Bonding bill passes amid gripes
Sens. Langseth, Tomassoni
Republicans blasted a public works funding bill as being too expensive, but as the Minnesota House and Senate passed a revised measure Thursday a Democrat delivered the most stinging speech against the plan written by his own party members.
Rep. Al Juhnke, DFL-Willmar, complained about "the smelly underbelly of this bill," saying that legislative leaders violated their own rules when they gave money to a Minneapolis Veterans' Home expansion project and skipped over one in Willmar.
"At the end of the day, it becomes very easy, for some reason, to say 'yes' to a $28 million project in Minneapolis and say 'no' to a rural Minnesota veterans' mental health facility," Juhnke said in an impassioned speech to fellow representatives.
The House passed the bill 89-44, with the Senate following 49-17. Gov. Tim Pawlenty says he will erase individual projects from the bill, but has yet to say which ones.
Originally, Republican Pawlenty suggested a $685 million public works bill. The bill the Democratic-control Legislature passed is just short of $1 billion, paying for things ranging from repairing state buildings to helping fund civic and sports centers in some communities.
Pawlenty has three days from the time the bill arrives on his desk to make decisions on what to cut.
Thursday's votes were the second for the two chambers. After the first public works bill passed, legislative leaders held onto it so further negotiations could proceed with Pawlenty. However, public works negotiators said that Pawlenty would not sit down with them, so they added his priorities and went ahead with the revised version.
Key to the bill's passage was putting $47.5 million in for a Moose Lake sex offender treatment center expansion, a top Pawlenty priority. He also gained permission to buy land along Lake Vermilion for a state park and to increase spending on prison security.
Another Pawlenty request was to spend $9.5 million on the Minneapolis Veterans' Home, the item that bothered Juhnke, chairman of a committee that finances veterans' projects. In the bonding bill's first House and Senate vote, $5.5 million was approved for a veterans' mental illness facility in Willmar, and nothing for the Minneapolis facility.
Legislative rules say no project may be funded during a House-Senate conference committee unless either the House or Senate earlier approved it.
"At the end of the day, members, it is partisan petty politics in the back rooms of the Capitol," Juhnke said in asking fellow lawmakers to send the bill back for more negotiation. "I will not put up with this."
Rep. Rod Hamilton, R-Mountain Lake, agreed with Juhnke: "The most alarming thing is exactly, precisely what Chair Juhnke said over there. It is about throwing southwestern Minnesota under the bus."
Republicans complained that projects such as a Rochester volleyball center and a Minneapolis sculpture would receive money.
"Whose votes are being bought here?" Rep. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake, asked.
Added Rep. Dean Urdahl, R-Grove City: "I really feel we have some misplaced priorities."
Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Wabasha, called the bill "a trainload of pork."
But Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon, was pleased.
"What we ended up with is good for the state of Minnesota," said Langseth, the chief Senate public works negotiator.
Langseth said he would not suggest to Pawlenty what projects to cut to reduce costs, but predicted "he isn't going to do $300 million."
Sen. David Tomassoni, DFL-Chisholm, offered his advice to Pawlenty: "I don't think he should cut anything. I think we have a very good compromise here."
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/12/2010 at 4:30 AM | Permalink
Tags: bonding, juhnke, legislature
Panel looks at Wisconsin tax deal
A Minnesota Senate committee is looking at how to revive a long-standing practice in which Wisconsin and Minnesota residents who work in the other state only pay income taxes at home.
The Senate Taxes Committee heard testimony Thursday on a pair of bills relating to the 4-decade-old agreement that would allow about 13,000 Minnesotans and more than 33,000 Wisconsin residents who cross the state border for work to file income tax returns in just one state.
The program was terminated in September because Gov. Tim Pawlenty felt Minnesota's neighbors to the east were taking too long to make payments, which he said hurt his budget-balancing attempts.
One bill calls for restoring the reciprocity agreement. Sponsored by Sen. Sharon Erickson Ropes, DFL-Winona, the proposal would give the Legislature power to make reciprocity agreements. That would be consistent with Wisconsin, where the Legislature has authority to end or negotiate changes in reciprocity.
The change, Ropes said, would also take the governor out of a position "where he is singlehandedly capable of raising taxes without any kind of legislative input or representation from taxpayers."
Ropes said citizens in her district have indicated the end of reciprocity will send their taxes will up $300 to $400 a year.
A separate bill proposed by Sen. Kathy Saltzman called for the Minnesota Revenue Department to work with Wisconsin counterparts to study each state's income tax returns for the 2010 tax year.
