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Capitol Chatter

Longer sex offender sentences sought

Gov. Tim Pawlenty wants to double some sex offender sentences, the latest in a series of related moves over the years.

Under the Republican governor's plan, a first-degree sex offender would receive a sentence of at least 25 years, compared to about 12 years now.

While he won legislative approval to give life sentences to some who are convicted of particularly heinous sex crimes, Pawlenty this morning said that did not go far enough.
The governor said his proposal today would not cost the state more than $5 million, and no increase in cost would come for years.

Pawlenty summed up his philosophy about sex offenders: "They need to be kept off the street for as long as possible."

In the past, he has suggested the death penalty for some especially heinous crimes.

Today's proposal is the latest in a series of proposals from both parties to get tough on sex offenders, and longer sentences have been approved. The movement began after the death of University of North Dakota student Dru Sjodin in 2003 and the arrest of convicted sex offender Alfonso Rodriguez in the crime. Sjodin's body was found near Crookston, Minn.

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/09/2010 at 12:06 PM | Permalink

Tags: crime, legislature, pawlenty, sex offenders

Minnesotans: Propose changes

Marquart

Minnesotans have a new chance to tell legislators how they would like to see government operate.

"How can we provide better services and better results at a better price?" Rep. Paul Marquart said is the question being asked of the public.

Marquart, DFL-Dilworth, announced Monday the formation of a state government redesign caucus, with both Democrats and Republicans involved.

"This is a start," Marquart said.

He had no blueprint of how a newly designed government would look or how much money it could save. He did, however, say that eliminating states jobs is not in his plan at this point.

The concept is patterned after a process he instituted three years ago as chairman of the House committee dealing with property taxes. At that time, he asked for public input on how to better handle the taxes, and received hundreds of replies. The best suggestions were sent to the House floor, and one passed.

Marquart on Monday said he plans to turn the six best redesign ideas into bills that lawmakers will consider this year.

"We need to be the Henry Fords and Thomas Edisons of state government," he said.
Lawmakers said that some redesign bills already are progressing, such as those:

House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, said she expects results from the Marquart group, which includes Republican co-chairmen Dean Urdahl of Grove City and Carol McFarlane of White Bear Lake.

The speaker urged government employees to participate in the effort.

"When you don't engage employees, then there is resistance," she said.
----
To suggest something to improve government:

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/09/2010 at 2:09 AM | Permalink

Tags: kelliher, legislature, marquart, reform

Red Rock seeks money

McNamara

Officials from the southeastern Twin Cities and beyond say their communities should be next in line for a passenger rail line, and a $500,000 park-and-ride lot is the first step.

"This is about investing in jobs," Rep. Karla Bigham, DFL-Cottage Grove, said, hitching Red Rock to the legislative session's main theme.

Officials gathered for a Monday Capitol complex news conference could produce no estimates of how many jobs Red Rock could establish, but St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman said they would fall into two categories: those created to build a passenger rail line and related infrastructure and those that appear because businesses likely would move to the area.

Sen. Katie Sieben, DFL-Cottage Grove, called the Red Rock project a three-prong effort, providing improved freight transportation, adding passenger rail that would move people from Minneapolis and St. Paul to southeast of the area and high-speed rail that would provide a new service between the Twin Cities and Chicago.

The Red Rock Corridor Commission, backed by local elected officials, asked lawmakers to approve funding to begin the project.

The commission's first step is a $500,000 park-and-ride lot in Hastings, initially to be used by commuters who catch buses into the center Twin Cities. The bus line is being sought in part because Mississippi River bridges in Hastings and St. Paul are to be closed for replacement in the coming years.

Once the bus line is well established, the officials said, a passenger rail line on existing tracks from east St. Paul through Newport and Cottage Grove would connect Hastings with a planned rail line between Minneapolis and St. Paul. The goal is for that line to be running by 2015.

Some from the Red Wing area want the line to extend to their community.

A separate rail project, funded in a large part by federal money, would provide high-speed passenger rail service to Chicago.

Also this year, southeastern Twin Cities officials want $3.6 million to establish the bus line from St. Paul to Hastings. Also being sought is $13.5 million to upgrade a rail yard east of St. Paul and $8.5 million to continue the St. Paul Union Depot renovation.

House and Senate proposals include varying amounts for Red Rock-related projects, but Gov. Tim Pawlenty has proposed much less.

"I think the administration is open to the idea that we are not going to ride in our cars forever," said Rep. Denny McNamara of Hastings, the only Republican lawmaker at the Monday Red Rock news conference.

However, McNamara added, he has no assurances Republican Pawlenty will support any of Red Rock's proposals

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/08/2010 at 11:20 PM | Permalink

Tags: bigham, legislature, mcnamara, red rock, sieben

Pogemiller: Break it down

Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, wants the Legislature to break down the job of balancing the state budget, probably into three steps.

Pogemiller suggests taking the first $300 million step by cutting down some agency budgets that most lawmakers agree can be accomplished. The second phase of cuts would be more controversial, reducing some human services and, perhaps, education programs.

Pogemiller did not say what would be included in Phase 3, but it would be the most controversial and likely handled near the May 17 end of the legislative session.

