Political Notebook

A look at how Davids, Poppe and Pelowski will vote on gay marriage bill tonight

The  House Ways and Means Committee is set to take up a bill that would legalize gay marriage tonight. Three southeast Minnesota lawmakers serve on the committee. So just how do they plan to vote? I put that question to all three of them today.

Rep. Jeanne Poppe, DFL-Austin, said she will cast a "yes" vote in committee to move the bill forward. As for how she will vote on the bil when it gets to the House floor, she said she is leaning towards voting yes.

"People are still weighing in on both sides, but I am leaning towards supporting it," she said.

Meanwhile, Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston, said he is a firm no on gay marriage.

"I believe very strongly that marriage is between one man and one woman," he said. "Many people say they are struggling with this vote. They think it's a tough vote. For me, it's the easiest vote I will take all session."

Then there's Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona. He sent an email outlining his position on the issue. And while he did not specificially state how he plans to vote, he makes it clear he does not think the House should be taking up social issues before work on the budget bills are completed. Below is a copy of his email.

"This is a social issue that should be dealt with only after the legislature completes its work on the budget. This must be true of all social issues this session. The long standing budget problems of Minnesota have to be resolved with finality. This means raising revenue and balancing the budget with permanent funding streams. It will require our full attention.

There is next session. By that time the budget issues should not only be resolved but Minnesota should be in a position to reinvest once again in improving our quality of life. The new majorities created by the November elections should govern in the best interests of all of Minnesota and not just placate political bases. In the 2010 and 2012 elections Minnesotans rejected DFL majorities in 2010 and Republican majorities in 2012 because they governed from their political left wing and right wing bases.

It is time to govern with a firmness and fairness that will allow social issues to be addressed not from the far left or the far right but with dignity for everyone."

Lawmakers get back to work

With the ceremonial first day behind them, Democrats are moving ahead with their legislative agenda. At 1 p.m., House Speaker Paul Thissen, House Majority Leader Erin Murphy, Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk and Assistant Majority Leader Katie Sieben will outline the majority party's vision for the 2013 session.

Later in the afternoon, Democrats will unveil a bipartisan bill to set up a health insurance exchange in Minnesota. The exchange will be an online marketplace where Minnesotans will be able to shop for and compare health insurance plans. The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, gives states the option of setting up their own exchange or one set up by the federal government. The effort got little support from Republican lawmakers last session who opposed the federal health care bill.

The bill's sponsors, Rep. Joe Atkins of Inver Grove Heights and Sen. Tony Lourey of Kerrick, will discuss the legislation. They will be joined by Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter, Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman, Administrative Commissioner Spencer Cronk, Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson and other state lawmakers.

This year's bill will have at least two Republican co-sponsors — Rep. Greg Davids of Preston and Rep. Jim Abeler of Anoka. Davids said he prefers having a state-run exchange versus one run by the federal government.

"If I have a problem, I would rather call 651 than 202," Davids said.

 

Lobbyist who donated to Davids fined

A Minnesota lobbyist has been fined $250 by the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board for failing to identify himself as a lobbyist when he donated to Republican Rep. Greg Davids' campaign.

 Catholic United Financial lobbyist Michael McGovern donated $250 to the People for (Gregory) Davids Committee on Jan. 23, according to findings issued by the board on Thursday. But McGovern failed to include his lobbyist registration number on the check. As a result, the Davids campaign classified it as a donation from an individual instead of a lobbyist. That led the campaign to exceed the amount of donations allowed for House candidates from lobbyists, which is limited to $6,900.

McGovern said he registered as a lobbyist in 1998 because as president of the organization he may need to do activities that would fall under lobbying. This year, he was told that the definition of a lobbyist had changed and he no longer believed he fell under that classification. But McGovern did not terminate his lobbyist registration until Aug. 22.

The board cleared Davids' committee of wrong doing because McGovern did not provide his lobbyist identification number when he donated to the committee. Here is a link to the findings and order. Meanwhile, Davids' opponent, former DFL Rep. Ken Tschumper, and  Fillmore County DFL Chairman Dennis DeKeyrel are the subjects of a complaint filed with the Office of Administrative Hearings. Read more about that here.

Anti-voter ID radio ads running in Rochester

Radio ads opposing a proposed constitutional amendment that would require voters to show photo identification in order to cast a ballot are running in Rochester.

The 60-second spot features Iraq War veteran Alex Erickson speaking out against the amendment. With patriotic music playing the background, Erickson says, "I proudly served our country in the United States Army, witnessing the courage of the Iraqi people as they exercised their right to vote. I realized then that the right to vote is what makes America the greatest democracy in the world. But here in Minnesota, our right to vote is under attack."

The ad blasts the proposal for not allowing military identification to qualify as one of the accepted forms of photo identification. It goes on to say that the amendment would change how absentee balloting and same-day registration is done in the state and that will end up hurting not only veterans but "seniors, students and countless others."

The ad urges people to call Sen. Dave Senjem and "ask him not to use our constitution to take away our right to vote."

The ads are sponsored by TakeAction Minnesota, a liberal advocacy group. The spots are running on talk radio station KROC-AM and country radio station KWWK-FM. To hear the ad, go here.