The department would report back to the governor and lawmakers with updated benchmarks for the program going forward.
Saltzman, DFL-Woodbury, said Wisconsin and Minnesota lawmakers have been working together to find ways to re-establish the reciprocity agreement.
The committee decided to hold onto both measures to consider folding them in a larger bill.
Posted by: Andrew Tellijohn on 3/12/2010 at 3:24 AM | Permalink
Tags: legislature, tax, wisconsin
Farmers may receive federal aid
Farmers in 16 Minnesota counties will be eligible for emergency loans and other help after dealing with multiple weather problems.
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Thursday announced the farmers, mostly in northern Minnesota, are due federal aid because their farms have sustained excessive rain, flooding, frost and cold.
"Many farm operations are already struggling with low farm prices, and these weather disasters have made it even harder for them to operate,” Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., said.
“Farmers in these counties were faced with many different types of challenges that damaged crop production,” Gov. Tim Pawlenty said. “This agricultural disaster designation and federal assistance will help farm operators who suffered losses this fall.”
Counties in the disaster declaration are Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Carlton, Cass, Clearwater, Cook, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, Lake, Mahnomen, Pope, St. Louis, Wadena and Wilkin. Farmers in adjoining counties also may receive federal assistance, and those in Pennington and Roseau counties were declared disaster areas last fall.
Federal officials said they will decide on a case-by-case basis what farmers are eligible for aid. Local Farm Services Administration offices are farmers' points of contact.
Aid usually consists of low-interest loans.
Pawlenty requested the disaster declaration on Jan. 11, telling Vilsack that significant weather-related crop losses were reported in 2009.
Minnesota's northern counties experienced a variety of weather, ranging from near drought in the northeast to cold and wet growing conditions in the north central to flooding in the northwest.
Pawlenty's office said farmers in the affected counties lost at least 30 percent of their corn, soybeans, canola, sunflowers, flax, barley, oats, blueberries, honey, dry edible beans, rye and sugar beet crops.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/11/2010 at 5:24 PM | Permalink
Tags: farm, federal, franken, pawlenty
Magnuson resigns after 2 years
Magnuson, left, and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie at Senate recount
Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric J. Magnuson announced Thursday that he will leave the state's highest court effective June 30.
Magnuson was appointed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty in March 2008.
"It has been my privilege to serve as chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court for the past two years," Magnuson said in a letter to Pawlenty. "I have found the position to be both challenging and rewarding. However, for reasons personal to me and my family, I have decided to step down and return to private practice."
As chief justice, Magnuson has served as chair of the Judicial Council, the policy-making body of the Judicial Branch. Before joining the court he had been an attorney and shareholder and Briggs and Morgan in Minneapolis where he specialized in appellate law.
Posted by: Andrew Tellijohn on 3/11/2010 at 3:34 PM | Permalink
Senator pulls mining bill
A senator pushing a bill to increase financial oversight and protect the environment as a new type of mining develops in northern Minnesota abruptly withdrew the measure Wednesday night.
In front of a busload of Iron Rangers who opposed the bill, fearing it would hurt the chance for a new mine, Sen. Jim Carlson pulled the bill from consideration after a Senate committee spent 12 hours discussing the issue this week.
Carlson said that he was unsure whether he had the votes for the bill to proceed.
"I feel good that we had a good hearing," he said. "This was one of the best fact-finding meetings we've had in a long time."
Carlson acknowledged that environmental advocates are disappointed with his decision. But, he added, his bill would have done less to restrict a proposed copper and nickel mine than the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's draft environmental impact statement that some say could not stand up in court.
"This is not going anywhere until those questions are answered," he said.
The committee had spent hours looking into nonferrous mining in two Monday meetings and nearly five hours Wednesday night.
Carlson, DFL-Eagan, pulled the bill just before 10 p.m., after the committee heard discussion of the EPA's draft environmental impact statement and Carlson's bill aimed at firming up the level of financial assurances mining companies must present before they can open a nonferrous mine, such as those that would produce copper and nickel.
"We all need to manage our risk," Carlson said as he began testimony earlier Wednesday night.
PolyMet Mining Corp. officials and other mine supporters say the protections sought under Carlson's bill are duplicative and could delay or kill the project, thus putting hundreds of jobs at risk.
The discussion stems from several proposed plans for nonferrous mining projects in northern Minnesota. Furthest along is PolyMet, which is closing in on permits and approvals necessary for opening the state's first such mine.
