2007-05-25 Friday NewsR•Rii.R RRRii
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Memorial Day- Friday News
I'lav 25. 2007
AUDITORS LEAVE
Kristen breathed a sigh of relief on Thursday of this week when Chris, Mike and Charlie packed
up their computers from their temporary home away from home in our Small Conference Room
and headed out. Chris, Mike and Charlie are the Auditors from Tautges Redpath, who were
assigned to complete the City's 2006 Audit. Kristen asked when they were leaving, if everything
was good and they gave her the thumbs up. They still have work to do to complete the audit,
but their "field work" is done.
PAR 3 PLANS PROGRESSING
Following last week's walks through the course, and with input from a variety of sources, staff
has assembled a first draft wish -list for the property. The big ticket items are safety and code
related, which means we'll have some significant expenditure up front. As we revisit the list
with the task force, capital expenses will be broken down into a five year plan. Our League of
Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust loss control representative has been to the property, and will
also be providing feedback.
PANDEMIC FLU PLA-NNP4G
This Friday, staff from the cities of Mendota Heights, Inver (wove Heights, West St. Paul and
South St. Paul will be meeting with emergency management staff from local schools and school
districts regarding pandemic plans. This will be an opportunity to get feedback on our plans,
find out about planning efforts in the schools, as well as discuss both the gaps in services and
potential resources which exist.
MUCH NEEDED RAIN ARRIVES
We were lucky this week and had plenty of rainfall (2 inches in my gauge). It was badly needed.
The grass is greening, the trees are growing and both ponds at "The Village" are now full. The
ponds were both extremely low, and now are full to the point that that they have water running
out of them. These ponds are only filled with rainwater and people were getting "nervous" that
they might even dry up.
On Tuesday noon of this week about 70 of Sgt. Donn Anderson's close
personal friends and family gathered in the Council Chambers for a
luncheon in his honor. Donn currently has 6 days left before retirement
(but who is counting). By all accounts everyone had a good time,
Donn was roasted, and he fired back with some good roasting of his
own. Donn's next event will be held Friday evening (June 1St) at the
Croation Hall in SSP.
City Hall Offices will be closed on Monday due the observance of Memorial Day. Weather is
expected to cooperate on Sunday and Monday for everyone to BBQ or go up to the lake. We at
City Hall wish everyone an enjoyable LONG weekend before the rain starts again next week.
For love of country they accepted death... —James A. Garfield
Respectfully submitted,
James Danielson
City Administrator
Attachments: Just the Facts, Pipeline, SouthWest Review Article "Help catch MH park
vandals", and '°Mffl teacher, student receive Model UN awards", Twincities.com Article
"Mendota Heights rabbi stirs up kosher controversy", Twin Cities Business Article about
Lilydale Mayor Tom Swain, Taste of the. Village flyer and Friday Fax.
May 26, 2007
-1-
May 26, 2007
Warrant Arrest #1, 5/19/07, 0009 hours
Officer Spicer, while on routine patrol, arrested a party and in the process of
checking registration, discovered there was a warrant for him out of Dakota County.
He was taken to jail.
Warrant Arrest #2, 5/21107, 2329 hours
Officer Spicer was on routine patrol, and ran an in -squad check on a vehicle and
discovered the RO had a warrant out for her arrest for an In -Contempt of Court. She
was arrested and taken to jail and extradited for prosecution.
HAT TRICK! 5122/07, 0420 hours
Yet again, Officer Spicer nabbed a party on a warrant out of Big Stone County. That
party was also arrested, taken to jail and was subsequently extradited for
prosecution.
Suspicious Emails, 5/22/04, 0900 hours
Officer Ulmal-11-1 took Cal walk sim r pr%r
- tat the police department from a local resident,
UJJ 1� W L I — FW. �
a Rabbi. He stated he was getting suspicious e-mails from a male claiming to be
god. The male got his name of the Temple website and informed the caring Rabbi
that Jesus is Lucifer and each one of the male's family members represented the
epitome of the 7 deadly sins! The concerned Rabbi was obviously concerned for the
mental well being of this individual. The case has been forwarded to investigations.
