be spent on projects ranging from restoring shallow lakes as waterfowl homes to improving state parks to cleaning water to increasing arts education.
The constitutional amendment that raised the sales tax was designated for outdoors and arts programs, with most discussion about outdoors issues. Legislators approved most of the spending earlier this year, and businesses begin collecting the tax Wednesday, the start of the state's new two-year budget.
Revenue Commissioner Ward Einess said the latest estimates show $481 million will be collected in the next two years.
"Sales taxes have been down pretty consistently every month," Einess said. "I would expect these numbers are the best-case scenario."
The department has heard of no problems from businesses getting ready to collect the new tax, despite the fact that since the last statewide sales tax increase occurred in 1994 many businesses have changed cash registers and computers that figure taxes.
Tax collectors expect some smaller businesses will have problems, or forget to collect the higher tax.
"There is a little bit of a grace period for the first 30 to 60 days," Einess said, although his department will mail reminders to those who do not appear to be collecting the new tax.
The higher sales tax is not the only one Minnesotans will pay. They also face a 1.6 cent-per-gallon gasoline tax increase, part of a 2008 transportation tax increase plan. The tax will continue to rise each July 1 for several years.
Outdoors program supporters gathered Monday on the banks of the Mississippi River in St. Paul, as well as in Duluth and Rochester, to promote work that will begin later this year with the new sales tax money.
"Minnesotans care," declared Paul Aasen, interim executive director of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy.
But while the money will help preserve and save many of the state's natural features, Jim Cox warned Minnesotans not to expect miracles.
The funds are "not enough to compensate for human progress," said Cox, the Lessard-Sams council vice chairman. "Nowhere near are we going to get Minnesota back to the strong state of health."
Louis Smith, former Minnesota Waters official, said that money going to cleaning up the state's water is vital. But, like Cox, said changes will not happen overnight. "We need to counsel a bit of patience."
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More information:
Posted by: Don Davis on 6/29/2009 at 3:24 PM | Permalink
Tags: amendment, legislature, outdoors
Where new sales tax money goes
Money appropriated, along with examples of how it will be spent, for the next two years from a higher sales tax voters approved last November:
Outdoors heritage, $159 million
($71 million not spent)
- Preserve northern Minnesota forest by buying rights to prevent development, $36 million
- Protect and restore wetlands, $21 million
- Protect grassland and prairie areas, $14 million
- Improve game and wildlife habitat, $14 million
Clean water, $151 million
- Testing water for pollution and related activities, $66 million
- Preventing runoff pollution, $47 million
- Sewage treatment, $33 million
Parks and trails, $65 million
- State parks, $28 million
- Twin Cities parks, $28 million
- Regional parks, $9 million
Arts and hertitage, $93 million
- Arts education, access, $43 million
- Historical Society, $22 million
- Public broadcasting, children's and science museums, zoos, $14 million
- Regional libraries, $9 million
- Dakota and Ojibwe language preservation, $2 million
- Ethnic and culture programs, $2 million
Source: Minnesota Legislature
Posted by: Don Davis on 6/29/2009 at 1:54 PM | Permalink
Tags: amendment, legislature
Some new laws begin Wednesday
New Minnesota laws as of Wednesday include:
-- Unemployment benefits extended: Some jobless Minnesotans will get higher unemployment benefits for the next year.
-- Young restrained: Children up to 8 years old or 4-foot-9 must use child restrain systems while riding in motor vehicles.
-- Electronic waste change: Incentives are expanded to makers of electronics such as computer monitors and televisions to continue their recycling programs.
-- Licensing changes: Continuing education requirements for real estate agents, appraisers, insurance agents and adjusters are changed so make it easier to study via the Internet.
-- Energy funds: The University of Minnesota Initiative for Renewable Energy the Environment begins to receive $5 million a year to study environmentally sound ways of producing renewable energy.
-- Gambling proceeds: A new system goes into effect of rating how much money charitable gaming institutions actually give to charities, based on the percentage of proceeds donated compared to gross receipts.
-- Disabled aid: Blind, dead and hearing-impaired Minnesotans should find it easier to access on-line state services, which received new money to update Web sites for the disabled.
-- Trucks banned: Trucks longer than 55 feet no longer can use Minnesota 36 near the Stillwater Lift Bridge, a legislative decision designed to allow the aging structure to survive longer.
Posted by: Don Davis on 6/29/2009 at 1:02 PM | Permalink
Tags: legislature
Fed energy money arrives
The Minnesota Commerce Department has nearly $22 million of federal money to spend on energy efficiency improvements for homes, businesses and government buildings.
It is one installment of a $54.1 million promise from the federal government.
“We are excited to be among the first states to have their plans approved and we hope to get these projects moving as soon as possible,” said Bill Glahn, director of the state Office of Energy Security. “We are ahead of the nation when it comes to benchmarking our public buildings for energy efficiency improvements, so we already know where to get the most bang for the buck.”
South Dakota was the only other state in the region to get to get the first grants.
Posted by: Don Davis on 6/28/2009 at 12:03 PM | Permalink
Tags: energy
'Byrnn bill' to become law
Children young than 8 and shorter than 4-foot-9 must ride in a child safety or booster seat under a law effective Wednesday, a law many in the Capitol connect to a Moorhead girl hurt in a 2008 accident.
The Department of Public Safety reports that just 30 percent of children in Minnesota use booster seats. Current law only requires children up to 4 to ride in the children's seats.
Booster seats lift up a child to allow seat belts to better protect him.
“Children who are shorter than 4 feet 9 simply aren’t tall enough to use a seat belt alone, if they do, a belt may do more damage than good in case of a crash,” said Heather Darby, state child passenger safety coordinator.
Earlier this year, legislators heard from Dixie Duncan of Moorhead, who told about her daughter. Brynn Duncan was hurt in a Fergus Falls accident less than a year ago; she was not in a safety seat and suffered severe spinal cord injuries.
"The booster seat would have prevented her injury," Dixie Duncan said.
Posted by: Don Davis on 6/27/2009 at 8:01 AM | Permalink
Tags: legislature, traffic
