Polinaut: May 8, 2009 Archive

The Daily Digest: 5-8-09

Posted at 8:26 AM on May 8, 2009 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

A revamped Tax bill heads to the House and Senate today after a conference committee introduced and passed the bill early this morning. The plan creates a new income tax bracket for wealthier Minnesotans, raises taxes on alcohol and creates a surcharge on high interest loans. The money is dedicated for early childhood and K12 schools, nursing homes and hospitals. MPR, AP and Forum Communications have stories.

Gov. Pawlenty vetoed his first bill of the year. It derailed the St. Paul ice rink.

He also line-item vetoed $15 million from the Environment and Natural Resources budget bill.

Gov. Pawlenty signed a bill that adds adults to Minnesota's missing child law.

A Minnesota legislator wants voters to decide whether the moratorium on nuclear power should be lifted.

The Legislature is considering a program that would jumpstart some construction projects.

Lawmakers want to keep government funded jobs local.

The two chambers also passed a bill that would put limits on a researchers' use of mentally ill patients.

Officials with the U of M say they're preparing for future budget cuts.

Minnesota moves one step closer to transparent ticket sales.

D.C.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann's plan to forbid taxpayer funding from going to ACORN is derailed.

Bachmann and GOP Rep. John Kline are disappointed in President Obama's downplayed prayer day.

Bachmann and Kline also support a bill recognizing "the nation's Judeo-Christian heritage."

Rochester area officials are quietly crafting a plan for a high-speed rail route in the area. DFL Rep. Tim Walz is mentioned.

GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen talked about his recent trip to Yemen.

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum introduces a bill that authorizes foreign assistance funding to prevent child marriage across the globe.

The chair of United Airlines said lawmakers, like DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar, should resist protectionism in the airline market.

2008 Race for U.S. Senate

Democrat Al Franken spoke at the Olmsted County DFL dinner.

CQ talks to a few Republicans in Minnesota who say Pawlenty will protect Coleman. What did you expect them to say?

House passes $1 billion tax bill

Posted at 8:47 PM on May 8, 2009 by Tim Pugmire

The Minnesota House passed a new $1 billion tax increase bill tonight on a vote of 86 to 45.

A similar result is expected in the Senate, even though Governor Tim Pawlenty is promising a quick veto of the bill. Under the DFL-backed measure, income taxes would increase for married couple making more than $250,000. Taxes on alcoholic beverages would also rise, and credit card companies would be hit with a new surtax.

Democrats say the bill raises the same amount of revenue as the the governor's budget. But they claim their approach is fairer and more responsible. During the floor debate, House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, described the $1 billion bill as a compromise.

"This proposal before us shows leadership," Sertich said. "It breaks a log jam. It says we're going to raise revenue in a fair and responsible way."

House and Senate Republicans say the tax bill would add an extra burden on the people who help create jobs. They also object to the fast process used to develop the bill. Rep. Laura Brod, R-New Prague, says Democrats were over selling the bill as a compromise.

"You cannot suggest that we're going to get out of session with this package, because it is a package that is going to be rejected," Brod said. "And it's a package that should be rejected because it's going to kill jobs in our communities and hurt our economy."

The House vote was four shy of what Democrats would need to override a veto from the Republican governor. But earlier in the day, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, said an override vote is a possibility.

"If the governor remains inflexible and so disengaged and does not bring ongoing revenue to the budget shortfall, then I think the Legislature and the House will be left with only one choice, and that is to attempt an override," Kelliher said.

Pawlenty muzzles cocoa bean mulch bill

Posted at 10:19 PM on May 8, 2009 by Tim Pugmire

Gov. Tim Pawlenty unleashed his veto pen tonight and rejected a bill aimed at protecting dogs from the dangers of cocoa bean mulch.

The bill would have required retailers to post warning signs near the product in their stores. Cocoa bean mulch can be deadly when consumed by dogs. In his veto letter, Pawlenty said the legislation was well intended, but an example of legislative overreach. He suggested a better approach would be to require manufacturers to post warning labels on the products themselves.

Senate passes tax bill too

Posted at 10:35 PM on May 8, 2009 by Tim Pugmire

The Minnesota Senate passed the $1 billion tax bill tonight on a vote of 44 to 20.

Senate Tax Chair Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, said voting to raise taxes is always hard. But he described the latest DFL plan as a much better option than the borrowing proposal in the governor's budget. Bakk also said the revenue would boost schools, hospitals and nursing homes.

"It's not going to hold those programs areas whole in this difficult budget situation," Bakk said. "But I would argue it will mitigate a lot of cuts. And if this bill becomes law, those committees that have jurisdiction over those accounts will be able to put that money in their budgets and the cuts will be much lower than they would be without this money."

Senate Republicans didn't see and redeeming qualities in the tax proposal. And they had no expectation that the bill would become law.

Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, suggested the bill was a waste of time and effort.

"Here we go," Michel said. "We're going to get to watch the governor play catch and release. This is going to be the fastest veto in the history of Minnesota. And why are we even doing this tonight?"