Wednesday night's committee meeting came in front of a packed Capitol committee room, with some people forced to listen to the proceedings in other parts of the Capitol. Most in the committee room opposed Carlson's bill and live near where PolyMet and other companies propose mines.
Ironically, another well-watched meeting ended with the same results Wednesday night. In that meeting, Sen. Dan Sparks, DFL-Austin, tabled his bill to add slot machines to the state's two horse-racing tracks.
The so-called “racino” bill did not have enough votes to pass out of committee.
Both the racino and the mining meetings were packed.
PolyMet has spent more than $25 million and nearly four years on the permitting process for its copper and nickel mine. The company expects the $602 million project located at the eastern end of the Mesabi Iron Range to create $242 million in economic impact for St. Louis County and establish hundreds of stable jobs.
Carlson said he supports nonferrous mining and would rather speed up the project than slow or stop PolyMet's project.
"If this was to stop mining I wouldn't be involved," he said.
Carlson added that each entity involved in the project must reduce the risks associated with this new type of mining, which in some areas has been reported to produce large levels of sulfuric acid.
He acknowledged that many aspects of the project are regulated in existing rules. His bill aims to take those state and federal rules and put them into a state law dealing specifically with nonferrous mining to protect taxpayers in the event a mining company pollutes the land, shuts its doors and tries to leave town.
Supporters of Carlson's bill say mining companies have a history of polluting the land and sticking taxpayers with the cleanup costs.
Steve Morse, executive director of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, said he recognizes that mining is and will be a vital part of Minnesota's economy.
He reiterated that Carlson's bill doesn't deal specifically with PolyMet but with protecting taxpayers with that and similar nonferrous projects.
"This is not jobs vs. the environment," he said. "This is about how we move forward in a way that is protective of the environment."
Marlene Pospeck, mayor of Hoyt Lakes where the PolyMet project would be located, said the bill could delay it by up to two years if not kill it all together.
She asked the committee to stop the road blocks "and let PolyMet get on with it."
"Hundreds of livable wage jobs hang in the balance," she said.
Kelly Payne, manager of environmental remediation for Rio Tinto, which is also exploring mining in northern Minnesota, said the company has several concerns about the bill, particularly its move to disallow the use of letters of credit and surety bonds.
"Rio Tinto relies heavily on these instruments," he said.
Payne said the company posted an $18 million surety bond on a recently permitted nickel, copper, sulfide mine in Michigan to cover remediation and would expect a similar requirement in Minnesota based on existing statutes.
The meeting started with lawmakers hearing discussions on the EPA's draft environmental impact statement, which has been used by critics of the PolyMet project as ammunition against the mine. The EPA last month wrote to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding several shortcomings in the draft statement it found so severe "the proposed action must not proceed as proposed."
Steve Colvin of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources told lawmakers the agency has received nearly 3,800 letters with 10,000 comments about the project and will respond to each one.
"It's fairly routine that there is disagreement and negotiation ... leading up to the final review," Colvin said.
Scott Strand, executive director of the Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, said he does not oppose the project. But he also raised concerns that the statement as it stands could be challenged legally because it lacks details in several areas, such as the kinds of treatment options that will be available for eventual water pollution issues and what they would cost.
He indicated that the DNR is doing what it should by working with the EPA to solve the problems but if they don't do so successfully "this is going to have a hard time going forward."
Posted by: Andrew Tellijohn on 3/11/2010 at 8:31 AM | Permalink
Tags: environment, legislature, mining
Pawlenty plans for bonding bill
Gov. Tim Pawlenty is looking at ways to chop a public works funding bill down to size and how to expand a sex offender facility on the cheap.
Pawlenty on Wednesday said he plans to sign a public works bill, which the House and Senate likely will pass today. However, he added, he will trim down the nearly $1 billion spending bill by eliminating recreation, arts and local projects that he does not feel should be funded by state government.
The top Republican House public works negotiator predicted Tuesday night that Pawlenty either would veto the entire bill or dramatically decrease its size. On Wednesday morning, Pawlenty said he opted to use his line-item veto power to reduce spending.
"The bonding bill incorporates most of our key priorities..." Pawlenty said. "It is a bill we can work with."
In hopes that he would sign the bill, Democratic public works negotiators decided to include Pawlenty's major projects: expanding a sex offender treatment facility at Moose Lake, improving security at prisons, fixing the Minneapolis Veterans' Home and allowing the purchase of land along Lake Vermilion for a state park.
It also spends $63.5 million for flood-prevention projects, which Pawlenty said would remain in the bill. He made that comment Wednesday after surveying Moorhead's work in fighting an expected flood this spring.
