September22,1989 Volume 1 • Number2 Minnesota House of Representatives :;;;;;:::::::;;:;:\:;i::i!!ib"11i:i:i:i:i:i:i:iii::):}:::{:I::::::::={(\::::,:,:,::::;,:,:,:,:,:.:.::::· :::;:::::::a:,:v~'.r::i1tlr,y1:,:liiPP.P.n.ttv::::I::t::::::::::::::::::::::'::::::>::::::r:::: • Winona area residents met with state legislators at the town meeting Sept. 14. ighlights Winona town meeting on charitable gambling, drug prevention and awareness, recycling, and abortion. Hundreds of residents from Winona Lawmakers met with residents in small and surrounding areas occupied St. groups after the discussion to talk about Cecelia's Hall on the College of St. other issues. Teresa during a Sept. 14 town meeting. Those taking the microphone during the informal forum expressed concerns to socs state legislators on various issues. One resident told lawmakers that Lawmakers got a first-hand look at a environmental education should be part state-operated community services of the curriculum in schools and asked (SOCS) facility Sept. 15 while visiting for direction from the Department of the town of Byron during the recent Education (DOE) to meet this goal. Rep. legislative mini-session. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Mpls) told the SOCS opened its first facility in WELCOME audience that the Legislature considers August 1986 with funding from Title 19 TO that issue important. She believes that Waivered Services, a federal funding WINONA environmental education should be program for people with developmental a part of curricula at all levels. Kahn disabilities. SOCS aims to habilitate agrees that aspect of education should severely mentally retarded people in a become a crucial part of the DOE. community setting. The facilities are Other speakers indicated concerns licensed as adult foster care homes. about levy limits in human services, taxes Rep. Lee Greenfield (DFL-Mpls), chair of the Appropriations Committee's Health and Human Services Division, told the tour group that the Legislature is committed to opening and funding approximately 24 more SOCS facilities by 1991, each housing four to six clients, and a total of 95 homes by the year 2000. • The Byron SOCS home has three clients with an approximate staff-client ratio of one to two, working shifts over a 24-hour period. Byron staff members told tour participants that minimal staff turnover is one reason for the program• s success. SOCS clients take part in the Olmsted County Day Program on weekdays. Once home, their responsibilities include doing laundry, making meals, and shopping for groceries. The state has similar facilities in In the Grand Salon at the Wilkie Steamboat Center, members of the General Legislation, Braham, Dodge Center, Faribault, Veterans Affairs and Gaming Committee hear from Iowa State Rep. Tom Fey and Farmington, and two in Mounds View. Bernard Goldstein, chair, Alter Co. and Alter Barge Lines, Inc., about riverboat gambling in Iowa. Math, science school Riverboat gambling ---- of chance on riverboat excursions. The maximum wager is $5, with a maximum Talented students in the state would Rollin• on the river. Minnesota loss of $200 on each excursion per have a chance to excel, says Dr. Darrell lawmakers gathered on location to hear person. The games feature a cashless Krueger, president of Winona State background testimony on riverboat system, with players using only chips or University, under a proposal state gambling from a member of Iowa's tokens to place bets. legislators discussed during a Sept. 13 House of Representatives. The General meeting at Winona's College of St. Legislation, Veterans Affairs and Gaming Teresa. Committee met Sept. 14 in the Grand Lawmakers heard testimony from Salon at the Wilkie Steamboat Center, an Tax increment financing supporters of a plan to establish a old riverboat that's now permanently residential high school of science, stationed at a pier in Winona. Downtown Rochester suffered from a mathematics, and international studies in Iowa State Rep. Tom Fey says his state lack of business investment causing some Winona. first introduced its riverboat gambling major retailers to leave and open stores in The school would serve as a symbol of law in 1986 and passed it earlier this local shopping centers, according to Minnesota's commitment to excellence in year. The bill allows riverboats in Iowa Mayor Chuck Hazama. Tax increment math and science, says Charles Sambs, to conduct casino gambling on excursion financing (TIF) turned that trend arounl interim superintendent of Winona Public trips on rivers and other inland Hazama and other local government Schools. And it would give talented waterways. officials spoke to the Taxes Committee's students a challenge and an opportunity When drafting the law, Fey says he Property Tax