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/08/2010 at 3:49 AM | Permalink

Tags: budget, legislature, pogemiller

Vikings talk

The Minnesota Vikings' efforts to find a funding source for a new stadium has been top-of-mind as the legislative session began.

Lawmakers from both parties say they want to keep the team in the state.

GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty floated the idea of using revenue from the Minnesota State Lottery as a potential solution during a radio interview, although it wasn't in the form of a proposal.

House Minority Leader Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, said balancing the budget has to be the main priority but that he'd be open lottery revenues as part of a potential solution.

Sen. Mary Olson, DFL-Bemidji, indicated that she wants to see a more firm proposal before making up her mind. "I think the leadership is going to have to come from the governor's office."

The issue isn't even a blip on Sen. Steve Dille's radar.

The Dassel Republican's gut feeling is that a bill will probably pass, though he doesn't sound thrilled at the notion. "Right now I wouldn't support it, but I'll wait and see."

Posted by: Andrew Tellijohn on 2/07/2010 at 3:47 PM | Permalink

Tags: dille, legislature, mary olson, vikings

Yes. No. Maybe. No.

Four rural Minnesota senators have different plans for the future: One wants to stick around two more years, two are leaving the Legislature and the fourth is thinking about his future.

Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon, wants two more years as committee chairman and wants to keep fighting for flood prevention money.

Sen. Steve Dille, R-Dassel, is leaving when the session concludes but the 24-year legislator isn't coasting.

Sen. Jim Vickerman, DFL-Tracy, said as the legislative session opened that he has not decided if another campaign is in the offing.

Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing, opted out of a new campaign days before the legislative session began on Thursday.

Rumors begin every two years about what legislators will run for re-election and what ones will decide to end their days under the dome. Usually, lawmakers wait until the end of the legislative session to reveal their decisions.

Langseth had said this term would be his last in the Minnesota Senate, but two factors changed his mind. First, Senate chairmen are allowed to keep their committees for the next two-year term (half the normal term due to upcoming redistricting) and he wants to continue leading the public works funding panel. Second, last year's Red River Valley flood convinced him he again needs to find money to prevent future floods.

But, Langseth said, he means it this time when he says he will not run again.

"For the first time I realize, somewhat reluctantly, that time is marching on," the 72-year-old senator said. "You want some time between this responsibility and death."

In other words, it will be time for him to relax after first being elected to the House in 1974.

Langseth is a Senate DFL leader as chairman of the committee that funds public works projects.

Dille said that he will do nothing different this year than in his previous years, even though it is his last in the Capitol.

Bills he proposed will provide couples with information about going through the process using mediation rather than the legal system and will also offer reconciliation counseling if couples so desire.

The bills "reduce the burden on the judicial system that's already overburdened," he said.

He'll also push this session for the preservation of farmland. Dille said doing so will keep people living closer together, `which makes providing fire, police, and other services more efficient.

Vickerman hasn't decided whether he will retire after the session, but he sounded like a man who still has fight left.

The 24-year legislator was infuriated by news that 2,500 members of the Minnesota National Guard's "Red Bull" 34th Infantry Brigade are waiting for bonus pay nearly three years after returning from Iraq.

He added that while he understands almost everything needs to be on the table during budget balancing discussions, he said he'll fight tooth-and-nail for the state's veterans' affairs budget. He is chairman of the Senate committee that governs veterans' issues.

"They gave enough already," he said. "I'll protect them."

In the past, Vickerman also considered retiring, at the urging of his wife.

Murphy, first elected in 1992, said before the session began that he would not run again.

“Over the past 17 years, I have had the privilege of representing my friends, family, and neighbors in southeastern Minnesota at the state Capitol,” Murphy said, adding that he never "viewed public service as a career."

Murphy, like Dille, does not appear to be letting lame-duck status affect him. He has been vocal in the first two days of the session, especially fighting for transportation issues. He is chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

Posted by: Don Davis and Andrew Tellijohn on 2/06/2010 at 11:53 AM | Permalink

Tags: dille, langseth, legislature, steve murphy, vickerman

Earlier primary advances

Minnesota's primary election likely will be a month earlier than normal so military personnel and other Americans overseas have plenty of time to cast their ballots.

A bill cleared its first legislative hurdle Friday moving the primary to Aug. 10. Without a law change, the primary vote would be Sept. 14.

"There has been an argument over how early it should be," Sen. Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka, said, but a group of Democratic and Republican lawmakers hammered out a compromise in recent months.

A new federal law requires states to provide more time for overseas Americans to vote by absentee ballot; if Minnesota lawmakers do not go along, federal officials could penalize the state.

The Minnesota debate was over when a primary should be held. Some wanted it in June, before most Minnesotans take vacation.

"In August, I think, we have Minnesotans being away," Sen. Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope, said.

Some lawmakers who live outside of the Twin Cities complained about a June primary because that would give them too little time to campaign after a late-May legislative adjournment, Rep. Steve Simon, DFL-St. Louis Park, said.

Regardless of their individual wishes, however, the bipartisan group of lawmakers agreed that June would be too early this year, but left the door open for future June primaries.

The bill sets an earlier date to file for office, this year May 18 to June 1, and allows primary election absentee voting June 25 to Aug. 9.