Back in St. Paul later in the day, the governor said that he has not decided what projects he would remove from the public works bill, which is funded by the state selling bonds. But he did repeat his feeling that the Moose Lake facility, prison and other public safety issues take priority over arts and recreation projects.
Pawlenty said he will trim the bill to "something more reasonable and responsible and affordable."
Legislators were relieved to know Pawlenty's plans, even if they do not agree with what he will do.
"It's better news than we have had," said Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon.
"I think that is good," added Rep. Loren Solberg, DFL-Grand Rapids. "We already recognize every governor has three options on the bonding bill."
Those three options are signing the bill, vetoing it and vetoing parts of the bill. Also, the governor's administration does not have to sell bonds to fund projects even if legislators approve them.
Solberg has been frustrated, especially, by Pawlenty's insistence on spending $89 million to expand sex offender treatment facilities. Four years ago, the same proposal would have cost $47.5 million, Solberg said, and construction costs have fallen since then.
Solberg, Langseth and others complain that the Pawlenty administration has refused to offer reasons why the cost rose so much.
In meeting with reporters Wednesday, Pawlenty sidestepped questions about the high cost of the sex offender center, what some Democrats have called "Pawlenty's palace."
"There was an extensive design and plan that was done," Pawlenty said, adding that lawmakers funded the design.
The governor said now that he has little more than half of the money he wanted, he has ordered his staff to concentrate on adding capacity for more sex offenders instead of items such as a gymnasium, craft room and, a bigger kitchen.
However, Pawlenty said, the state must meet requirements set by judges.
"It cannot be just like a prison because the courts will not tolerate that..." Pawlenty said. "It is a matter of the courts of deciding what is appropriate for someone in civil commitments."
Sex offenders in Moose Lake have served their prisons terms and are committed to the facility because they are deemed too dangerous to be released. They are supposed to receive treatment, but no offender has been let out of the facility.
The full House and Senate are to vote on the bonding bill today, expecting Pawlenty to quickly veto individual items he does not want.
Pawlenty suggested spending $685 million for public works projects, ranging from fixing college buildings to building trails, far less than the $1 billion the conference committee accepted.
Langseth said that he wants Pawlenty to be careful about trimming the bill. "I hope he gives his pen a rest."
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/11/2010 at 6:05 AM | Permalink
Tags: bonding, langseth, legislature, pawlenty, solberg
Pogemiller streamlining bill meets opposition
The Senate leader's proposal to abolish two state departments and trim another, while also cutting the number of political appointees throughout state government, met opposition from within his own party.
However, it gained support from unions that would not be affected.
The bill by Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, also would turn over most reorganization duties to employees. Governors now are responsible for major changes.
New governors "get caught up in the struggles between finance committees and departments and commissioners that make it hard to move the ball during their short times in office," Pogemiller said. "Real change only takes place if the people doing the work create the change."
Among the bill's provisions is one that orders the governor to reduce the number of deputy commissioners, assistant commissioner and other political employees.
That did set well with Sen. Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka. "I am not a fan of micromanagement, telling the governor that he or she must reduce so many positions."
Sen. Thomas Bakk, DFL-Cook, expressed concern about getting rid of agencies. In the past, smaller agencies consumed by larger ones sometimes have their efforts diluted in the process, he said.
And Gov. Tim Pawlenty did not like the concept: "I just don't think it is a good idea to turn over the keys of state government to unelected bureaucrats."
The Pogemiller bill would abolish the Department of Employment and Economic Development and Labor and Industry Department. It also would eliminate part of the Commerce Department's duties.
While the bill passed one committee Wednesday, it has more committee stops to make before reaching a full Senate vote.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/11/2010 at 5:41 AM | Permalink
Tags: government, legisalture, pogemiller
Advance disaster aid sought
A state disaster assistance program should be established before flooding this year, a state lawmaker says.
Rep. Terry Morrow, DFL-St. Peter, said the program is needed to help communities along the Red and Minnesota rivers that are not covered by a presidential disaster declaration. His bill also would allow the state to match any federal aid that is available.
“Now is the time to act," Morrow said. "We know that the conditions are set for serious floods in Minnesota. It’s better to prepare now than to scramble in the aftermath."
Morrow said the bill is needed because communities often wait for months before getting aid.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/10/2010 at 10:44 PM | Permalink
Tags: disaster, flooding, legislature
First cutting phase to begin
The first phase of a legislative budget-cutting effort comes up for votes next week.
