SESSION WEEKLY SIT BACK, THE ‘OMNIFEST’ BEGINS SOUDAN SNOWBIRDS HEAD TO ST. PAUL COLLEGE PROPOSAL GETS MIXED GRADES NEXT GEN ACT COULD BE HISTORY HF1198 - HF1297 A NONPARTISAN PUBLICATION MINNESOTA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES • PUBLIC INFORMATION SERVICES VOLUME 28, NUMBER 12 • MARCH 25, 2011 Flashback to 1991, 2006 Delaying bonding projects Gov. Arne Carlson has proposed that state spending for 23 capital improvement projects authorized by the 1990 Legislature — totaling $46.4 million — be delayed to prevent the state from sliding further into debt. But the governor has also asked the Legislature to approve an additional $133.5 million in new capital investment projects that he thinks are necessary. PHOTO BY TOM OLMSCHEID The idea of putting last year’s session laws on Session Weekly March 30, 2006: Zygi Wilf, Minnesota hold while forwarding a new agenda drew cries of Vikings owner and Lester Bagley, Vikings vice president of public affairs/ constitutional foul play from Rep. Bob Anderson stadium development, explain the “Northern Lights” development project in Blaine, which would include a new Vikings stadium, during a March (IR-Ottertail). He reminded Finance Commissioner John 17 informational hearing by the House Governmental Operations and Gunyou during a House Appropriations Committee Veterans Affairs Committee. hearing that the Legislature provides budget directives that the administration is expected to carry out, adding Control over school vending machines that 1990 capital improvement plan was passed by Is the debate over vending machine control in schools overwhelming majorities in both the House and the one of nutrition, money or both? HF532, sponsored by Senate. Rep. Linda Scheid (DFL-Brooklyn Park), would put some — Session Weekly March 29, 1991 control of vending machines in the hands of the school food service. Scheid said that public schools should promote good nutrition by giving the school food-service control, at least during lunch hours. The House Education Committee approved the measure. — Session Weekly March 29, 1991 Contents SESSION WEEKLY Session Weekly is a nonpartisan publication of Minnesota House of Representatives FIRST READING: Omnibus bills morph and change all along the way • 3-4 Public Information Services. Produced AT ISSUE: Mixed grades given to omnibus higher ed bill • 12 during session, it covers the previous week’s news from the House. No fee. AT ISSUE: Committee approves policies for wild rice, state parks • 13 AT ISSUE: Education finance bill offers bold reforms, sponsor says • 14-15 Session Weekly (ISSN 1049-8176) is published AT ISSUE: Jobs and economic development bill sparks controversy • 16 weekly during the legislative session by Minnesota House of Representatives Public AT ISSUE: Budget bill would restructure state government • 17 Information Services, 175 State Office Building, AT ISSUE: Next Generation Energy Act repeal awaits floor vote • 18-19 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155-1298. Periodicals postage FEATURE: Soudan snowbirds come to St. Paul as citizen watchdogs • 20 paid at St. Paul, Minn., and additional offices. BILL INTRODUCTIONS: HF1198-HF1297 • 21-23 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MINNESOTA INDEX: A Minnesota Breakfast • 24 Session Weekly, House Public Information Services, 175 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155-1298. On the cover: Mira Silverman, a first-grader at Expo Elementary School, peeks through the railing of a packed hearing room March 21 when the House Education Finance Committee discussed its omnibus bill. Her mother, Monica Trent, a High 5 teacher at Whittier International Elementary Printed on recycled paper which is 50% recycled, School, came to testify against the proposal. 50% post-consumer content. — Photo by Tom Olmscheid FIRST READING The long and winding road Omnibus bills morph and change all along the way for a purpose, tax chair says BY LEE ANN SCHUTZ far. And at the General Fund bottom line, rom the time a committee chair lays over a bill for the bill adds $548 million largely through reductions to state aids and credits. possible inclusion in an omnibus bill, it morphs Here’s a look at what is in the bill: and changes its way to the House floor and • directs the revenue commissioner to begin F talks with Wisconsin with the goal of beyond. By the time the bill (in the form of a conference entering into a new reciprocity agreement committee report) comes back to each body for final that would be effective for tax year 2012; passage, it could have substantial changes. • creates a Minnesota science and technology fund with $1.5 million appropriated in fiscal years 2012 and 2013, and House Taxes Committee Chairman Greg and Means Committee March 23 and $3.5 million in each fiscal year thereafter Davids (R-Preston) said the omnibus bill moved to the House floor. The