Capitol View: March 4, 2011 Archive

The Daily Digest

Posted at 6:26 AM on March 4, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

Gov. Dayton signed a bill that streamlines the environmental review process for businesses. His decision upset some environmental groups.

The new law means an IRRRB loan to Polymet is likely to be given the go ahead.

The House and Senate also sent a bill to Gov. Dayton that allows other pathways for teachers. Gov. Dayton will sign it.

The House and Senate rejected a proposal that resembled Gov. Dayton's tax plan. Dayton's plan hasn't been drafted in bill form yet.

Gov. Dayton called the move a "charade" and says the time for recess is over.

The Star Tribune says there was bipartisanship amidst the bickering.

DFL Sen. Tom Bakk says Gov. Dayton is thinking about changing his income tax plan so fewer single filers would have to pay more.

GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers indicates Republicans could be open to other sources of revenue at some point. He also says MNGOP Tony Sutton isn't his boss.

Dayton will hold several flood preparedness meetings in Jordan and Montevideo today. The events come at a time when the risk of major flooding is increasing exponentially.

Bills to look at tax reciprocity with Wisconsin (again) are making their way through the Legislature.

AP says a Minnesota sex offender could be freed from the sex offender program.

A Minnesota think tank says Minnesota's public workers make less than their private counterparts.

GOP Sen. Majority Leader Amy Koch withdrew her complaint against a lobbyist.

A new report by the State Auditor says city finances have collapsed.

The Pi Press says Mary Jo Copeland, who runs Sharing and Caring Hands in downtown Minneapolis, says she'd fight efforts to put a new Vikings stadium there.

Wisconsin

Wisconsin protesters peacefully leave the Wisconsin Capitol after a court ruling.

Walker is telling the Democrats to return or 1,500 people get laid off.

Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker's budget bill would effectively kill unions.

The Senate orders the arrest of Wisconsin Democrats.

Congress

The U.S. is preparing for a possible rise in Islamist regimes.

President Obama is open to military action in Libya.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar also warns that cuts in aid to African countries could cause greater distress.

The White House is proposing $6.5 billion in additional cuts.

The New York Times says closing Fannie and Freddie could change the face of housing.

Some religious leaders are arguing over budget cutting and deficits.

HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan visits St. Paul today.

Klobuchar introduces a bill to fight Asian carp.

DFL Sen. Al Franken is seeking to boost a water pipeline.

GOP Rep. John Kline says the Mine Safety and Health Administration hasn't been following its own laws.

GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen has 100 cosponsors for his bill to remove the medical device tax.

PolitiFact says DFL Rep. Betty McCollum's claim that the U.S. Army spends millions on NASCAR ads is true.

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson backs a bill to curb EPA powers on greenhouse gas emissions.

Race for Congress

Democrats put Walz on their endangered list.

Race for President

The RNC is hoping for a longer primary season.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann will be on Meet the Press on Sunday.

President Obama is starting to raise money for 2012.

Finally

The Wall St. Journal has an interesting read about Tom Stinson (the economist) getting lots of calls from people who think he's Tommy Stinson (the rock star). It's pretty funny.