Chairman Loren Solberg of the House Ways and Means Committee said each budget committee is to have its budget plans done by Friday, at which time the individual budget proposals will be combined into one bill that cuts the budget of every part of state government other than health and human services and public school education.
The Senate is taking similar action.
The Democratic-controlled Legislature and Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty need to fill a state budget deficit of $994 million. Pawlenty wants to do it all with cuts, while many Democrats hope to raise taxes to help the process.
By combining most budget areas into one budget-cutting bill, Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, said, the non-controversial changes can be made at once. That leaves the more controversial health and education programs for future bills.
Pawlenty says that he prefers to deal with the budget as a whole, not phasing in the cuts, but will consider the legislative timeline.
Posted by: Don Davis and Andrew Tellijohn on 3/10/2010 at 5:43 PM | Permalink
Tags: budget, legislature, solberg
Pawlenty 'can work with' bonding bill
Gov. Tim Pawlenty sounds like he will accept parts of the public works funding bill headed to his desk.
"The bonding bill that is coming my way is a bill we can work with," Pawlenty told reporter Dave Olson of The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead this morning after surveying Moorhead flood-prevention activities.
He said "there will be some trimming involved," but indicated $63.5 million earmarked for flood projects will be preserved. He would not elaborate on the areas that need some trimming.
A House-Senate conference committee Tuesday night adopted a nearly $1 billion bill, to be financed by the state selling bonds, that included everything Pawlenty wanted, although fell far short of fully funding one of his priorities.
Pawlenty had wanted $89 million to expand a Moose Lake sex offender treatment center, but lawmakers gave him just $47.5 million, saying that his administration has refused to provide information about why that much money is needed.
The full House and Senate are to vote on the bonding bill Thursday, expecting Pawlenty to veto individual items he does not want.
Pawlenty suggested spending $685 million for public works projects, ranging from fixing college buildings to building trails, far less than the $1 billion the conference committee accepted.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/10/2010 at 12:08 PM | Permalink
Tags: bonding, legislature, pawlenty
Credits could transfer easier
MnSCU's Linda Baer, Sen. Clark
Students who change colleges often discover not all of their credits transfer, so a bill backed Tuesday by a Senate committee takes steps to fix that.
"The state should reduce the hurdles," Sen. Tarryl Clark, DFL-St. Cloud, said. "The goal is to allow students to transfer credits seamlessly."
A bill she authored, similar to one in the House, would require the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system to do more to align courses at its 25 two-year colleges and seven state universities so credits transfer more easily. The bill also requires better communications among institutions, including posting course descriptions and outlines on their Web sites as well as providing staff training on transfers.
While the bill only affects transfers between MnSCU schools, several senators said the next step may be to make it easier to transfer to and from University of Minnesota campuses, private colleges and the military.
Students told the committee that fixing the transfer problem would save money.
"Students would pay only for classes they really need and not pay for them twice," said Tyler Smith, who represents students in two-year schools.
But, Smith added, state taxpayers also are penalized because when credits do not transfer students needs to attend college longer, partially funded by state taxes.
Michael "Punch" Jammick said he moved from Vermilion Community College to St. Cloud State University, but he ended up taking more English classes than he needed, which cost him money he did not need to spend.
Monty Bute, representing professors, said universities accept 97 percent of credits for students coming from community colleges and across MnSCU 90 percent of credits transfer without a hitch.
"The issue is far more an issue of communication," Bute said.
However, he added, the most serious problem is the lack of money colleges and universities get from the state. With state budget problems, higher education is looking at getting the same funding it did four years ago, and cannot afford to make the improvements in Clark's bill, Bute said.
Clark countered by saying MnSCU already is working on the improvements and her bill should not cost more.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/10/2010 at 3:46 AM | Permalink
Tags: higher education, legislature
Homeless check-off proposed
A proposal is being floated to add a voluntary check-off on Minnesota income tax returns to provide money for food shelves and homeless shelters.
“Minnesotans are known for their generosity and kindness toward others, especially those who are down on their luck,” Rep. John Lesch, DFL-St. Paul. “By streamlining the donating process for shelters and food shelves we are making it easier for our citizens to carry on this tradition.”
The idea for donating the voluntary $1 donation came from a St. Paul high school junior.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/09/2010 at 11:58 PM | Permalink
Tags: homeless, legislature
Howes: New bonding bill headed to veto
Howes
Gov. Tim Pawlenty will veto a public works funding bill a House-Senate conference committee approved Tuesday night, a Republican lawmaker told his colleagues.