companion, for grants to support initiatives; process is long, difficult and drawn out for a SF27, sponsored by Sen. Julianne Ortman • lowers the property tax refund from reason. “The only thing that is harder than (R-Chanhassen), was scheduled to be 19 percent to 12 percent of gross rent paid; passing laws is repealing laws. So we need to voted upon March 25 by the Senate Taxes • approves imposition of a local sales and use get it right the first time. You don’t want to Committee. tax by several cities and towns; do these things on a whim; you want to take The House bill is made up of • extends eligibility for a market value it very seriously.” roughly 40 separate bills heard in the exclusion benefit for the surviving spouse The omnibus tax bill HF42, which he House Taxes Committee or the House or approved family caretaker of certain sponsors, was approved by the House Taxes Property and Local Tax Division. At least disabled veterans; Committee March 19, the House Ways 10 amendments have been incorporated so First Reading continued on page 4 PHOTO BY ANDREW VONBANK Members of the House Ways and Means Committee wade through bill copies and amendments on the committee table during the March 23 hearing. March 25, 2011 Session Weekly 3 First Reading continued from page 3 • removes several county maintenance of effort provisions that do not reduce federal funds or automatically increase state spending; • decreases payment in lieu of taxes payments to counties; and • eliminates the political contribution refund. Amendments as teachable moments Rep. Ann Lenczewski (DFL-Bloomington) offered many of the 20-some amendments debated by the House Taxes Committee. While most were not successful, she said they all had a point. Some were offered to educate the 16 new members of the 28-member committee on how the tax codes interact: “that cuts and shifts here generally mean higher taxes somewhere else.” PHOTO BY ANDREW VONBANK Also, through amendments, she said, “It’s a House Page Michael Mullen passes out amendments to the omnibus tax bill during the March 23 chance for the minority to get their views of meeting of the House Ways and Means Committee. tax policy out there for discussion.” increases, and spend money through the use of An amendment she offered to do away credits, aids and tax cuts. New name for new direction with fiscal disparities fell into the former To reflect the changes proposed to the Both the House bill and the governor’s category. Local Government Aid distribution, Rep. Diane proposal do a mixture of both. But they are The fiscal disparities program is a partial Loeffler (DFL-Mpls) proposed an amendment far apart on the mechanics. to change the name in statute of LGA to Rural sharing of commercial-industrial property For instance, the governor proposes and Some Suburbs Government Aid or RSSGA. tax base among all jurisdictions within the to create a new tax tier that would raise “Since this bill revamps our major city fund- Twin Cities metropolitan area. Lenczewski’s ing program to one that first looks at what type taxes on the state’s highest earners. House community shares this tax base heavily, of city you are, I think a new name is in order,” Republicans would decrease the lower and she said. and for years she middle individual income tax rates from To that, Rep. Linda Runbeck (R-Circle has tried to repeal What’s in the bill their current levels of 5.35 percent, and 7.05 Pines) proposed amending the amendment the program. to rename LGA to Basic Aids for Services in percent to 4.75 percent and 6.75 percent, She offered the The following Cities, or BASIC, to reflect the goal of having phased in over three years. This could be the program pay for basic services, not amendment to are selected bills paid for through several local government discretionary projects and programs. help members that have been incorporated in part aid reductions, of note a phase-out of aid Loeffler withdrew the amendment. understand how or in whole into the to Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth, while doing away with omnibus tax bill. Greater Minnesota and the suburbs would the program HF11 – Bills by LGA, and we are seeing increases in be held at the 2010 levels. could affect the HF22 – Davids discretionary spending.” HF102 – Mahoney Dayton vetoed an earlier bill that contained amount of local But metro area lawmakers say the move HF825 – Marquardt LGA cuts, and has said he would like to see government aid is an all-out assault on the state’s first-class HF982 – Davids LGA remain intact. Discussion over LGA rural communities HF1003 – Stensrud cities, and that it is political payback against reductions became heated in the House receive. To her HF1007 – Runbeck the traditional DFL strongholds. HF1045 – Runbeck Taxes Committee. surprise, the “This is blatantly political The LGA phase-out provisions came from amendment was and mean-spirited,” said Rep.