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State Representative Joyce Peppin
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-7806
For more information contact: Austin Bleess 651-296-5529
NEWS COLUMN
WORKING FOR OUR AREA
By Joyce Peppin
State Representative
The final hours of the 2007 legislative session are winding down and it has been a roller coaster. A lot of work still needs to be done and there is a strong possibility there will be another special session. I want to take this time to update you on the status of some of the bills I’ve been working on. My top two priorities this session have been passing legislation to allow for the construction of an Interchange at Brockton Avenue on I-94, and securing funding for the Sept. 16 Rogers tornado.
Each year since I was first elected I have authored legislation designed to move forward with construction of an interchange at Brockton Avenue. While there are many transportation projects that deserve funding in this region that I strongly support (such as Hwy. 610), a unique collaboration has provided a real possibility that an interchange at Brockton Avenue could be constructed long before MnDOT would be able to build one.
The bill would allow for the developer of the Strone’s Throw development to front the money to pay for the construction of the interchange. The developer would then be paid back through the tax increment financing (TIF) district. Moving forward with the Brockton interchange is a priority for many people in my district, and it is a priority for me at the Capitol. The bill passed in both the House and Senate Omnibus Tax bills, and I am pushing hard for its passage in the conference committee. It is not a done deal by any means, as the chair of the House Tax Committee is vehemently opposed to the project. I’ll keep pushing forward.
Another priority for me is to help the city and residents of Rogers in their recovery from the tornado last fall. While I was able to pass the legislation for a grant of $600,000 for the city of Rogers in the House, I was extremely shocked when the Democrat leadership in the Senate decided to make disaster recovery a partisan issue.
The disaster money would provide the city with funds to help recoup costs for debris removal, overtime, restorative landscaping, and personal grants. The Minnesota Senate voted against Rogers and agreed only to provide $2 million in funding for Browns Valley for flood relief. I think it’s only fair that the city and people of Rogers receive the same treatment as Browns Valley.
The leadership in the Senate has apparently decided not to treat disasters across the state equally. The have decided to provide their own political litmus test to decide which disasters deserve state funds for the recovery process. That is a dangerous precedent and quite frankly appalling. I am still hopeful that there may be some funding for Rogers, but I wish it didn’t come down to political affiliation and gamesmanship. Stay tuned for further updates.
News Items
- PEPPIN REPORT: FORECAST SHOWS THIRD CONSECUTIVE STATE SURPLUS - (Posted: 2012-12-06 00:00:00)
- A Look Ahead to the 2012 Legislative Session - (Posted: 2012-01-26 00:00:00)
- A Call to Caucus - (Posted: 2012-02-04 00:00:00)
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