The main point of contention is money for a Moose Lake sex offender facility. Pawlenty wants $89 million and the Democratic-controlled Legislature is offering $47.5 million. The total bill would spend almost $1 billion.
Rep. Larry Howes, R-Walker, said that the governor's office told him Pawlenty could accept $60.5 million for the facility, but the entire bill likely will be vetoed at the level the committee approved.
Howes offered another potential scenario: Pawlenty could veto all of the bill except $63.5 million for flood prevention.
Howes tried to amend the bill to include the Moose Lake money, but the motion failed.
The new bill, funded by the state selling bonds, is due for House and Senate votes on Thursday unless Pawlenty and legislative public works negotiators work out a compromise. No talks are planned.
Thursday will be the second time lawmakers have voted on a bonding measure. After the first one, which contained no Moose Lake money, legislative leaders held the bill back, hoping for further negotiations. When they did not occur, lawmakers added the $47.5 million in hopes that Pawlenty would sign the bill.
Pawlenty's office did not respond to requests for comment on the Tuesday night action, including why he needs $89 million.
The Senate's top public works negotiator, Glyndon Democrat Sen. Keith Langseth, said Pawlenty has not compromised since he offered his bonding proposal nearly two months ago. Compromise is what happens in a democracy, Langseth added.
Lawmakers said they do not understand why Pawlenty thinks he needs $89 million for Moose Lake, and they cannot get answers from the administration. When a Pawlenty aide offered to testify about that on Tuesday night, Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul, would not recognize him.
Rep. Loren Solberg, DFL-Grand Rapids, said he does not know the difference between the plan today and one four years ago that was listed as costing $47.5 million. He said he could support the proposal if he were convinced that much money is needed.
There was no indication about how lawmakers and Pawlenty would proceed if the new bonding bill is vetoed.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/09/2010 at 7:23 PM | Permalink
Tags: bonding, howes, langseth, legislature, pawlenty
Pawlenty seeks federal aid before floods
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty wants President Barack Obama to declare an emergency in advance of flooding.
Saying there is "a strong potential for severe spring flooding," Pawlenty asks the president for federal assistance "for emergency protective measures." Among specific requests are electric generators, drinking water, sandbagging machines, sandbags, sand, levee construction help, water control barriers and help to prepare emergency shelters.
The communities, in western and southern Minnesota, that Pawlenty said need help the most depleted financial reserves fighting floods last year.
"Jurisdictions throughout the state are still working on larger project repairs to damaged infrastructure," Pawlenty wrote. "Final reimbursements for these projects will not be made until they are completed, which will take another year or more."
The National Weather Service says the Red and Minnesota river basins are in special danger this spring. Up to three times the normal precipitation fell across central and southern Minnesota.
Those two river basins are threatened by ice jams, the weather service predicts.
Specific counties Pawlenty wants federal officials to help are Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Chippewa, Clay, Lac Qui Parle, Lyon, Marshall, Norman, Polk, Sibley, Wilkin and Yellow Medicine. Also on the request is the Upper Sioux Agency.
Moorhead and Breckenridge are filling sandbags in preparation for spring flooding.
Pawlenty plans to visit Moorhead to check on flood preparations on Wednesday.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/09/2010 at 5:34 PM | Permalink
Tags: federal, floods, pawlenty
Three bills become law
Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed three bills Tuesday:
- Setting Sept. 16 as a day to honor the American Legion.
- Allowing East Grand Forks to put new police officers on probation for a year, like other Minnesota cities.
- Giving Minnesotans the chance to deduct donations to Haiti this year on income tax returns now being filed.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/09/2010 at 4:57 PM | Permalink
Tags: legislature
Some fear help may hurt 4-H
A state senator's bill designed to help fund a 4-H program in one county could end up hurting them statewide, a fellow senator and a county fair representative warn.
Sen. Kathy Saltzman's bill to provide new ways to fund 4-H programs passed out of its first committee Monday, but not before she heard warnings that it could do more harm than good. She also faced a charge that the proposal gives 4-H special treatment over other programs.
The Woodbury Democrat wrote the bill after Washington County commissioners decided the youth program was too expensive in these times of budget cuts and stopped funding it.
Washington County residents and some city officials were ready to pitch in financially, but as 4-H leaders hunted for money "they were finding some barriers to their fundraising," Saltzman said.
Executive Director David Olson of the Washington County Agriculture Society, which runs the county fair where 4-Hers display their projects, told the Senate State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee that the fair probably could not survive without 4-H and that cities and others who wanted to donate to 4-H found that state law apparently does not allow it.
