As we move into March, two full months of the legislative session are already behind us. This week brought a number of important bills before committees and to the floor, as well as the release of the February budget forecast by Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB). The forecast showed a projected $1.65 billion budget surplus, up from the $1.4 billion projected surplus shown in the previous November forecast. With this up-to-date information, our committees will begin working in earnest on putting together the state’s budget for the next biennium, which will total tens of billions of dollars. I expect these budget proposals to begin to be released over the next couple of weeks, with committee hearings on these bills beginning shortly thereafter. Keep in mind these points as we work toward a budget:
- A surplus is another way of saying we collected too many taxes.
- Part of the surplus exists because of Governor Dayton’s veto of the 2016 tax bill. Passing a similar tax bill this year will reduce the surplus amount.
- Without increasing any spending, the budget will, on its own, grow to nearly $45 billion for FY 2018-2019, according to the forecast. In FY 2010-2011, the budget was nearly $30 billion. This growth is not sustainable.
As both policy and budget work continues in earnest, eight of my bills were heard in various committees this week. Here are a couple of them:
- SF476 – This bill is of particular importance to communities in Greater Minnesota, as it increases state aid, also known as local government aid (LGA), paid to city governments over the next several years. After several years of funding declines, this bill would bring the total aid back up to the 2002 funding level. It increases funding by almost $23 million in 2018 and an additional $23 million in 2019. Local cities rely on this aid to keep property taxes down and pay for city services that residents rely on – without this aid, cities would be forced to pass these costs along to residents.
- SF1038 – This legislation would increase the amount the state pays to local school districts for participation in the national school lunch program. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the forthcoming education budget bill.
Finally, legislation regarding the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)’s ditch mowing policy was passed from the Senate floor. The bill, of which I am a co-author, was passed with bipartisan support. If you are unfamiliar with this issue, last fall, MnDOT enacted a change in policy that requires, among several other things, landowners to obtain permits to mow or bale ditches on state highway rights-of-way – coming with little input from those affected.
MnDOT’s unilateral policy change is causing farmers and landowners, many who have been mowing and baling these ditches for years, unnecessarily added costs and inconvenience. SF218 prohibits MnDOT from requiring, issuing, or enforcing permits to mow or bale hay in the rights-of-way, until April 30, 2018. I believe establishing this prohibition will allow both legislators and those affected to come together and discuss a path forward. While MnDOT did not support the bill, they do admit that they made an error in how they implemented the policies.
- On Monday, the Senate voted to pass a bill to allow liquor stores the choice of being open on Sundays. The legislation would allow stores, beginning July 1, 2017, to be open on Sundays between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Current state law already gives local cities and counties the choice of enacting tighter regulations on the stores in their communities. I did not support this legislation and voted ‘no’ on its passage. While I am fully aware that there are some people who support this idea, the vast amount of those who contacted me were against the bill. The bill has been sent to the governor for his signature.