This document is made available electronically by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library as part of an ongoing digital archiving project. http://www.leg.state.mn.us/lrl/lrl.asp Senate Briefly Page 2 Highlights Page 4 Committee update Minnesota’s newest State Sena- tor, Sen. Kevin Dahle (DFL- Northfield), recites the Pledge of Allegiance during opening day ceremonies, Tues., Feb. 12, in the Senate Chamber. Dahle replaced former Sen. Thomas Neuville, who accepted an appointment as a district judge. Photo by A.J. Olmscheid February 15, 2008 Senate Highlights Nobel Laureate Honored Minnesota. Pogemiller, a former student, Opponents also criticized rais- The second half of the 85th Legisla- described the 90-year-old Hurwicz as a ing taxes as the state fights a recession tive Session began at a brisk pace Tues., “world class intellect.” economy. Sen. David Hann (R-Eden Feb. 12. After ceremonial and housekeep- Hurwicz said it was “a moment of Prairie) charged that the language of the ing duties, the body transitioned right great honor” and jokingly expressed his bill prohibits any funding cuts to existing into business, appointing conferees for appreciation that there were no votes in programs. the environment and arts legacy proposal opposition to the resolution. Proponents countered that the frac- begun last session. In routine business, resolutions ad- tion of a cent increase is worth it if it The legacy bill would put a three- dressing expenses for postage, mileage, protects Minnesota’s waters and natural eighths of one percent sales tax increase and interns and law clerks were approved. spaces. Minnesota has no sales tax on proposal to voters in November, and if This year’s first day saw one change prescriptions, food, and clothing, which approved, dedicate those funds to clean in representation, because former Sen. lessens the impact on tight budgets, water, environment and the arts. Confer- Thomas Neuville (R-Northfield) was argued Sen. Dennis Frederickson (R-New ees for the bill last session finished their appointed a Rice County District Judge. Ulm). Frederickson also spoke in defense work in the last hours of session, but the A special election held in January elected of cultural funding, describing the creativ- bill never saw a floor vote before time ran Sen. Kevin Dahle (DFL-Northfield) to ity of Minnesota’s citizens as the one thing out. Chief author Sen. Lawrence Poge- represent Senate District 25. that cannot be outsourced. miller (DFL-Mpls.) said the Legislature Sen. Ellen Anderson (DFL-St. Paul) intended to pass the bill on Thurs., Feb. Legacy bill passes in Senate; vot- said that legislative stalemates in other 14. Pogemiller, Sen. Dennis Frederick- areas, such as healthcare, should not block son (R-New Ulm), Sen. Richard Cohen ers to decide in November progress for the environment. “We can’t The Senate debated the environ- (DFL-St. Paul), Sen. Ellen Anderson give up and say that we are going to let (DFL-St. Paul) and Sen. Satveer Chaud- ment and arts legacy conference commit- the environment, clean water and the hary (DFL-Fridley) were appointed to tee report, Thurs., Feb. 14, and granted natural parts of our world slip through our the conference committee, leaving the final passage to the measure, H.F. 2285, fingers because we have other issues that composition unchanged from last year. on a 46-17 roll call vote. Passage of the we are having problems making progress Senators also set some of the ground- bill allows voters in November to decide on,” said Anderson. work for the upcoming months by approv- whether to increase the sales tax by three- ing S.C.R. 8, marking the first committee eighths of one percent and dedicate the Transportation package reviewed deadline for Mar. 14, the second commit- revenue to clean water, environmental A transportation proposal authorizing tee deadline for Mar. 19, and the deadline stewardship, and arts and cultural heri- over $308 million in supplemental spend- for finance bills Mar. 28. tage funding. The debate highlighted the ing in FY 08-09 and over $2.262 billion A Senate resolution and a brief recess bipartisan support and opposition to the in bond projects through FY 2018 was the were called to honor 2007 economics proposal. focus of the Tues., Feb. 12, meeting of the Nobel Laureate Leonid Hurwicz, Regents The conference committee report dif- Transportation Budget and Policy Divi- professor emeritus of the University of fers from the Senate’s version by provid- sion. “President Abraham Lincoln said, ing a higher percentage of the revenue to ‘You cannot escape the responsibility of clean water, and postponing the establish- tomorrow by evading it today,’” said Chair Senate Briefly is a publication of ment of a hunting and fishing council. Steve Murphy (DFL-Red Wing), author of the Minnesota Senate Publications Sen. Lawrence Pogemiller (DFL- the measure. Murphy said the state needs Office. During the