With state funds being cut to counties, which provide much of the 4-H funding, the Washington County situation could expand to other areas.
"Other counties are watching Washington very, very closely," Saltzman said.
Sen. Rick Olseen, DFL-Harris, agreed that Washington County is attracting lots of attention, but said the results may not be good for 4-H. He said he fears that if the Saltzman bill becomes law, other counties could end 4-H funding because the programs would have other money sources.
County fair leaders expect to draw up a response to the Saltzman bill this week, lobbyist Jerry Schoenfeld said. Some fair officials share Olseen's fear.
"This bill was brought forth because of one county dropping its 4-H program," Schoenfeld said, and there may be other ways to fix the problem.
"There just are lots of questions," he added.
Saltzman's bill, which faces more committee debate before a full Senate vote, would allow Minnesota 4-H programs to collect money from:
- Voluntary admission surcharges at the state or local fairs.
- Cities or townships that want to appropriate money to the University of Minnesota Extension Service, which supervisors the 4-H program.
- Dues 4-H members pay; dues now are not allowed.
All of the fund-raising methods are voluntary.
Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, told Saltzman: "This is quite a feel-good bill." But, he added, debate teams, marching bands and other organizations will seek the same treatment.
"This is opening the door for every event that has been cut to come to the Legislature and say 'We want a way to tax,'" Parry said.
But, Saltzman countered, 4-H is a state program and Extension Service programs are mandated by state law.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/09/2010 at 5:36 AM | Permalink
Tags: agriculture, fair, legislature, saltzman
Absentee ballot bill passes
Minnesotans should find absentee voting easier this year than in the controversial 2008 U.S. Senate election, when counting stretched for months after the November vote.
The House passed a bill 131-2 and the Senate gave it tentative approval by voice vote Monday, with final approval expected today.
"It will enhance election integrity," Sen. Katie Sieben, DFL-Cottage Grove, said, as well as making it easier for voters and placing the same rules on all election officials statewide.
One of Republican candidate Norm Coleman's complaints about the 2008 vote was that different counties and cities used different criteria to decide whether an absentee ballot was valid. The measure that passed Monday establishes county, and some city, absentee boards that supporters say will make sure all jurisdictions handle absentee ballots the same.
The bill is "developing a new system of processing absentee ballots which will leave less room for errors," Sieben said.
Part of the change does away with the need for election officials to match two signatures, a major stumbling block in the Coleman-Al Franken race.
More than 300,000 absentee votes were cast in 2008, with about 12,000 of those rejected. Apparently 2,000 were improperly rejected, enough to influence the Senate race.
"It makes a great stride forward," Sen. Chris Gerlach, R-Apple Valley said, of the bill.
Representatives defeated a proposal that would have required voters to show photo identifications before casting ballots.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/08/2010 at 11:39 PM | Permalink
Tags: elections, legislature, sieben
Comic to feature Franken
Al Franken has avoided most national publicity since he took office in the U.S. Senate last summer, and has especially tried to stay out of the comedic spotlight.
But others just will not allow that. There is a lot of national interest in the former "Saturday Night Live" star.
The Minnesota Democrat soon is to become the subject of a comic book-biography. "Political Power: Al Franken" will become the latest in a Bluewater Production series when it debuts in May.
“Al Franken has this reputation -- not completely unfounded, if you read the comic -- as a metaphorical bomb-thrower, a guy who hates his enemies and has an in-your-face style,” comic writer Jerome Maida said. “While I did find some stuff that would support that perception, I also found out a lot more interesting stuff that makes him a real person, a character instead of a caricature.”
Maida reports that he discovered Franken fell in love with politics at an early age and that the now-senator co-wrote the movie "When a Man Loves a Woman."
Bluewater, which will sell the comic for $3.99, also has produced good-selling ones about Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama and Ted Kennedy.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/08/2010 at 1:13 PM | Permalink
Tags: franken
'Keep Capitol doors open'
The state Capitol doors should be open when legislators are meeting, Sen. Don Betzold told colleagues today.
But, the Fridley Democrat said, he has found Capitol doors locked several times recently when meetings remained in session.
"It is completely unacceptable that this building was being locked when we have legislative business going on," Betzold said.
If it continues, and he asked anyone finding the doors locked to let him know, he will convene his state government oversight committee, and grill Capitol Security about why the doors have been locked.
