Rice County Republicans

“Legislative Update with Sen. Tom Neuville (R-Nfld) and Rep. David Bly (DFL-Nfld) at Nfld Rotary 6/7/07″, by Doug Jones.

David Bly began by saying he is “learning a lot” and that he admired the DFL leadership, which “tried to be non-partisan”, and ended by saying [about the news that the DFL refused to let Republicans speak on the House floor on the last day] that the minority “filibuster had to be shut down” if they were to adjourn in time. He said his strongest effort was to seek “property tax relief” but because the Governor vetoed the DFL-proposed new 9.7% top income tax bracket, he failed to get any property tax relief passed. Bly noted that he has some source that indicates that Minnesotans used to pay a total tax burden of 17% of total income while the GOP has been lowering the burden [presumably a reference to the Bush tax cuts that expire in 2010] to 15%. Bly said that he knows the electorate wants to pay a higher percentage in taxes, and that would be “fair” because the wealthy only pay about 8% in taxes overall. Asked by this writer if he is only concerned with residential/farm property taxes or if commercial property owners in Northfield might be suffering from a quantum larger increase in their property taxes, Bly said he had heard about that and would look into it.

Bly then noted that Tom knew more about what passed and didn’t pass in the legislature and gratefully passed the microphone to Tom.

Sen. Tom Neuville noted that, despite Governor Pawlenty vetoing 44 bills (including 32 line item vetoes) (with none overridden), the budget for the next biennium will rise by $3 billion, up +9.6%, including a 3% raise for all state departments to cover payroll inflation. Besides vetoing all $5 billion of the DFL’s desired tax increases [amen!!], the governor ended up with a budget exactly equal to the amount he initially proposed.

Tom commented that, for just the second time ever, he voted against the K-12 bill’s 8.1% increase because it increases the disparities: Northfield district gets $500/pupil more while Minneapolis gets $1,300/pupil more. He criticized the DFL for providing nursing homes in the state only a 2% increase, even while state employees get a 3% increase.

Other bills passed include a new used car “lemon” law, no expiration allowed on gift cards, a “predatory lending” law, $54 million more for clean water, a renewable energy mandate that outlaws additional coal-fired electricity after two years, new electronics recycling mandated, and granting undocumented aliens in-state-resident tuition rates at state colleges.

Two items deferred include possible constitutional amendments on the ballot next year on “a right to health care” [mini "Hillary" care] and a constitutional dedication of funding for wetlands and arts [including funding NPR radio and Garrison Keillor].

Tom concluded that the Senate adjourned early on the last day so he went over to the House where he “enjoyed watching the DFL food fight”.

By Doug Jones