regular Legislative Mpls.), chief author, said that the Legis- to embrace its duty to provide a safe, ef- Session, it is produced weekly. The lature has failed to fund the legacy issues ficient transportation system. publication is a service of the Minne- that define Minnesota’s identity. “This Senate Counsel Bonnie Berezovsky sota Senate. It can be made available is about protecting our way of life and walked panel members through the bill. in alternative formats. protecting that way of life for our children Its major elements include an annual debt and grandchildren,” he said. service fuel tax surcharge of up to 2.5 Editor/Writer: Sen. Thomas Bakk (DFL-Cook) cents per gallon to fund the more than $2 described the proposed sales tax increase billion in bonding the measure authorizes, Karen L. Clark as poor tax policy that disproportionately an acceleration of the vehicle deprecia- impacts low-income households. Bakk tion schedule, an elimination of the caps Assistant Editor/Writer: also cautioned Senators to consider what on the vehicle registration tax, a five- Joshua A. Dorothy cumulative impact the increase may have cent increase in the gas tax. The bill also on taxpayers if other proposals, such as a indexes the gas tax for inflation, increases Writer: gas tax increase, pass as well. the fee on vehicle rentals and short-term Danielle Cabot The proposal deviates from the proper leases, creates a gas tax credit of $25 per legislative process, said Sen. Rod Skoe year for taxpayers in the lowest income Photographers: (DFL-Clearbrook). Passage of the bill tax bracket, directs the Metropolitan David J. Oakes dedicates funding to the environment and Council to impose a half-cent sales tax A.J. Olmscheid arts in the state’s constitution, rather than and a $20 vehicle excise tax in the Metro law, for 25 years, he said. Area, and prohibits the privatization of 2 Recipient of the Nobel Prize for Economics and former University of Minnesota Professor Leonid “Leo” Hurwicz addresses mem- bers of the Senate during a special ceremony in the Senate Chamber, Tues., Feb. 12. Photo by David J. Oakes roads and bridges for the purpose of col- (DFL-Mpls.), is expected to pass, Thurs., it ties the hands of future Legislators. Oth- lecting tolls. Feb. 14. ers oppose the inclusion of arts funding. Representatives of several interest The proposal passed out of conference Proponents argue that things like groups, associations, and local units of committee on the eve of session close last clean water, forests and wildlife are critical government spoke in general support of spring, only to have the clock tick down Minnesota legacies that must be properly the bill, saying the state needs to enact without the bill receiving a floor vote. funded to ensure their preservation for fu- an ambitious transportation package to The only change from last session is in meet various needs. Many of the speakers ture generations. Defenders of the arts say said there were items not in the bill they revenue projections because of a down- its inclusion broadens the base of support would have liked to have seen included, turn in sales tax receipts, according to for the amendment and addresses another such as a county wheelage tax. Others said Pogemiller. area of Minnesota’s culture that is chroni- they were uncomfortable with some of the The conference report places a ques- cally under-funded. package’s components, such as indexing tion on the ballot, for voters to approve The bill specifies that 33 percent of the gas tax for inflation. or deny, authorizing a sales tax increase the revenue be used to protect, enhance, of three-eighths of one percent to ensure and restore water quality in lakes, rivers, funding for Minnesota’s outdoor resources Outdoor and cultural legacy bill streams and groundwater, and five percent and cultural heritage. Because the bill sent to floor of that third be used to protect drink- proposes a constitutional amendment, it The first conference committee of ing water sources; 14.25 percent of the does not need approval by the governor if the session met briefly Tues., Feb. 12, to revenue be used to support parks and trails re-approve the conference committee passed in the Legislature. report on H.F. 2285, proposing a constitu- Opposition to the proposal includes of regional or statewide significance; and tional amendment for dedicated funding Senate Taxes Committee Chair Thomas 19.75 of the revenue be used for arts, arts of natural resources and the arts. The bill, Bakk (DFL-Cook), who opposes dedicat- education, and arts access and to preserve authored by Sen. Lawrence Pogemiller ing funds in the constitution, arguing that Minnesota’s history and cultural heritage. 3 Committee update Commerce and Consumer ni (DFL- Chisholm), listened to 11 bond phony Orchestra and regional performing requests at its first gathering of the session arts events, according to Mankato Sym- Protection Wed., Feb.