The Capitol is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, with shorter weekend hours, but committees often meet after 5 p.m.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/08/2010 at 12:25 PM | Permalink
Tags: betzold, capitol, legislature
Bonding bill all ready, or not
A newly revised public works funding bill that would spend $986 million on projects across Minnesota is firm, set in stone, ready to pass both the House and Senate in the next few days.
Maybe.
Chief legislative negotiators on the issue said late Thursday afternoon that they had done their best to build a public works bill, funded by the state selling bonds, and a deal they just made would be their final work on the issue. While their proposal would spend far more than the $685 million Gov. Tim Pawlenty wants to spend, they plugged in the governor's priorities, so he should be happy, they rationalized.
Well, they did chop the $89 million Pawlenty wants to expand a Moose Lake sex offender facility down to $36 million. And they left in sports and civic center projects that Pawlenty says are unacceptable.
"They put in as much as they think is wise under the governor's recommendations," Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, said.
Pawlenty's chief negotiator sent a letter to the top legislative negotiators, Democrats Sen. Keith Langseth of Glyndon and Rep. Alice Hausman of St. Paul, saying Pawlenty needs at least $88 million for the Moose Lake project or the bill will be vetoed in full or part.
Even so, Langseth and Hausman said their bill, which still faces some procedural actions, is what the House and Senate bill pass in a few days.
Hold on, legislative leaders said. If Pawlenty comes back with more information about what he sees as acceptable in a bonding bill, lawmakers may go back and change their bill so he can accept it.
However, Pogemiller said, legislators on the Langseth and Hausman committee "think the negotiations are not being very fruitful."
House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, said the Thursday night bill "is very close to how the bill will be."
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/08/2010 at 1:09 AM | Permalink
Tags: bonding, kelliher, legislature, pawlenty, pogemiller
AURI report shows green jobs
A Crookston-based agriculture research organization's recent report showing how it helps produce green jobs, those that are environmentally friendly, could help it as it seeks funds.
The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, known as AURI, says emerging markets such as local food distribution, organics, urban agriculture and alternative farming techniques are areas where it produces results. And a key state lawmaker likes what he sees.
“There is a continued effort at the state legislature to create and retain jobs for Minnesotans, as well as to address our energy and environmental concerns,” said Rep. Al Juhnke, a House agriculture finance committee chairman.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty recommends cutting AURI's budget in half, which officials say would decimate the program. Legislators are looking at how much they would fund it.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/06/2010 at 1:12 PM | Permalink
Tags: agriculture, auri, jobs, juhnke, legislature
No Vermilion park?
Sen. Tom Bakk says that despite Gov. Tim Pawlenty's strong support, the future of Vermilion State Park is dim.
"I'm very doubtful that it ever is going to be a state park," the Cook Democrat told a Senate environment committee Tuesday.
One of his main concerns is the need to spend $20 million to $40 million to develop Vermilion park, along a lake by that name.
Even so, the committee unanimously passed a Bakk bill giving Pawlenty permission to buy the land for $20 million. The same provision is contained in a public works funding bill also making its way through the Legislature.
Pawlenty has put a high priority on Vermilion, which adjoins the existing Soudan Underground Mine State Park.
Bob Meier of the Department of Natural Resources told the committee that the Soudan and Vermilion parks would be operated as one unit, even if they remain separate parks.
The bill also allows local governments to get state payments to replace property taxes that they would have received.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/06/2010 at 4:59 AM | Permalink
Tags: bakk, legislature, vermilion
Horner leads IP race
A public relations expert appears to be far ahead in the Independence Party governor's race.
Tom Horner, until recently a Republican, took half of the vote in a month-long party caucus. Rob Hahn finished a distance second with 16 percent.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/05/2010 at 11:13 PM | Permalink
Tags: governor race, hahn, horner, ip
'Cut it down'
Some legislators say that in this age of cutting government, they need to look at themselves.
So Sen. Gen Olson, R-Minnetrista, and Rep. Steve Gottwalt, R-St. Cloud, have introduced bills to cut the Legislature from 201 members to 168.
This year is a good time, Olson said, because the 2010 census will produce new legislative district lines, a logical time to change the Legislature's size.
"The change would also save taxpayers money," Olson said.
Minnesota has the fifth largest governing body in the country, trailing only New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Georgia and New York.
The bill that would shrink the Senate from 67 to 56 members and the House from 134 to 112 would face tough rural opposition. Olson said that will be the bill's biggest hurdle because rural Minnesotans, especially those in areas losing population, do not want more people in each district.
Posted by: Don Davis on 3/05/2010 at 1:11 PM | Permalink
Tags: legislature, redistrict