The problem with the August date is with that fewer people may vote since their attention is elsewhere in the summer.

Some wonder whether that would help incumbents, who usually are better known than challengers.

No, Rep. Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, said. It helps "people whose name ends in 'son,'" he said, referring to Scandinavian names like Johnson.

Another solution some have raised to voting during the summer is to allow early voting for anyone, not just people who seek absentee ballots because they will be out of town on election day.

However, early voting is controversial and would be tough to pass.

"I'm not too hopeful," said Sen. Katie Sieben, DFL-Cottage Grove, who heads an elections committee.

Sen. Chris Gerlach, R-Apple Valley, said he cannot support a bill just to make voting easier or save money when it could reduce confidence in the election process.

Sieben said bills flowing from the problem-plagued 2008 U.S. Senate race will be considered, especially one that makes the absentee voting process simpler.

The same panel that passed the election bill, the Senate State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee, approved on a split voice vote a bill to ban state officials and some state employees of becoming lobbyists within two years of leaving their jobs.

Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, said the bill would apply to five statewide officials, 201 legislators and up to 200 other state workers.

Marty is running for the DFL governor nomination.

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/06/2010 at 3:41 AM | Permalink

Tags: legislature, primary

DFLers try to be gentle

Democratic leaders apparently want to look like they are playing nice with Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

But there were some subtle jabs as the legislative session opened.

House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, told his colleagues in a brief opening-day session that Pawlenty would be "bringing his TelePrompter" Thursday for his annual State of the State address. Politicians using Teleprompters have come under fire in recent days.

Then on Friday, Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, mentioned two things that he called "canary in the mineshaft" stories that he hinted showed Pawlenty may not be the most cooperative this session.

The first Pogemiller canary story was that Pawlenty promised to tell lawmakers how he proposes to plug a $1.2 billion budget deficit by mid-January. The suggestions still are not available, the senator said.

Pawlenty also promised a January fix for a program that provides health care to some poor Minnesotans, Pogemiller added, a fix he still has not heard.

Then there was a Pogemiller jab that was not so subtle, this one about Pawlenty's travel for his suspected desire to be president: "While you are multi-tasking, it would be good to do the job you have."

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/05/2010 at 4:48 PM | Permalink

Tags: legislature, pawlenty, pogemiller, sertich

Higher taxes, or not?

Whether Democratic Minnesota senators favor passing a tax increase this year is an unanswered question.

Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller of Minneapolis said on Friday said he agreed with those who say a tax increase will not succeed in light of Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty's strong opposition. But when reporters pushed him for a firm answer, he admitted that under some circumstances a bill raising taxes may come up.

However, two rural Democrats did not see the sense in pushing a tax increase.

Sens. LeRoy Stumpf of Plummer and Dan Skogen of Hewitt said Pawlenty's anti-tax attitude means lawmakers would waste their time talking more taxes.

Stumpf, chairman of the Senate's education funding committee, said the recession may have made cutting state programs easier.

"People's expectations are lessened by going through a tough time," he said, so Minnesotans may not mind budget cuts now as much as when the economy is good.

If Pawlenty continues to insist on no new taxes, his administration needs to make some changes, Stumpf said.

For instance, the Pollution Control Agency is insisting on enacting stricter septic system rules at a time when the public can least afford it, Stumpf said, adding that would be much like raising taxes.

Skogen suggested doing like California did when it dealt with its own budget crisis: Delay expensive rules such as the septic proposal until times are better.

Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, listened to Stumpf and Skogen say new taxes are out, enjoying every minute.

"I don't think the public is going to go along with that," he said about raising taxes. "We have to live within our means."

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/05/2010 at 3:45 PM | Permalink

Tags: ingebrigtsen, legislature, skogen, stumpf, taxes

Lawmakers eye gambling

Sen. Dille

Some legislators are considering gambling revenue to balance the Minnesota budget, one of the few surprises Thursday as the 2010 legislation session began.

Legislators' major job is to plug a $1.2 billion hole in the state budget, a budget with nearly a year and a half left. They also need to look at a much bigger deficit that is likely in the next budget.

The current two-year budget is $30 billion, down $4 billion from the last budget.

Lawmakers came into their session, which must end no later than May 17, with a the major divide being simple: Democrats want a combination of budget cuts and tax increases to balance the budget, while Republicans tend to want to balance the budget just by cutting.

On Thursday, a different scenario surfaced, to add gambling to the state's revenue pot.

"Gaming bills are going to get a real look this year, and they should," Rep. Al Juhnke, DFL-Willmar, said.

Juhnke would not say much about the pro-gambling movement, but said a plan could surface in two or three weeks. He said it would include adding a casino to a Twin Cities horse racing track, known as a racino, and video pull tabs in Minnesota bars.

The two changes could bring in $875 million or more a year, Juhnke said.

The key for gambling to succeed in this year's session, he added, is to spend gambling revenue on a wide variety of areas, such as early-childhood education, a Vikings football stadium and agriculture. If the revenue is spread wide enough, the concept could attract more legislators' votes.

"We are only a handful of votes off in both bodies," Juhnke said of the House and Senate.
Juhnke's leader, however, did not think the gambling proposal has a chance.