Vehicle Property Damage, 5/22/04,1055 hours
Driver reported having his window shot out — the Short Timer, #2204, Donn
Anderson, responded and discovered that his windshield had been shattered while
heading eastbound over the Mendota Heights Bridge. Luckily the driver had been
wearing sunglasses. No evidence of a bullet or any other type of trajectory was
found. Case was given to investigations.
Search Warrant Service, 5/22/07, 1100 hours
Officer Tanner Spicer and Investigator Scott Patrick assisted members of the MN
State Patrol with serving a warrant on a home in our city. The resident cooperated
and let the officers in. The officers were able to locate multiple items they were
searching for.
Have a great weekend! Kim, Denise & Christina
-2-
L
Public Works
Enciineering
Code Enforcement
Public Works
e Pipelind
May 25, 2007
Z 07
The Parks Crew prepared the fields at Kensington Park South for a Lacrosse
tournament. Sprinkler heads were repaired at Mendakota Park on fields one and
three. Trees were planted in the parks to replace ones that had died. The broken
swings at Friendly Hills Park and Rogers Lake Park were repaired. Downed tree
limbs were picked up in the parks after Wednesday afternoon storms.
Rich cut roots at Sunset Lane, South and North Freeway Road, Knob Road,
Winston Court easement, Miriam Street, Simard Avenue, Downing Street, Walsh
Lane and Kay Avenue, Glen Hill Road and Highway 13 at Brompton Place to
Sylvandale. He watered trees in the parks and helped the Parks Crew plant trees.
The Street Crew did street patching in the Avenues, Vandall Street, and Laura
Street. Two holes were patched on the pedway between Overlook and Marie
Avenue. The pothole at Dodd Road and Roundhill Road was filled. A bituminous
berm at 74.5 Hilltop Road was built to prevent erosion in the yard. Catch basins
were cleaned.
Sue McDermott, Mike Maczko and Guy Kullander met Tuesday morning at Valley
Park with Excel Lneray and their , contractor iv :oor din a.e restoration efforts along
the recently upgraded
power lines in Mendakota Park and Valley Park north to
Highway 13. Turf restoration, grading rutted disturbed areas began Tuesday
afternoon and weather permitting should be completed by mid-June. City staff will
coordinate replacement of severely damaged trail segments (billable to Excel)
through the bituminous contractor hired by the City to repair city trails. Minor trail
edge damage caused by Excel's contractors will also be evaluated by staff and a
"cost -per -foot" value determined, invoiced to Excel and the funds earmarked to
offset costs of a future trail overlay.
Sue and Tom Knuth met with Ross Fefercorn and Dakota County CDA staff to
discuss grading issues at Town Center.
Sue met with Brian Birch to discuss a creek bank stabilization project in his yard.
Sue and Ryan have been working with Dakota County and SWCD on a grant
application to fund the work.
Help. catch
M ark
. p.
vandals r :�
Mendota Heights police are.
:'offering a $250 reward:to any=
one with information leaduig to.
an arrest ando harges in a recent
graffiti incident
According to. anews release,
ainted "Ground
someone spray p
Ho.ggz," "GH," ,"G Hoggz" .and
'N—= of Roylty" an the area of
Marie and Victoria and in Valley
Park between April. 30 and 9
a m.. May 1.
"The :vandalism,., starte4 last
winter at the Mendota Elemen-
tart' School- and ha_s continued
periodically since then," says
Police Chief Mike `scenlrener.
"In the .past fkv .weeks`the: cul-
prits have begun-:`tagging'. or
spray painting They have
painted things ,in: two parks,
under abridge and items :around
the school.`Based on what we
know we. believe our. culprits
live in the area."
Please call the 24-hour tip line
at-225.117Q with;any informs-
tion regarding this or any.crirn -
nal activity in the city...
