Almanac: At the Capitol

The House DFL tax chair proposes a major overhaul to the system, rogue Republicans offer a budget different from the governor's, the Senate passes a bonding bill and Democrats push ahead on health care.

View the Capitol Update for March 16, 2009.

It's the meat and potatoes of politics:  bonding and budgeting.  Today the Senate passed a $365 million bonding bill.  Chair Keith Langseth said it will result in thousands of jobs.  Sen. David Hann said in this economy this isn't the time to borrow more money and raise taxes.  Langseth said you get more bang for your buck in these economic times.  The bill funds construction and renovations on things like:  Bell Museum at U, Volleyball Center in Rochester, high speed rail to Chicago, rail to North Shore, Union Depot transportation hub, Como Zoo, Big Lake ice arena, Orchestra Hall, Shubert Theater, St. Cloud Civic Center, Asian Pacific Cultural Center.

On the budget, House Republicans who the press has dubbed the "Emmerites" (followers of Rep. Emmer) came up with their own budget plan.  They said they balance the budget with no shifts, no gimmicks, no stimulus money and no tax increases.  As Republicans have criticized Democrats, we often ask them where is there budget plan? 

House Democrats sent around a blank sheet of paper last week entitled the Republican budget plan.  Today they have an answer.   The question is if it's a caucus answer or just the often noted splinter group--the Emmerites (has a nice biblical sound to it, huh?).  Reps. Buesgens, Brod, Zellers said you don't have to have a leadership title to lead.  So, it's not a caucus position and it's at odds with the governor because they don't agree with his idea to add money to education.  Now I've heard from these members that they don't like being called Emmerites, sorry, it's just a joke, no offense intended.  That's just the name the press has come up with for the splinter group of vocal House Republicans.  When you don't have your leader's backing and are defying the governor, I guess you get a nickname.

House Tax Chair Ann Lenczewski also came up with what she called the biggest tax reform in a quarter of a century.  It is revenue neutral.  It lowers the bottom two income tax tiers.  Eliminates business subsidies and loopholes, but cuts other business taxes.  She talked about using the deficit as an opportunity to make big changes that makes the tax system more fair and simple.

We in the Capitol wonder what's happening, we seem to be living in a new universe.  Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty says he doesn't necessarily "like rich people and businesses."  Democrats don't like the media and tried to limit liberal blogger access.  Now, today we hear how much Democrats like lawyers as Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller expressed concerns about lawyers losing their jobs.  He said the recession is "so pervasive there's downsizing of not just blue collar workers, but everybody."  What's going on here? 

At least that Senate Tax Committee stayed true to form and talked about a bigger bonding bill.  Sen. Keith Langseth said "if people demand, I'll go higher" in regard to a bonding bill in an "off year" which is usually limited to a small number of emergency projects.  But even the governor is open to a higher bonding bill pushing the debt limit (universe shifting again).  Langseth's bonding bill has already recently grown from $300 million to $328.

The governors of Minnesota and Wisconsin announce an initiative to share services, a Senate committee passes a new seat belt law, and hearings are held on providing health insurance for the unemployed.

View the Capitol Update for January 13, 2009.

The love was everywhere. The love was bi-partisan. The love was coming from the governor to lawmakers, even DFL lawmakers. House Tax Chair Ann Lenczewski got an enormous amount of praise for helping making the whole end of session deal happen. Bonding Chairs Langseth and Hausman got humorous props too. Hausman who originally had her key project Central Corridor axed by the gov in the first bonding bill today said "we are celebrating and joyous." Of course the bonding bill creates the first new state park in 30 years, builds a new veterans home and starts a new transit line between the Twin Cities. Pawlenty noted that the "path was a little bumpy" on the bonding bill, but his strategy of line-item vetoes worked and many call it the turning point of the session.

Healthcare Chairs Huntley and Berglin (who could not attend) were also congratulated on a package that creates better affordability, quality and accessibility. Huntley said it was the most important bill in almost decades. The governor said it could create $7 billion in savings. It insures 12,000 more Minnesotans.

A couple of other notes from a fun and long news conference: Pawlenty joked that his vocal cords still had not fully recovered from his hockey injury. That could be an issue as he continues to stump for his friend John McCain, but his self-deprecating humor goes over well as always. He says he will likely veto the mortgage foreclosure bill that is sitting on his desk because it would make Minnesota "an island" and "drive up credit costs for the 89% of Minnesotans not in foreclosure." He will also line item money for California car standards from the budget bill because that policy language did not pass.

REAL ID is back. The Senate Finance Committee just added an opt-out for Minnesota into another bill. Sen. Mee Moua's bill had to do with executive branch whistleblower protection. Ironic that this new bill would send the executive branch a bit of a bomb. Conservatives were considering joining liberals on an override of the governor's veto of the transportation bill that contained a REAL ID opt-out. John McCain is the only major candidate (Democrat or Republican) to support REAL ID. And we don't have to draw the line between Pawlenty and McCain for our astute readers. Conservative Senator Warren Limmer joined liberal Moua in making this happen. Limmer said he doesn't want this foisted onto the state from the fed and we should join the ranks of states opting out of this mandate. The bill heads straight to the Senate floor.

In the same quick committee we found out that Senate Bonding Chair Keith Langseth is officially on board on reviving Central Corridor light rail. The Senate Finance Committee just moved a new bill along on this as well. These amended bills are called "vehicles" in Capitol speak. Chair Dick Cohen asked a very rural Langseth if he was really in favor of this and Lanseth responded "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't." Langseth said he hopes to get Central Corridor to the Senate floor yet today and possibly quickly on to the governor. Pawlenty was clear again today that he won't sign money for the Central Corridor without an overall budget deal first. He said he didn't feel any pressure to sign the bill.

Gov. Pawlenty hit projects hard that are close to House Chair Alice Hausman (DFL-St. Paul). Majority Leader Tony Sertich called it "personal" what Pawlenty did to chair Hausman. Sen. Sandy Pappas (DFL-St. Paul) was very emotional right after the gov's press conference, saying the vetoes are "insults to chair Hausman." The question some reporters started asking is if gender looks like a factor with Hausman being a female chair. Hausman was at the governor's press conference but Pappas said she ran out because she was so upset. We haven't been able to verify that because Hausman has been tied up in meetings. But two female senators from St. Paul (Anderson & Pappas) saw gender as a factor.

Senate Bonding Chair Keith Langseth wasn't very upset afterwards and showed little emotion to the governor eliminating about $200 million dollars of the bonding bill he crafted with Hausman. The biggest shock in the Capitol hallways is Pawlenty's slashing of Central Corridor money. Few saw that coming. The governor didn't get a big project he wanted: Vermilion State Park. So lawmakers got something gutted they wanted too. Pawlenty noted that they already passed a huge transportation bill above his objections. The governor is keeping lawmakers on their toes; they really didn't expect a line-item vetoed bill since Pawlenty has been quick to take down whole bills. This reminds lawmakers of some of the unique and huge powers a governor has in a year where they overrode the big guy for the first time.