While House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, promised that the proposal would get a hearing, he said that gambling is not a reliable revenue source.

Besides, he added, adding a racino in the Twin Cities would drain business from rural American Indian casinos.

Sen. LeRoy Stumpf, DFL-Plummer, said that gambling cannot be the only answer. "You don't want to say this solves all problems."

Added Sen. Dan Skogen, DFL-Hewitt: "There is a leg effect" and even if gambling were approved it would not be available to fix the current budget.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty mentioned in a Wednesday radio interview that one potential stadium funding source is a lottery game, but stopped short of endorsing the idea.

A fair amount of pessimism hung in the air Thursday as lawmakers looked to their job of balancing the budget.

Retiring Sen. Steve Dille, R-Dassel, said he is not optimistic that legislators will be able to put aside partisan differences. He added that he is worried several lawmakers are looking past this session to the election. Eight lawmakers are running for governor and another is in the middle of a congressional campaign.

Dille urged both sides to sit down and focus on the task at hand.

"It has to get done," he said. "It's time for us to put down our sabers."

No one expects an easy session.

"It has been said this is going to be one of the toughest sessions ever," Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, said.

Sen. Mary Olson, DFL-Bemidji, was slightly more optimistic than some lawmakers, indicating that she senses a cooperative mood among her colleagues. At the same time, she indicated that the existing budget problems have been exacerbated by borrowing from reserves, and rainy day and tobacco settlement funds, and she hopes the deferred school district payments are not a furthering of that trend.

"We have no way of knowing where the money would come to repay those," she said. "That's a road we can't afford to keep going down. At some point we're going to have to come to terms with trying to work with the governor to get his agreement to pass an honest budget."

Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Wabasha, was happy to hear Democrats say that at least part of the budget solution is cutting programs.

"Democrats have decided we have to focus on spending," he said. "The public common sense is prevailing."

Drazkowski said he did not see budget cutting high on Democrats' agenda last year, although Sertich said that he must not have been paying attention because Democrats did work on cuts.

"There is hope, as long as we focus on spending," Drazkowski said.

One of Pawlenty's most controversial moves has been delaying state payments to schools, which drew lots of comments.

"This is a risky move that uses our schools as the state's bank," Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon said. "Our schools are in the business of educating children, not in providing loans to fill gaps in the state's budget."

The Duluth Democrat said she supports a move to change the law requiring the state to delay school payments before it can take out an outside loan. The Pawlenty administration says the delays are necessary for the state to pay its bills this spring.

"Shifting and delaying funds we promise to our schoolchildren does not solve the problems before us," Prettner Solon said.

Sen. Katie Sieben, DFL-Cottage Grove, said that delaying school payments punishes districts that are doing the right thing.

“I’m concerned that this action targets Minnesota school districts that are fiscally responsible and were able to maintain some savings,” Sieben said. “Now, with their state aid payments being withheld, some of these districts may be forced into short-term borrowing to pay their own bills.”

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/05/2010 at 12:43 AM | Permalink

Tags: gambling, legislature

Bonding just one big sale

Landgseth

Sen. Keith Langseth hopes Gov. Tim Pawlenty likes a good sale.

The Glyndon Democrat considers current construction costs a bargain because they are 15 percent to 20 percent lower than normal. Given that, he said Thursday, the state should invest nearly $1 billion in construction projects across Minnesota.

"There's a sale going on out there," said Langseth, chairman of the Senate committee that funds public works projects. "This is the time to bond and build. ... The time to bond and build is during the down time when you get your best deals. You put people to work who aren't normally working."

The public works bill, funded by the state selling bonds, was the highlight of the Minnesota Legislature's opening day of its 2010 session.

House and Senate Democratic leaders agree on the amount to borrow for public works projects, and about 90 percent of how to spend it. However, Pawlenty and many other Republicans prefer a $685 million measure.

"Trim it down," Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, told Langseth.

But Michel was one of the few dissenting votes Thursday as Langseth's committee easily adopted the bill and sent it to the Senate Finance Committee today. The full Senate is expected to approve the bill Tuesday, a day later than originally planned.

The similar House bill funding college building repairs, sewage systems, trails and other state projects must make more committee stops, and it is expected to receive a Feb. 15 vote.
Langseth predicted the bill could put 10,000 Minnesotans to work, especially in the trades that have been hit hard by a recession.

Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul, said the bill would put people to work this summer.
"I would focus on one reason we are moving quickly," she said. "The one bright spot in a bad economy is that interest rates are low and bids are coming in low."

Pawlenty has said publically that he would veto the entire bill if it lands on his desk with too much spending.

Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, however, said that the governor told legislative leaders that if he felt the bill was too big he would trim out projects he did not want.

"I think we've got to do that and move on," he said.

Higher education projects take nearly a third of the House and Senate bills, $322 million. Much of that money would go to repairs and renovations of existing buildings.

One of the big differences is an $89 million project that would double the capacity for sex offenders at a Moose Lake facility. Pawlenty wants the project; the House and Senate do not include it in their bills.

Langseth said the Moose Lake project needs to be examined further. He and others in the Legislature are not sure the expansion is needed.