The tip. line. is `checked Mon= .
dFri
ay. through dag .from 8 aon.
to 4 p.m. Please: leave z as much.
information as Possible:.to help
police apprehend ,the. perpetra.-
tors and to be eligible for .the
reward:
Seth Lob
Page 12A Sunday, May 20, 2007
MH teacher. -student
receive Model UN award$
The Minnesota YMCA Model United
Nations conference was held Thursday
through Saturday, March 8-10 at the Crown
Plaza. in St. Paul. Model UN offers students
in grades 7-12 an opportunity to adopt a
country and represent that nation's govern -
merit at a session that models the activities
of the United Nations.
At an awards ceremony on
Friday ls�arch
Rhonda Fox, the advisor for Henry Sib-
ley High School Model UN participants,
received the Hanson-Orlich Distinguished
Service Award (named for the founder of
jhe program).
Fox volunteers her time to advise stu- _
dents in Model UN. She is also a regular
substitute in District 197, which serves
West St. Paul, Mendota Heights and Eagan.
State Program Executive Director Orville
Lindquist said the organization honors
only one adult eacb. year, and all the rest of
the awards are for students. "She was
selected for this honor because she really
wants kids to be prepared. She pushes in a
positive way, because she wants to do great
things for kids, and it shows in her stu-
dents;" said Lindquist.
Representing Dist. 197 were 13 students
from Henry Sibley High School and two
from Heritage Middle School. Heritage
English Teacher Carol Larsen is the advisor
for Heritage Middle School, which partici-
pated for the first time this year. Larsen is
very enthusiastic about Model UN and
says, "When I sat in on the sessions, I was
so impressed with what the students could
do — I think that participating in this is
beneficial no matter what you plan to do or
what leadership position you have. Stu-
dents learn to work with people with dif-
ferent backgrounds, and they learn to
debate an issue regardless of their own
beliefs and to speak in the voice of the
buy, jjj«Uu.F11—
Henry Sibley Model UN Advisor. Rhonda Fox'_
received the Distinguished Se- N!6e A nrd fo®
Model Ula at a Friday, March g, Awards
Ceremony. Heritage student Isaac Wenzel
received the Secretary -General's Award. It's
an honor bestowed to only one delegate in.
the entire conference of 525 students from
Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Also, he
was appointed to be next year's editor -In -
chief of the Model UN newspaper.
country they are representing."
Student Isaac Wenzel received the Secre-
tary General's Award. It's an honor
bestowed to only one delegate in the entire
conference -of 525 students from Minnesota
and western Wisconsin. Also, he was
appointed to be next year's editor-in-chief
of the Model UN newspaper. "We're all
very proud of him and of all of the Henry
Sibley/Heritage delegation ' who once again
showed their enthusiasm for learning and
wanting to make the world a better place;"
Fox said.
Page 1 of 2
Mendota Heights rabbilstirs up kosher
controversy
.< call t °ey&pa�'te`'.v tarda €"Is o social justice �,i lrn €n coni": � with Orthodox auth rffies
BY SAP&IUBL €M. f=R,EE1~aMi AIN
„evv York Ttnms
„_l4.ie Iasi i uv+i'=_C _ i1(':n7 _.,:13;37 MA CDT
MENDOTA HEIGHTS - A dozen years ago, Rabbi Morris Allen stood before his congregation in this Twin Cities suburb to
announce a program called Chew by Choice.
As Conservative Jews, the members of his synagogue were bound by religious law to eat only kosher food, but as typical
Americans, relatively few did so. So the rabbi asked them just to stop eating flagrantly impermissible foods like pork and
shellfish as the first step toward fuller observance of the dietary strictures.
The campaign at his synagogue, Beth Jacob Congregation, ultimately won Allen an invitation to lecture at an Orthodox
yeshiva in New York. Closer to home, he served alongside Orthodox rabbis on a kosher -certification panel for the Twin
Cities and collaborated with a local Hasidic rabbi in encouraging supermarkets to stock kosher meat after the last kosher
butcher in St. Paul went out of business.
In the past year, however, Allen has extended his concern with kosher standards from adherence to religious ritual to
commitment to social justice.