Area Republican lawmakers who have co-sponsored legislation that would put the photo ID amendment on the November ballot are Rep. Mike Benson of Rochester, Rep. Greg Davids of Preston, Rep. Steve Drazkowski of Mazeppa and Rep. Duane Quam of Byron.

Bill to raise Rochester's lodging tax introduced

Byron Republican Rep. Duane Quam has introduced a bill aimed at changing how the city of Rochester would pay for its share of the $77 million Mayo Civic Center expansion. The bill gives the city the authorization to raise its lodging tax by 3 percent. It also gets rid of an authorization given to the city in 2009 by the legislature allowing them to raise the city's food and beverage tax by 1 percent.

Initially, city officials wanted to pay for its share of the civic center project by raising the city's lodging tax by 1 percent and the food and beverage tax by 1 percent. But officials changed their mind late last year after concerns were raised about the impact of the food and beverage tax on local residents. Instead, the city council decided to raise the lodging tax by 3 percent with the idea that tax is generally paid by people who live outside of the community.

The city is seeking $35 million in bonding money from the state. DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's $775 million bonding proposal includes the civic center project. Republican legislative leaders have said they expect to pass a much smaller bonding bill, and it remains to be seen whether the Rochester project will be included.

This bill as bipartisan support from local lawmakers. Bill co-sponsors are Rep. Mike Benson, R-Rochester, Rep. Tina Liebling, DFL-Rochester, Rep. Kim Norton, DFL-Rochester and Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston. A Senate version of the bill has not yet been introduced.

Mayor Ardell Brede helped organize the meeting at the urging of local lawmakers who support the civic center project. The first meeting will be at noon on Feb. 28, and the second will be at 6 p.m. on March 6. Both will be at Mayo Civic Center.

Grand Meadow, Wanamingo looking to get a piece of Roch sales tax

Two more area cities would be eligible for Rochester sales tax dollars as part of a bill introduced this week.

House Taxes Committee Chairman Greg Davids is sponsoring a bill aimed at adding the cities of Wanamingo and Grand Meadow to the list of 17 area cities eligible to apply for economic development grants that would be funded by an extension of Rochester's local option sales tax. Last year, Davids came up with the idea of requiring the city to dole out $5 million in economic development grants to area cities as part of the sales tax extension. The Preston Republican said he realize that the cities of Wanamingo and Grand Meadow had inadvertently been left off the list.

Other cities that would be eligible for the economic development funds are: Byron, Chatfield, Dodge Center, Dover, Elgin, Eyota, Kasson, Mantorville, Oronoco, Pine Island, Plainview, St. Charles, Stewartville, Zumbrota, Spring Valley, West Concord and Hayfield.

Rochester Assistant City Adminstrator Gary Neumann said the city does not have a position on the bill. He said officials are still discussing how they would divvy up those economic development dollars if the sales tax renewal passes. This is the first time a city has been asked to share its sales tax revenue with area cities.

The $139.5 million local option sales tax proposal will be put before Rochester voters in November.

Olmsted Board: Don't blame us for tax increases

Just got sent a copy of a flyer that will be going out with all of the Truth-in-Taxation statements mailed to Olmsted County property taxpayers later this month. It focuses on the elimination of the Homestead Market Value Credit and blames lawmakers for local property tax increases.

At the top of flyer it reads "A message from the Olmsted County Commissioners" and goes on to say:

"You may see an increase in your 'County taxes' line on the enclosed proposed tax statement from 2011 to 2012. The County Board DID NOT increase the total amount of property taxes they will be collecting. We will be collecting the same amount in 2012 as we did in 2011. The increase is caused by the 2011 State Legislature's elimination of the Homestead Credit in order to balance the state budget."

According to the county's Director of Property Records and Licensing Mark Krupski, the tax notices will be mailed out on Nov. 23 — just in time for Turkey Day. Current estimates show that the average percent change from 2011 to the property 2012 tax levy will be a 3.51 percent increase for residential homesteads. Commercial/industrial property is expected to increase by 6.4 percent and agriculture homestead by 4.88 percent.

Yesterday, Republican Rep. Greg Davids of Preston released an $80 million property tax relief proposal aimed at businesses and homeowners whose taxes increase by more than 12 percent. Democrats blasted the proposal saying it does little to help homeowners who will face tax increases because of Republicans' support for scrapping the Market Value Homestead Credit. Expect this to be a huge issue in the upcoming legislative session.

Spring Valley council member to challenge Davids for House seat

In an interview today, Spring Valley City Council member Tony Archer said he has decided to run for the House District 31B seat because the legislature needs more statesman willing to put aside party politics for the greater good.

"We need to be crossing the aisles, working with each other and working for the common good of Minnesota," Archer said.

Archer registered his campaign committee with the state on Nov. 2. He is the first Democrat to announce he is running for the seat held by Republican House Taxes Committee Chair Greg Davids.

Archer, 49, is a registered nurse and has served two terms on the Spring Valley City Council. He said he has serious concerns about the deep cuts made to help balance the state's $5 billion budget saying he believes they "were not in the best interest of the people." He also supports DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's position that taxes should be raised to help balance the budget.