The Moose Lake facility houses sex offenders who have completed prison terms, but are deemed too dangerous to release.

Sen. Paul Koering, R-Fort Ripley, said the Langseth bill is too large. He said the bill should be limited to state needs, not to what people want, like zoos and entertainment centers.

House Minority Leader Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, supports passing a bonding bill early, but added that lawmakers need to make tough decisions about what should be included first. Fixing and upgrading existing infrastructure makes sense but some projects, such as building new community centers, might not.

"In tough economic times you have to make decisions," he said. "You don't want to overbuy so that down the road if things don't improve we can't make our payments."

Hausman said she expected Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, to like her bill because it includes flood prevention funding and money for Moorhead's two state higher education institutions.

But Lanning was not ready to commit.

The bill is too spendy, Lanning said, although he did like flood prevention and college building money.

"There are a lot of good things in this bill," Lanning said. "Personally, I feel the bill is too big."

He prefers borrowing about the same as Pawlenty wants.

While Pawlenty included flood money in his proposal, he did not fund the two Moorhead college and university projects.

Lanning said he already has reduced his askings for flood assistance. Clay County originally wanted $60 million, but the final amount is $38.6 million, included in the $50 million total flood aid in the Hausman and Pawlenty bills.

The House and Pawlenty want to spend $50 million to prevent floods, mostly in northwestern Minnesota, while the Senate bill calls for $70 million. The House measure requires that half of the money be spent on wetlands to hold back water from getting to overflowing rivers, while the Senate and Pawlenty's plans leave that decision up to the Department of Natural Resources.

Sen. Gary Kubly, DFL-Granite Falls, said the bill would put people back to work.

"Getting folks back to work will be essential for bringing about economic recovery and budget stability,” Kubly said.

Sen. Mary Olson, DFL-Bemidji, said the bill cannot pass soon enough. "The sooner we do it, the better for the state. I can't see a good reason to wait."

Among items in the bills:

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/04/2010 at 11:30 PM | Permalink

Tags: bonding, legislature

Kelley out of governor's race

This week's precinct caucuses claimed their first victim, former state Sen. Steve Kelley of Hopkins.


Kelley dropped out of the 11-person DFL governor's race today, saying he will support the eventual Democratic candidate.

He finished in a straw poll with about 4 percent of the vote, only ahead of two darkhorse candidates and Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner's 2 percent.

"Even with your support, and the amazingly hard work of a dedicated and talented campaign team, I have not been as successful as we had hoped when the campaign began," Kelley wrote to supporters. "As a result, I have decided to withdraw from the race for governor."

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/04/2010 at 5:07 PM | Permalink

Tags: 2010 governor race, kelley

Legislature gets going

Minnesota legislators return to work today with jobs at the top of their minds.

With a noon start, Democrats who control 2010 Legislature said they are ready to take advantage of a sale to get more Minnesotans to work. That sale, according to the senator in charge of public works projects, is low construction cost.

"There's a sale going on out there," said Sen. Keith Langseth, D-Glyndon. "This is the time to bond and build. ... The time to bond and build is during the down time when you get your best deals. You put people to work who aren't normally working. We are moving early."

As the prepared to go into session, Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party leaders announced their intention to pass a nearly $1 billion bonding bill this month.

Leaders cited discussions with engineering, architectural, construction and other firms that hope to see action taken to spur projects that will keep them in business and create jobs in the process.

Langseth said bids are coming in at 15 percent to 20 percent below normal and interest rates are low. He planned to have the bill passed through the Senate Capital Investment Committee this afternoon.

Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul, said the bill will include investment in projects across the state in several areas, including higher education and wastewater infrastructure.

"I would focus on one reason we are moving quickly," she said. "The one bright spot in a bad economy is that interest rates are low and bids are coming in low."

Leaders said both Republicans and Democrats are on board with passing bonding bills this session.

GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty has proposed $685 million in borrowing to fund bridge improvements, preservation of state university buildings and other projects.

Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, and others say discussions with the governor's office have been amicable. Pawlenty has encouraged leaders to get a bill to him early and, Pogemiller said, if the governor felt the bill was too big he'd use the line item veto.

"I think we've got to do that and move on," he said.

However, in public Pawlenty has threatened to veto a large public works bill, to be funded by the state selling bonds. Pogemiller said that in private the governor told DFL leaders that he would just veto specific items. Pogemiller said he can accept the individual vetoes, but Hausman said she strongly opposes that idea.

Bonding was the major topic today, but the main job lawmakers face this year is balancing the state budget.

The current two-year budget is $30 billion, down $4 billion from the last budget. And Pawlenty and lawmakers have another $1.2 billion hole to plug before the Legislature adjourns May 17. An even bigger deficit is expected in the next couple of years.

Posted by: Andrew Tellijohn and Don Davis on 2/04/2010 at 10:52 AM | Permalink

Tags: bonding, legislature

'Other' legislative issues

Bonding
Gov. Tim Pawlenty wants a $685 million public works bill, funded by the state selling bonds. Democrats who control the Legislature want one costing $990 million. Pawlenty said that if lawmakers send him too big of a bill that he will veto it.