His drive to create a "hechsher tzedek," a justice certification, on the basis of how kosher food companies treat their
workers, has brought him into intense conflict with the Orthodox authorities who traditionally have dominated the
certification process.
Last month, the hechsher tzedek received formal endorsement from the Rabbinical Assembly, the national association of
Conservative rabbis. In voting to support Allen's initiative with an unspecified amount of "volunteer and financial support,"
the assembly invoked a verse from Deuteronomy declaring, "You shall not abuse a needy and destitute laborer, whether a
fellow countryman or a stranger."
While the catalyst for Allen's action was a series of articles in the Forward weekly newspaper about accusations that
workers at a large kosher slaughterhouse in Iowa are exploited, the resulting conflict has far wider import. The kosher -food
industry accounts for annual sales of $11.5 billion, much of it to 1.1 million steady consumers, according to the Lubicom
marketing firm. Such major corporations as ConAgra and Cargill have kosher subsidiaries.
By religious tradition and in some cases state law as well, kosher certification generally rests with Orthodox boards. The
Orthodox Union, the largest force in certification, oversees more than half the kosher items in circulation.
So the entrance of the Conservative movement into the field represents a challenge to the Orthodox authorities not only on
ethical grounds but also on market share.
The current friction might never have emerged had it not been for a lengthy investigative report by Nathaniel Popper in the
Forward last May. Quoting union activists, a local Roman Catholic priest and several workers who were cloaked by
pseudonyms, Popper accused the AgriProcessors packing plant in Postville, Iowa, of paying substandard wages and
offering minimal safety instruction and health care to its 800 employees, many of them immigrants from Mexico and
Guatemala.
The owners of AgriProcessors disputed the portrayal, even taking out a full-page ad in the Forward to rebut it. But Allen
took up the issue with leaders of the Rabbinical Assembly and the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, the
movement's congregational arm. Last August, he went as part of a five -member team to visit Postville.
His study group specifically criticized AgriProcessors, which has been resisting efforts at unionization, in three areas. Its
httD://www.twincities.com/13ortlet/article/html/fragments/print artic1e.jsp?art1c1efd=59313... 5/25/2007
Page 2 of 2
starting wage of $6.25 an hour came to about $3 less than unionized kosher slaughterhouses pay. It gave workers safety
training in English, even though many were fluent only in Spanish. And it provided only one option for health-care coverage
at a cost of $50 per week for a family.
By the time the United Synagogue threw its support behind the hechsher tzedek last December, both the concept and
Allen had come under widespread attack from Orthodox figures. Rabbi Asher Zeilingold of St. Paul, who had collaborated
with Allen in the past, emerged as a very public defender of AgriProcessors, issuing a report that characterized the
Forward's accusations as "completely unfounded, without any basis in fact."
In an arrangement that is relatively common in kosher certification, Zeilingold is paid by AgriProcessors to oversee the
plant.
The trade magazine Kosher Today quoted Zeilingold decrying Allen's "deceptive behavior." A certification council tied to
the Satmar Hasidic sect denounced the hechsher tzedek. A prominent rabbi writing an opinion column in the Jewish Press,
a weekly newspaper with a largely Orthodox readership, described the social justice certification as an "alien imposition."
Such arguments have plainly not swayed the Conservative movement. Allen said the next step is to formulate the specific
standards each workplace would be required to meet. His goal is to have that list drafted by Rosh Hashanah in early
September.
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http://www.twincities.coin/portletlarticlelhtml/fragmentslprint_article. j sp?articleld=59313... 5/25/2007
TOM SWAIN
s AGE: 85
OCCUPATION: "I've just been elected mayor of Lily -
dale. The past mayor was 90 and he decided to give it up,
and so I'm part of a youth movement"
> BOARD COMMITMENTS: Swain is on the board
of Friends of the St. Paul Public Library, Twin Cities Rise,
and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at the
University of Minnesota. He's also a member of the advi-
sory committees for the University of Minnesota's Hubert
H. Humphrey Institute and is vice chair of the U of M In-
tercollegiate Athletics Advisory Committee.
i WORK HISTORY: Swain has twice served as inter-
im vice president of university relations at the U of M. He
also served as national president of the University Alumni
Association. He retired as executive vice president of the
St. Paul Companies (now the Travelers Companies) in
1986. In 1991, he was coaxed back to work for a year as
president and CEO of Bloomington -based State Func
Mutual Insurance Company. Later, Swain chaired the
60 TWIN CITIES BUSINESS ♦ )UNE 2007
linnesota Health Care Commission from its inception in 1992 througl
995.
