Polinaut: March 11, 2009 Archive

The Daily Digest: 3-11-09

Posted at 8:51 AM on March 11, 2009 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

A bill on foreclosure mediation clears a Senate panel.

Unions are pushing back on Gov. Pawlenty's proposed pay freeze.

Gov. Pawlenty's spokesman says Minnesota can't reject Sara Jane Olson's move to Minnesota to serve her parole in the state. He says Pawlenty is sympathetic to a Los Angeles police group trying to keep her in California.

The medical marijuana bill takes another step forward.

The mental health community battles budget cuts.

A bill that would remove the property tax cap moves through a Senate committee.

The early voting bill is approved in a House committee.

The Senate starts moving a bonding bill.

The Senate also rejected taking money from Twin Cities transit funds for out state school transportation.

Gov. Pawlenty will visit Worthington on Thursday.

D.C.

The Senate passes a $410 billion spending bill and sends it to President Obama. It includes plenty of earmarks.

The transportation funding debate becomes more urgent on the federal level.

Somalis in Minnesota come under FBI scrutiny.

Obama takes on the teacher's unions by backing merit pay.

The Star Tribune gets some reaction from Minnesota folks on Obama's education plan.

The card check debate is set to intensify.

GOP Rep. John Kline opposes it.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar backs the EPA proposal that would create a nationwide emissions report.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann rips the carbon tax.

2008 Race for U.S. Senate

Democrat Al Franken will rest his case in the recount trial. MPR, AP, MinnPost, the Star Tribune and the Pi Press have stories.
Franken told reporters in Washington D.C. that he sees the light at the end of the tunnel in the Senate race.

Coleman's campaign manager said that light in the tunnel is the freight train coming.

The New York Times says there was a brief stand-up and applause at a Democratic luncheon that Franken attended.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar tells Time Magazine that she's not sure when the Senate race will end.

2010

A website called "My mayor is cheating on me" targets St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. (H/T MnSpeak)

Coleman and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak discuss the possibility of running for governor.

2012

The Atlantic examines Pawlenty's chances in 2012.

Another day, another medical marijuana hearing

Posted at 11:15 AM on March 11, 2009 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)

A Minnesota House panel has advanced a bill to legalize the use of medical marijuana.

The legislation would allow physicians to prescribe marijuana to qualified patients for the treatment of debilitating medical conditions. Supporters and opponents of medical marijuana testified today before the House Civil Justice Committee. Law enforcement officials are among those who are against the bill. State Public Safety Commissioner Michael Campion said the legislation is riddled with problems.

"There's little regulation in the bill," Campion said. "It's literally impossible to enforce. But primarily our opposition from a public safety standpoint is it is against federal law. And it puts the Minnesota criminal justice system in conflict with our federal partners here in Minnesota."

Gov. Tim Pawlenty also opposes the bill. The next stop is the House Public Safety Committee.

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Pawlenty, Senate at odds over property tax cap

Posted at 11:25 AM on March 11, 2009 by Tim Pugmire

Gov. Tim Pawlenty is criticizing a bill that lifts a cap on local property taxes.

Legislation approved this week by the Senate tax committee would allow local officials to raise property tax levies without state interference. The bill eliminates a 3.9 percent levy limit passed in the 2008 session. The committee's chairman, Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, says the governor broke the cap agreement by proposing cuts in state aid to cities and counties.

"We haven't lived up to the intent of the agreement that was reached in May with the governor," Bakk said. "So, I guess if part of the agreement is going to fall apart, then I guess the portion that the governor received in exchange needs to be reconsidered also."

Pawlenty responded today , saying he doesn't like the move. The Republican governor told reporters that limiting increases to 3.9 percent is a reasonable way to control local taxes.

"It allows local units of government to have some flexibility to raise property taxes, but it doesn't allow them to go crazy," Pawlenty said. "And we need that kind of discipline if we're going to control property taxes in Minnesota. It's an important and effective tool."

Pawlenty pointed out the cap is scheduled to sunset in three years.

The Senate bill also eliminates the annual requirement for local officials to hold "truth in taxation" hearings.

Sertich and Seifert on TPT tonight

Posted at 3:23 PM on March 11, 2009 by Tom Scheck

DFL House Majority Leader Tony Sertich and Republican House Minority Leader Marty Seifert are scheduled to appear on TPT's Almanac at the Capitol tonight. I'm told that the discussion will focus on the state budget but the two will also be asked about the recent proposal by the DFL majority to change the House Rules on media access. You can read about that flap here.