Capitol View: January 14, 2013 Archive

Dayton suggests delaying budget (follows up that's he's joking)

Posted at 12:37 PM on January 14, 2013 by Tom Scheck (0 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton caused a bit of head scratching at the Capitol today when he wrote on his Facebook page that he could delay his budget proposal if he hasn't fully recovered from his back surgery.

"...it goes well, I'll be "back" on a public schedule, starting Tuesday, January 22nd, when I'll present my proposed budget for the next biennium, as required by state law. If not, I'll invoke the obscure clause in the Minnesota Constitution, which allows me a one-time, two-month extension."

The post had Capitol reporters rereading the state constitution trying to find what authority Dayton has to delay his budget plan. Dayton's spokeswoman responded to initial questions about the post with the vague answer of "keep looking." One reporter actually wrote a story saying Dayton could delay the budget plan.

Dayton later posted that he was joking about the delay.

"My previous post was serious about my recovery, and trying to be humorous about delaying my budget proposal. There is no postponement being sought. I just wanted to see if anyone reads this stuff!"

The only specific thing Dayton has said about his budget plan is that he intends to raise income taxes on top earners to erase at least part of the state's $1.1 billion projected budget deficit.

DFL bill seeks disclosure from national groups

Posted at 2:00 PM on January 14, 2013 by Tim Pugmire (0 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature

A bill introduced today in the Minnesota Senate would set new disclosure requirements for national advocacy groups that push for the passage of their model legislation in the state.

Under the proposal, representatives of those groups would fall under the financial reporting laws currently in place for registered lobbyists. DFL Sen. Scott Dibble of Minneapolis, the bill's author, said groups like the American Legislative Exchange Council, also known as ALEC, have spent a lot of time and money in Minnesota without any accounting.

"They run model bills. They fly legislators out to their conferences. They act for all intents and purposes like lobbying entities, and they provide these trips and these sorts of things," Dibble said. "So, it's just simply a sunshine into the disclosure bill."

Dibble said while he opposes the political agenda of ALEC, his proposed disclosure requirements would also affect other national advocacy groups that he supports.

Former state Sen. Robling to lobby for Scott County

Posted at 3:05 PM on January 14, 2013 by Tom Scheck (0 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature

Former state Sen. Claire Robling, R-Jordan, has been hired to lobby for Scott County.

Robling, who didn't run for re-election in 2012, has been hired by the county to serve as legislative and communications coordinator. Scott County Administrator Gary Shelton says Robling will work on a part-time basis lobbying the Capitol and doing communications for the county.

"She's certainly well qualified in terms of the legislative piece," Shelton said. "But also with her background in journalism, she was the editor of a local paper. She knows the county well. She's a good fit for that position."

Shelton said Robling will earn a salary of $40 an hour and will work 25 hours a week ($52,000 annual salary). She'll be expected to coordinate the county's social media policy and write the newsletter. Robling told MPR News in December that she contracted with Scott County to write the county newsletter for the past 24 years at a salary of roughly $7,000 a year.

Robling is the latest state lawmaker to join the lobbying ranks. Rep. Steve Gottwalt, R-St. Cloud, resigned his position in the Minnesota House last week to lobby for St. Louis Park-based Center for Diagnostic Imaging. Rep. Terry Morrow, DFL-St. Peter, also resigned last week to lead legislative efforts for the Chicago-based Uniform Laws Commission in Chicago.

Robling served as chair of the powerful Senate Finance Committee when Republicans controlled the Legislature in 2011 and 2012.

Bipartisan efforts to limit lawmakers from lobbying at the State Capitol have repeatedly failed in past years. The so-called revolving door legislation would require lawmakers to wait a specified amount of time before they can become lobbyists.

House GOP steps up Ag attack on DFL committee structure

Posted at 6:35 PM on January 14, 2013 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature

The Rules Committee in the Minnesota House on Monday rebuffed efforts to move oversight of the Agriculture Finance budget from the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Finance Committee.

Republicans have been pushing for the change, saying the issue was too important to be lumped into a larger committee that is chaired by a Minneapolis Democrat. Rep. Rod Hamilton, R-Mountain Lake, says combining environmental policies with agricultural issues sends the wrong message to rural Minnesota.

"I've been sent up here to do a job. It's not my district. It's the district that I have the pleasure to represent and it happens to be an ag district," Hamilton said. "You know what? It's about time that the ag members start standing up for themselves."

Republicans have been criticizing the House DFL majority for being out of touch with rural Minnesota.

Last week, the Minnesota Republican Party issued a news release questioning why Rep. Jean Wagenius, DFL-Minneapolis, chairs the committee. There have been several letters to the editor in rural Minnesota newspapers from Hamilton and GOP House Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, criticizing the new committee structure. The House Republican Caucus also pointed out that Wagenius mistakenly referred to the Future Farmers of America (FFA) as the FAA in last week's first committee hearing.

Democrats say Republicans are trying to score political points. They also say Wagenius will represent agricultural issues appropriately.

Rep. John Persell, DFL-Bemidji, says he's offended by comments that Democrats aren't focused on rural issues. He predicts the new committee structure will work and will allow for a broader discussion on farming and the environment.

"Good golly, we ought to at least be able to have the conversation and take it to the committees that we have set up like Natural Resources." Persell said. "For crying out loud, that has a lot to do with agriculture. I agree with someone else who said 'Ag is stewardship."

DFL House leaders also say Austin Rep. Jeanne Poppe holds a key position as chair of the House Agriculture Committee.