OTHER ACTIVITIES: "I still spend time with the Citizens Leagu(
nd am taking classes every quarter at the University ,'Ath OT._LI. I sut
cribe heartily to lifelong learning and keeping your mind sharp."
> WHAT'S DIFFERENT ABOUT WORKING AT 85 INSTEAI
DF 55: "Physical conditioning between 80 and 90 is not as robust,
(ou have to pace yourself."
I, WHAT I'D BE DOING IF I WASN'T WORKING: °Td be fallu
anait. I dont see much advantage in spending winters in Florida—I'd g
bored alter a couple weeks. There's too much going on here in the way
opportunities."
REFLECTIONS ON RETIREMENT: "I guess if no offers h:
come after I left The St. Paul Companies, I would have realized I w
over the hill, and that would have been disappointing. The fact that off(
keep coming suggests that younger people feel I have something to of
and contribute, That's stimulating. When they quit asking me, then
know I'm about to fade away, but I'm not ready for that yet."
PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE: "You're never too old to take risks. Bet
to wear out than to rust out
L
/5r
Come for gourmet taste offerings by E's Cheese, The
Wine Market, Coldstone Creamery, Caribou Coffee and Sage Market
P-- — c- .
& Vvine Bar. Stay— 101 i-71"U019C on the green at Market Square.
TheV i [ Iza g e
Mendota Heights
Learn more about the total Village lifestyle at villagemhxom
May 10 Z007 15:4S:40 Via Fax -> " Administrator
F r1d (alLI-v F ax
A weekly legislative update from the League ofMinnesota Cities
May 18, 2007
Page 1
office space and the Senate budget, amended
several House bills with modified state budget
language with the intent that the bills be sent to
the governor. The bills included replacement
language for state government finance, jobs and
economic development, health and human
services and a higher education. These
modified bills attempt to address some of the
concerns raised by the governor in his veto
It all comes down to four days
Since convening on January 3, the House and
Senate have spent nearly five months working
on a state budget and hundreds of policy issues,
only to enter the final four days without an
obvious end in sight.
As of Thursday, the 134 House members have
introduced 2,502 bills or nearly 19 bills per
member. In the Senate, the 67 members have
introduced 2,312 bills, or nearly 35 bills per
member. Of those bills, the House and Senate
have sent 84 chapters of new law to the
governor and he as approved all but nine.
However, many of those vetoed chapters were
major omnibus appropriations bills that were
intended by the Legislature to become the
backbone of the state's upcoming 2008-2009
biennial budget.
The good news is that legislative leadership has
finally begun meeting with the governor to try
to hammer out a final budget agreement.
Although the volume of legislation that needs
to be completed in the next four da -,,,,s would
seem daunting, the Legislature has overcome
similar hurdles in the past. However, the shear
volume of paperwork that must be processed
could stress the staff, computer systems and
copy machines to the breaking point.
Earlier this week, before the current high level
negotiations with the governor convened, the
Senate initiated a very unconventional strategy
to send the governor a second version of a state
budget—presumably with the agreement of the
House. The Senate Rules Committee which
generally has jurisdiction over all proposals to
amend the Senate rules on questions relating to
the referral of bills and resolutions, and over
Senate employees, supplies, equipment, and
messages.
In addition, in a 5 a.m. Wednesday morning
meeting, the Senate Rules Committee
constructed tax. and E-12 education finance
bills. The House Public Finance bill, HF 2268,
was amended by the committee to include 280
pages of tax provisions largely lifted from the
House and Senate bills being considered by the
omnibus tax committee.