Health care
While connected to budget issues, health care discussions also will be separate. The most discussed matter is whether lawmakers can restore a program Pawlenty eliminated, General Assistance Medical Care, providing health care to the poor. But other health issues, such as conforming to any federal health legislation, also will be discussed.

Elections
The federal government is forcing the state to move its primary election from September to August to give military personnel more time to vote and legislators need to vote on that. There also will be efforts to smooth out problems encountered in absentee balloting in the 2008 U.S. Senate election.

Jobs
Besides what often is seen as a job-producing bonding bill, lawmakers will look into providing tax breaks for companies hiring new workers. Also on tap are proposals to attract investment in high technology, manufacturing and green businesses.

Energy
Lifting a moratorium on nuclear power plants is being discussed. Other energy-related issues are expected, including proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to move to the next generation of ethanol.

Stadiums
There is talk about building a new Vikings football stadium, with Pawlenty Wednesday bringing up the possibility of using lottery funds. The St. Paul Saints minor league baseball team also wants a new ballpark.
 

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/04/2010 at 12:13 AM | Permalink

Tags: issues, legislature

Not a fun time under the dome

Cleaning up before lawmakers arrive

Minnesota legislators return to the state Capitol today for a session that promises to be little fun.

Like the kid who gets clothes for Christmas, lawmakers will deal with the necessities, not the luxuries. And, frankly, there is but one overriding necessity on their minds: balance the state budget.

People around the Capitol understand that. Usually in the days leading up to a legislative session, one group after another parades out its leaders to tell lawmakers how important one program or another is and, by the way, that program needs more money.

That is happening very little now because the state faces a deficit of at least $1.2 billion in the current budget, which lasts another year and a half, and the gap could grow as Minnesota slowly recovers from a recession. The next budget likely will be in even worse shape.

Groups such as the AFL-CIO have called for increased spending on job programs and many people support returning money to a health-care program for the poor, but by far the majority of those under the marble dome know that 2010 will be a year of cutting the budget.

"They're all difficult," Gov. Tim Pawlenty said of making cuts. "Any reductions in spending at this point are going to be controversial and many of them are going to be difficult. But it's no different than what families and taxpayers are doing across the state, tightening their belts, living on less -- in some cases living on a lot less."

Most Republicans agree with Pawlenty that taxes should not be raised, and the budget should be balanced mostly by cutting programs. Democrats who control the House and Senate disagree.

House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, said budget woes will not stop Democrats from looking for ways to create jobs, such as providing tax credits and paying for public works projects.

"Even in tough economic times, you have to be strategic about growing jobs," Sertich said.
The session beginning today likely will last until May 17, the last day the state constitution allows lawmakers to meet.

The state is operating under a $30 billion, two-year budget after spending $34 billion the previous two years. Pawlenty made many of the cuts on his own last summer following a 2009 legislative session that ended in a stereotypical dispute between Pawlenty and Democratic leaders.

Legislators of both parties are awaiting Pawlenty's ideas for trimming the budget.
Pawlenty delivers his State of the State address a week from today, and plans to release his budget tweaks at about the same time.

On Wednesday, Pawlenty told reporters that spending on the military, public safety and veterans' affairs should be safe from cuts and that he hopes to spare public school classrooms as well.

"Almost everything else is on the table," he said.

Some lawmakers call for long-term reforms, others limit their suggestions to immediate problems.

“Every year, we meet our constitutional responsibility to balance the state budget, and yet things in our state are not improving,” Rep. Paul Marquart, DFL-Dilworth, said. “It’s time to go back to the drawing board, reconsider how we spend and how we govern, and come up with initiatives that will put Minnesota back on the right track.”

Marquart and other Democrats have proposed some tax changes, but it will be weeks before DFL leaders put forward their expected tax increase proposal. Pawlenty vows to veto any increase, making negotiations for a budget deal difficult because of the gulf between the sides.

Rep. Denny McNamara, R-Hastings, sounds pessimistic when talking about the coming four months.

"The reality of all the politics stuff going on, it just seems hard to believe that we will be able to come together," McNamara said.

Pawlenty said the governor's race with eight legislators among nearly 30 candidates could hurt compromise.

"You can imagine, hypothetically, if you are a candidate running for governor and your endorsing convention is in late April and you have to toe the party line perfectly otherwise you won't get endorsed, that puts extraordinary pressure on the individuals who are having to go through that," he said.

Republicans promise to stand by the governor on economic issues, such as balancing the state budget only with cuts. Sertich said more money is needed.

"Revenue has an impact on the economy, but so do cuts to nursing homes, education and the like," he said.

With such difficult issues, Sertich said, "it is easier to support the governor in theory than in practice."

The bottom line, however, is that DFL leaders like Sertich don't know if they can find a way to pass higher taxes to keep some programs intact.

McNamara said the public is tired of politicians going to one extreme or the other, something that led to a U.S. Senate race upset in Massachusetts

"A lot of people in the middle are speaking up and saying we need to get this done," McNamara said. "This pendulum from the far right and the far left is not working. That is what we heard from Massachusetts. A lot of people are afraid that this pendulum is swinging too far.