Subcommittee about TIF at to fulfill their potential. followed the North Dakota model of low the Rochester Community College A Winona task force proposal refers to stake, casino gambling for nonprofit Sept. 16. the school as the Minnesota Academy for organizations. The intent was not to raise Rochester used TIF to rebuild its Science, Mathematics and International money for the state, he says, but to downtown business area and build low Studies. The proposal also suggests free increase tourism dollars and business for and moderate income housing units, says room, board, and tuition for Minnesota the private sector. About 60 percent of Hazama. TIF provides money to help resident students to ensure attendance of the money gambled comes from outside local firms expand and stay in Rochester, qualified students from various financial of Iowa, according to Fey, and estimates and to clean up blighted housing around and cultural backgrounds. project that riverboat gambling and the downtown area. Hazama warns that Courses from three academic divi­ related spending could amount to $1 restrictions on TIF could lead to a sions-science and math, humanities, and billion a year. deteriorating inner-city infrastructure international studies-would make up the Iowa allows blackjack, dice games, similar to New York City's experience. school's curriculum. roulette, slot machines, and video games TIF is also important to small cities, says Bryan Reed, Kenyon city adminis­ trator. He told legislators that TIF may be • 2 INTERIM REPORT/September 22, 1989 the only development help available and groups. Tom van der Linden, Houston Beekeepers also testified on their without it small cities couldn't attract County News, in a written statement to concerns about the pesticides that businesses. Kenyon used TIF to upgrade the subcommittee, says he finds himself counties use to kill grasshoppers. One the local supermarket, attract industrial protecting local officials who mistakenly speaker told the subcommittee that development, and remove blighted disclose private data. He edits such beekeepers would like notification about housing. Reed wants legislators to check information out of his newspaper to chemicals sold for such uses and sched- • abuses of the program, but says small protect them fro.qi lawsuits. "Soon, our uled spraying times. Minnesota beekeep- communities can't afford new TIF local boards will have to close their ers cited three major concerns: restrictions. meetings ... to protect themselves," he '" crop spraying while bees are in Lee Luebbe, Winona County commis- says. And that would "remove open the field; sioner, says she supports TIF but that government from small town Minnesota." '" spraying flowering crops, abuses do occur. Winona created its first The court's decision doesn't involve e.g., soybeans and alfalfa; and TIF district in 1979; now there are 12 any constitutional issues, says Deborah • restricting harmful pesticides. districts. She says the county has lost K. McKnight, legislative analyst and millions of its tax capacity base, and attorney with the House Research holds TIF bonds too long, causing a Department. She says legislators could negative countywide impact. amend either law to remove conflicts. Local government elections - TIF is a good tool for commercial/ Minnesota leads the nation in voter industrial development, according to Paul turnout in the last four presidential Double, Minnesota School Board Grasshopper control elections, according to Secretary of State Association. But retail, residential, and Joan Growe. But, she notes, voter turnout rental property uses are suspect. Creating Grasshoppers are stripping vegetation in local elections is less than 10 percent. and keeping jobs in a community are the in many parts of Minnesota. In past Local governments hold elections at best reasons for TIF, he says, suggesting months, various organizations and varied times and polling places, which that development bond profits should be environmental groups have discussed contributes to voter confusion and available for various uses such as school ways to control the plant-eating insect. frustration, and low turnouts. district needs, and not just more tax Lawmakers heard testimony on a increment financing. Legislators heard more testimony and suggestions Sept. 15 at a meeting in proposal to.create a uniform election day Rochester of the Agriculture Commit- for local governments at a meeting of the tee's Select Subcommittee on Grasshop- Private data per Control. Steven Thome, Department of Natural A recent Minnesota Supreme Court Resources (DNR) deputy commissioner, ruling is confusing and has weakened the presented the DNR's suggestions to state's open meeting law, according to legislators about the grasshopper prob- Mark Anfinson,