Later on Wednesday, the Senate processed
these bills on the floor and sent them to the
House with the intent that the bills be sent to
the governor with enough time to override any
remaining vetoes before the Monday
adjournment. However, after negotiations with
the governor were initiated on Wednesday, the
House never processed those bills, choosing
instead to continue negotiations with the
governor_
We expect the leadership negotiations to yield
compromises on the Higher Education, Jobs
and Economic Development and possibly the
State Government Finance and E-12 Education
finance bills in the next couple of days.
Agreements on the Health and Human Services
and the omnibus tax bills may take a bit longer.
As always, stay tuned.
Questions? Contact Gary Carlson at
651.281.1255 or ear I sc'rz;'c[�.l m.rzc. yr s�.
For more information on city legislative issues, contact any member of the League of Minnesota Cities Intergovernmental Relations team.
651.281.1200 or 800.925.1122
May 10 ZH07 15:46:Z3 Via Fax _> GS145ZB940 Umi-nistratur Page OOZ of OOS
LMC Od,,ayFCU1N
1
, A weekly legislative update from the League of Minnesota Cities
May 18, 2007
Page 2
Supreme Court rules on conclude that an impaired water is not further
Annandale/Maple Lake Case harmed by the facility's discharge.
A decision of national and local significance
was rendered on Thursday by the Minnesota
State Supreme Court supporting Minnesota's
efforts to clean up impaired waters and
allowing the cities of Annandale and Maple
Lake to meet the wastewater needs of their
growing communities.
In August 2005, the Minnesota Court of
Appeals denied the cities of Annandale and
Maple Lake a permit for a new wastewater
treatment facility because the discharge from
the facility would add to the amount of
phosphorus discharged into the watershed of
Lake Pepin, found to be impaired for nutrient
levels. This Minnesota Supreme Court decision
reverses that lower court ruling. The League of
Minnesota Cities filed an amicus curiae brief to
the Supreme Court supporting the Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency's decision that the
permit for the two cities was adequately
protective of the environment.
The Supreme Court ruling supports the
authority of the Minnesota Pollution Control
Agency (MPCA) to determine how to best
implement ambiguous federal regulations (in
this case, federal Clean Water Act regulations),
and the MPCA's ability to take a watershed -
based approach in determining whether to issue
a permit allowing a wastewater facility to be
expanded or upgraded. It also relieves
a virtual freeze on the expansion or
construction of wastewater treatment facilities
in the Mississippi, Minnesota, and St. Croix
River basins. Such projects could now move
forward as long as the MPCA determines that
there is a sufficient pollutant offset being done
in the same watershed at the same time to
The Court concluded that "when dealing with a
situation like the one presented in this case —
two aging wastewater treatment facilities with
expired NPDES permits, which are at or near
capacity in a region of the state that is
experiencing significant growth — it was not
unreasonable for the MPGA to allow a 2,200 -
pound per year increase (at capacity) in
phosphorous discharge from a new wastewater
treatment facility to be offset by a
contemporaneous 53,500 -pound per year
decrease in a nearby facility that is located in
the same watershed."
Ouestions? Contact Craig Johnson at
651.281.1259 or cid%lz�zas•7z:;'c�?imrzc:.vr.
The conference committee on the omnibus tax
bill has not met since Tuesday evening but the
tax arena has not been silent. On Wednesday,
the Senate Rules Committee amended FI.F 2268
with a 280 -page tax amendment that included a
compilation of provisions that are currently
being considered by the omnibus tax
conference committee. Although this bill was
approved by the Senate, it was not processed by
the House and, therefore, it will not likely make
its way to Governor Pawlenty. However, given
that the bill was an attempt to send the
governor a bill that he might sign, it might be
close to a final tax compromise.
Although the tax amendment did not include
the controversial fourth -tier income tax
increase that the governor would have vetoed,
the bill does include a business tax provision
that would raise an estimated $244 million for
Far more information on city legislative issues, contact any member of the League of Minnesota Cities Intergovernmental Relations team.