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/04/2010 at 12:03 AM | Permalink

Tags: budget, legislature

DFL governor contest fuzzy

Seifert

Minnesota's precinct caucus straw polls cemented Marty Seifert's front-running role in the Republican governor's race, but the picture remains fuzzy for Democrats.

While Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, also from Minneapolis, each received about 20 percent of a straw poll vote, many factors affect the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party gubernatorial race:

Rybak's poll results show the mayor's strength and they are "a testament to Mayor Rybak's tireless energy and passion for making Minnesota a great state once again," Campaign Manager Tina Smith said. "Even though R.T. was the last candidate to get in the race, he's been all across Minnesota -- and he's only just getting started."

Many candidates who trailed Kelliher and Rybak found reasons to continue their campaigns.

"The straw poll results reinforced what we have known for months," state Sen. Tom Bakk of Cook said. "There will be a number of strong candidates vying for the DFL endorsement at the convention in April."

Another Iron Ranger, Rep. Tom Rukavina of Virginia, said he was "humbled and energized" by the straw poll results.

“This goes to show that a little money and a big, refreshingly honest message has made me a contender at the DFL convention," Rukavina said.

On the GOP side, Seifert said he wants to emphasize to supporters that "this is the beginning, not the end," so they do not become complacent after his 20-point win.

Emmer said that in the six months he has been running that he has done better than Seifert, who has a long history in the House, including as GOP leader.

He said that indications are that the split of delegates is closer to 50-50 than the straw poll shows.

Emmer, a Delano lawmaker, said he is doing better than then-Rep. Tim Pawlenty did in 2002.

"We performed 4 points better than a current governor when he was taking on a similar well heeled guy," Emmer said.

<>

Incomplete, unofficial results from precinct caucus straw polls, as reported by the Minnesota secretary of state's office:

Democrat
(3,282 of 4,129 precincts reporting)
Tom Bakk, 1,334, 6.21 percent
Matt Entenza, 1,451, 6.75 percent
Susan Gaertner, 448, 2.08 percent
Steve Kelley, 894, 4.16 percent
Margaret Anderson Kelliher, 4,316, 20.08 percent
John Marty, 2,070, 9.63 percent
Felix Montez, 17, 9.63 percent
Tom Rukavina, 1,555, 7,23 percent
R.T. Rybak, 4,704, 21.88 percent
Ole Savior, 21, 0.1 percent
Paul Thissen, 1,555, 7.23 percent
Uncommitted, 3,131, 14.57 percent
(Mark Dayton asked not to be on ballot)

Republican
(4,073 of 4,129 precincts reporting)
Robert Carney, 31, 0.16 percent
Leslie Davis, 113, 0.6 percent
Tom Emmer, 7,450, 39.4 percent
Bill Haas, 313, 1.66 percent
David Hann, 983, 5.2 percent
Philip Herwig, 205, 1.08 percent
Marty Seifert, 9,459, 50.02 percent
Write-ins, 357, 1.89 percent

Independence
(8 of 8 precincts reporting)
Robert Hahn, 21, 8.02 percent
Tom Horner, 126, 48.09 percent
Joe Repya, 74, 28.24 percent
Other, 41, 15.65 percent
(Party also is holding an on-line poll through Feb. 28)

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/03/2010 at 11:20 PM | Permalink

Tags: 2010 governor race, caucus

It's a technical term

State Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul, tries to work with GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty when deciding what public works projects to fund, but it never seems to go well.

Often, Pawlenty vetoes projects in her district.

Or, as her Senate counterpart, Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon, said: "He always whacks the bill, with her district being the main whackee."

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/03/2010 at 11:47 AM | Permalink

Tags: hausman, langseth, legislature

Langseth: Let's try it again

Keith Langseth is running one more time, he says again.

The Glyndon Democrat had said this term would be his last in the Minnesota Senate, but two factors changed his mind. First, Senate chairmen are allowed to keep their committees for the next two-year term (half the normal term due to upcoming redistricting) and he wants to continue leading the public works funding panel. Second, last year's Red River Valley flood convinced him he again needs to find money to prevent future floods.

But, Langseth said, he means it this time when he says he will not run again.

"For the first time I realize, somewhat reluctantly, that time is marching on," the 72-year-old senator said. "You want some time between this responsibility and death."

In other words, it will be time for him to relax after first being elected to the House in 1974.

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/03/2010 at 6:39 AM | Permalink

Tags: langseth, legislature

Party faithful pick their favorites

Updated:

Two state representatives appeared poised to move away from other Republican governor candidates and a pair of well-known Democrats were battling for bragging rights Tuesday night as Minnesotans attending more than 8,000 neighborhood meetings began picking their favorites.

Rep. Marty Seifert of Marshall led Rep. Tom Emmer of Delano in a GOP precinct caucus gubernatorial straw poll. With 63 percent of the precincts counted, Seifert had 52 percent to Emmer's 37 percent in unofficial results; five other candidates and write-ins took the rest of the votes.

Things were not as clear on the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party side, although Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher of Minneapolis each had about 20 percent of the governor vote with 66 percent of precincts in.