"We need to have the people of Minnesota pay their fair share in any type of tax bracket because that is how you get things paid," he said.

During his time on the city council, Archer said he has seen how repeated cuts in state aid are hurting small cities in greater Minnesota. In recent years, Spring Valley has had to cut 25 percent from each department in order to balance the city's budget.

He cited the recent state government shutdown as an example of lawmakers being unable to work together. Archer said he supported DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's position that taxes should be raised to help balance the state's $5 billion budget deficit. He said he also opposes the decision to defer payments to K-12 school districts in order to help solve the budget shortfall.

"We are robbing Peter to pay St. Paul. That's how I feel about it," he said.

With a son in his first year of college, Archer said he is concerned about the recent cuts to higher education, which has led to tuition increases.

"College is eventually going to get to the point wehre only the rich kids are going to be able to go to college," he said.

It remains to be seen whether former DFL state Rep. Ken Tschumper of La Crescent will also jump into the race. It's also unknown where the legislative district boundaries will be after redistricting is completed.

Davids, who is serving his tenth term in the legislature, said he is planning to run again. He said he believes he has a strong record to run on.

"I ran on funding the schools, nursing homes and rural economic development, and we delivered huge on all those counts," he said.

 

Norton: Treat sales tax for Vikes stadium like Roch sales tax

In a recent interview,  Rep. Kim Norton argues that if Rochester's local-option sales tax has to go before the voters at a general eleciton, the same should apply to a proposed sales tax increase to pay for a new Vikings stadium.

"We are cutting health care, cutting human services, we're cutting education, we're cutting higher education and raising tuition, and yet we are going to stop everything and not even have a vote on a tax to pay for a football stadium? That doesn't make any sense to me," the Rochester Democrat said.

She noted that Rochester is required to put its $139.5 million local-option sales tax before the voters at the 2012 general election. A key part of that proposal are projects geared towards economic development. So she asks why should the city of Rochester be required to put this on the ballot and not Ramsey County?

"It would be up to the Vikings and the advocates to sell it to the community," she said.

Rochester had a tough time last session getting legislative approval for its sales tax proposal. The city originally wanted voters to weigh in on a $160 million sales tax plan. But House Committee Tax Chair Greg Davids argued that it was too large and that there was not enough support among members of his caucus for a sales tax proposal that size. He initially advocated cutting $58.5 million from the project, but agreed to but some of those dollars back as part of a compromise. City officials also wanted the vote to happen at a special election, but Senate Tax Committee Chair Julianne Ortman said she would only grant legislative approval for the sales tax proposal if the vote happened at a general election.

The Minnesota Vikings oppose a referendum on the sales tax in Arden Hills arguing that it will kill the project. Davids has said he is OK with the tax proposal not going to the voters. He argues that stadium issues are different than traditional local-option sales taxes that are used for a variety of purposes. In the past, he voted in favor of allowing Hennepin County  to raise its sales tax without a referendum to build the Twins stadium.

On this same topic, Minnesota Public Radio reports today that several Republicans want to require a sales tax referendum as part of a stadium deal. In our region, that position is clearly not limited to Republicans. Along with Norton, Rep. Tina Liebling, DFL-Rochester, has also said she wants to see a referendum.

No vote on sales tax for Vikes stadium? Tax chair OK with that

As the campaign for a Minnesota Vikings stadium heats up, House Taxes Committee Chair Greg Davids said he is willing to support a stadium deal even if local residents don't get to vote on a proposed sales tax increase.

"I am probably one of the only ones that will stand up and say that if elected officials decide to do (the sales tax), that it's fine," Davids said.

Both Speaker of the House Kurt Zellers and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch want voters to have a chance to cast their ballots on a proposed sales tax increase to help fund the stadium. The Ramsey County Charter Commission decided last night that the sales tax proposal won't have to go before the voters. That tax would raise $350 million to cover the county's share of the cost for building the stadium in Arden Hills.

While the decision not to put the sales tax before voters gets rid of one hurdle for the Vikings, a new report released today by the Metropolitan Council raises other concers. That report concludes that the team's timeline for getting the stadium built by 2015 is too ambitious and that it would likely take a year or two longer. Each year of delay would add an estimated $46 million to the stadium's $1.1 billion pricetag. You can read the report here.

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton issued a written response to the report. He said, " I am willing to support a stadium in either Arden Hills or Minneapolis stadium, as long as the project’s financing, including any contingencies, is clearly defined and agreed upon by the representatives of the affected parties."

He added he plans to meet with legislative leaders, team owners, local officials and others to talk about a stadium deal. The big question is whether the governor will call a special session for the stadium.

Davids said he is open to holding legislative hearings on the stadium plan. The Preston Republican said he voted for the Twins stadium deal after Hennepin County commissioners decided to impose a sales tax hike to pay for the stadium. He said he believes it should be left up to local officials to make that call.

"I am not going to play any games like chairs have done in the past blocking hearings and all that," Davids said. "I would vote for a plan that would let the elected officials make the decisions."