651.281.1200 or 800.925.1122
May 1B 2OH7 15",4?:06 Via Fax _> 65145ZB940 Administrator
f. �riez r'•�••� nor: -H7 rrvlG „•a
•
Y•1
07
A weekly legislative update from the League ofMinnesota Cities
the upcoming biennium. It is not clear whether
the restructuring of this "foreign operating
corporation" (FOC) provision will similarly
draw a veto. If the governor does not agree to
the FOC restructuring, the amount of new
resources to fund programs like LGA will
almost certainly be reduced.
The bill includes many provisions contained in
the current House and Senate omnibus bills
including:
General City LGA Changes
• $80 million appropriation increase
compared to current law
• Maximum increase of 30 percent of
previous year's levy
• Maximum decrease for small cities is equal
to the decrease that would have occurred
under current law
® Maximum decrease for cities over 2,500
population is 10 percent of previous year's
levy
• Taconite offset eliminated
• Volatility fix proposed by the League of
Minnesota Cities
City -Specific LGA changes
• Mahnomen
• Taylors Falls
• Browns Valley
• Crookston
• Rockville
• Newport
Local sales tax authorizations and
authorization modifications
• Bemidji
• North Mankato
• Clearwater
• Proctor
May 18, 2007
Page 3
• Duluth
• Prohibition on future local sales taxes
(proposed by the House)
TIF and public finance related provisions,
including:
• TIF law changes for the cities of Burnsville,
Eagan, Eyota (small cities), Fridley,
Brooklyn Center, Minneapolis and New
Brighton
• Border city allocations
• Economic development marketing for
Fergus Falls
• The League's "start of increment" TIF bill
• TIF° technical bill
• JOBZ business relocation restrictions
• The League's GARVEE bond authority
• Revenue recapturing authority expanded for
cities
• Bonding authority for the city of Winsted
• City GO debt levied against net tax capacity
rather than referendum market value
• Property class rate increase for public
utility property to offset new utility
valuation rules
• Study of the Metropolitan Fiscal Disparities
program
Questions? Contact Gary Carlson at
651.281.1255 or
Jennifer O'Rourke at 651.281.1261 or
jorourke@lmnc.org.
Transportation bill vetoed, override
attempt may be imminent
On Tuesday Governor Tim Pawlenty (R)
vetoed HF 946, the omnibus transportation
funding bill. Given that the bill passed with
bipartisan support in the House and Senate,
advocates believe an override of the governor's
For more information on city legislative issues, contact any member of the League of Minnesota Cities Intergovernmental Relations team.
651.281.1200 or 800.925.1122
May 1B ZH07 15:4?:41 Via Pax -> 65145ZB94H Administrator Page 804 Of 005
-Fr idcavF
17
A weekly legislative update from the League of Minnesota Cities
veto is within reach. A veto override requires
90 votes in the 134 -member House and 45
votes in the 67 -member Senate. The bill
initially passed with 91 votes in the House and
47 votes in the Senate.
Republican legislators are facing intense
pressure to uphold the veto; however, a number
of them have expressed an interest in voting to
override if they have substantial backing from
leaders in their home districts.
Legislative leaders have indicated they will not
attempt a veto override unless they believe it
will succeed. Further, they have not indicated
when an attempt might take place. In the mean
time, advocates have been vigorously urging
transportation funding supporters to contact
legislators and have been staked out at the
Capitol waiting to learn the fate of the vetoed
bill.
The veto was particularly disappointing
because stakeholders believe the bill that
reached the governor's desk represents a
compromise. The gas tax increase was reduced
from 10 cents per gallon to 5 cents per gallon,
plus up to 2.5 cents to cover debt service on
trunk highway bonds. The bill contains $1.5
billion in trunk highway bonds - similar to the
governor's proposal of $1.7 billion in trunk
highway bonds. The Legislature also dedicates
the sales tax on leased motor vehicles to
transportation purposes as recommended by the
governor. This package generates
approximately $600 million per year in new
revenue for highways and transit. The revenue
increase is significant and relies mainly on
stable, dedicated sources that will allow for
ongoing revenue into the future.