In the field of 11 Democrats, state Rep. Tom Rukavina of Virginia and state Sen. John Marty of Roseville were just short of 10 percent. Former state Rep. Matt Entenza of St. Paul, state Sen. Tom Bakk of Cook and state Rep. Paul Thissen of Minneapolis were slightly behind Rukavina and Marty.

About 15 percent of Democrats were not committed to a candidate.

The straw polls were not binding. Complete results were not expected until early Wednesday.

Seifert was pleased with early results and said it appeared to make the Republican contest a two-man race. The Marshall Republican was doing well in the rural western areas, and said he needed to hold his own in the Twin Cities.

To Seifert, the straw poll was very important.

"The reality is, these are the folks who will now pick the candidate on April 30," Seifert said. "The reality is this is the new electorate."

On the DFL side, Rybak and Kelliher were being cautious, both Minneapolis politicians touting their support outside the Twin Cities.

"It shows that people are connecting with us in every corner of Minnesota, from Duluth to Hutchinson to Minnetonka to Eagan," Rybak said.

Kelliher said her campaign staff and volunteers reported that she, Bakk and Rukavina were doing well in rural areas, but did not know if Tuesday's poll would narrow the field.

"I think everybody is pretty committed to this competitive race," she added.

Her campaign is pleased, Kelliher said. "We feel good about this showing in the straw poll."

Another state representative also was happy, although he was not finishing first.

"I said all along I had a good feeling in my gut I would do good in this election," Rukavina said, as he remained in the second tier of candidates, in the third or fourth position, most of the night.

He admitted he "did better than most people expected," attributing that to being "the blue collar, ordinary person. I have said from the beginning that I have walked in a lot of shoes."

Rukavina said that he has a good chance of gaining on Kelliher and Rybak with so many uncommitted delegates.

Reports from around Minnesota indicated many precincts had an average or below average turnout, and much below that of two years ago. That was when both major parties' caucuses attracted record turnouts, mostly thanks to a heated presidential contest.

Republicans in the straw poll were former mayor candidate Robert Carney of Minneapolis, environmentalist Leslie Davis of Minneapolis, Emmer, former state Rep. Bill Haas of Champlin, state Sen. David Hann of Eden Prairie, businessman Philip Herwig of Milaca and Seifert.

Independence candidates were businessman Robert Hahn of St. Paul, public relations executive Tom Horner of Edina and former Republican Joe Repya of Eagan. The Independence poll continues on line through the month.

Democrats in the race are Bakk, Entenza, Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner of White Bear Lake, former state Sen. Steve Kelley of Hopkins, Kelliher, Marty, former GOP legislative candidate Felix Montez of Minneapolis, Rukavina, Rybak, artist Ole Savior of Minneapolis and Thissen.

Former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton asked that his name not be on the caucus straw poll ballot, saying he thinks the public voting in a primary election should determine a party's nominee.
Besides Dayton, Gaertner said she will run in a primary election and Entenza has hinted that he will.

That means the DFL contest will drag out until August, when this year's primary election is expected to be held. Republicans, other than long-shot Davis, promise to go along with their party's April convention endorsement, giving the GOP candidate more than three months' head start on the eventual Democratic nominee.

Before the caucuses, Seifert and Emmer were thought to be the GOP leaders, with Hann coming in a distant third. A straw poll during an October Republican convention set the early order and polls some counties have done little to change it, other than show that Emmer was gaining on leader Seifert.

Dayton and Entenza are the big-money kings of the DFL. But Rybak and Kelliher are well known and other candidates have spent a lot of time around the state.

Dayton loaned his campaign $570,000 out of $642,000 the campaign raised in 2009. The campaign spent $625,000, more than twice as much as any other campaign even raised and three times as much as most.

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/02/2010 at 11:03 PM | Permalink

Tags: 2010 governor race, caucuses

Peterson fears EPA air action

U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson and other congressmen today introduced a bill to prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from regulating greenhouse gas emissions.

“I have no confidence that the EPA can regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act without doing serious damage to our economy,” Peterson said. “Americans know we’re way too dependent on foreign oil and fossil fuels in this country, and I’ve worked hard to develop practical solutions to that problem, but Congress should be making these types of decisions, not unelected bureaucrats at the EPA.”

In December, EPA officials said that greenhouse gases are a public health danger and should be regulated under the federal Clean Air Act. Congress has until April to overturn the decision.

“The Clean Air Act was not meant for this," said Peterson, a western Minnesota Democrat. "It was meant to clean up the air, to get lead out of the air. It was not meant to fight global warming.”

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/02/2010 at 6:31 PM | Permalink

Tags: congress, peterson, pollution

Pawlenty does not talk about session

Minnesotans have not had much of a chance to hear from Gov. Tim Pawlenty about the legislative session that begins at noon Thursday.

Other than a late-Wednesday morning public radio appearance, the Republican governor and apparent presidential hopeful has not met with reporters like he has every other year.

Instead, some reporters have quoted Deputy Chief of Staff Brian McClung, although many reporters say it is the governor, who makes the decisions, or nobody.

A few weeks ago, McClung said Pawlenty would meet with reporters, but now he says Pawlenty is too busy working on the budget and other issues to sit down and talk about the session.

Posted by: Don Davis on 2/02/2010 at 6:13 PM | Permalink

Tags: pawlenty