May 18, 2007
Page 4
Throughout the session, Senate T an_s �s7rta�i�Yar
Committee Chair Steve Mur by (DFL -Red
Wing) has said the alternative to a
comprehensive transportation funding package
is a "fiscally constrained" bill that would
provide just enough money to keep MnDOT
functional. The idea is to present an
unacceptable substitute that would allow the
transportation system to fall into further
disrepair. Under this scenario, existing
transportation problems would become more
pronounced, and the public would blame the
governor and unsupportive legislators for
ignoring critical transportation funding needs.
The League is encouraging city officials to
press legislators to vote for the veto override. A
personal visit, phone call or e-mail message is
the best way to reach legislators at this stage in
the session.
Questions? Contact Anne Finn at
651.281.1263 or a'ann,�b..lnmc:.oy g.
Cities escape (again) increase in
penalties for data iDracttces violations
House and Senate conference committee
members have agreed not to impose steeply
higher penalties on cities for violating state data
practices requirements. Such proposals had
been included in HF 1360 (Simon., DFL -St.
Louis Park), although no such penalty increases
were contained in the SF 596 (Olson 'NI., DFL -
Bemidji ), the Senate omnibus data practices
legislation.
Instead, the conference committee report
directs the Minnesota Department of
Administration to organize a working group
composed of representatives of local
government including the League, the
For more information on city legislative issues, contact any member of the League of Minnesota Cities Intergovernmental Relations team.
651.281.1200 or 800.925.1122
_> 6514520940 Administrator page 005 of 005
•
1
A weekly legislative update from the League ofMinnesota Cities
Minnesota School Boards Association and the
Minnesota Inter -County Association to
examine the structure of penalties and fines for
violations of state data practices requirements.
The working group will meet during the
interim, prior to the 2008 legislative session,
and submit recommendations by February 2008
to legislative committees with jurisdiction over
state policy on government data practices.
The League explained to legislators that the
impact of proposals to charge cities up to
$50,000 for damages and $3,000 when a court
issues an order to compel compliance would be
counter-productive. (The current maximum
penairy for damages is $10,000; the maximum
civil penalty may not exceed $300.) The
League maintained that imposing such costly
penalties would make it more likely that local
officials would be increasingly reluctant to
release government data upon request due to
the higher penalties that could ensue if some of
the data was not public.
Questions? Contact Ann Higgins at
651.281.1257 or alai i1ar;G(lrrtrt.c.or..
legislation)Speak now, or forever hold your piece
With just days left before the May 21 deadline
for legislative adjournment, now is your best —
and last — chance to comment on your city's
favorite legislation.
May 18, 2007
Page 5
Personal visits with legislators in St. Paul are
the best at this late stage in the session. Calls,
e-mails, and fax messages are also effective
right up to the final minutes of the session. Do
not delay in contacting your legislators. Speak
up now, or forever hold your piece (of
legislation)... until the 2008 session.
Contact information for legislators can be
found online at MUL-l.e9.mn.
To receive e-mail notice of post -session town
hall meetings near you, subscribe online at
htt ://wv"v.house.le.s1:ate.rrm.i.as/mail.list!sraaili
ngglist.a�s and
h.tt :/'wsvw.sena:te.le .sta.te.mn.us:'schedulerlists
err%htrxa
To keep informed on news from the House of
Representatives, subscribe to the nonpartisan
Session Weekly newsmagazine at
lett :i;,��,�`v.house.le�.�,_state_nrn.us:lxira.fo,'stabscr_i
1Ses®v.as or call (651) 296-2146 or (800) 657-
3550.
Questions? Contact Brian Str°ub at
651.281.1256 or Lstrub,,'d111'nn.c:.o1" ..
For more information on city legislative issues, contact any member of the League of Minnesota Cities Intergovernmental Relations team.
651.281.1200 or 800.925.1122