Greetings from the House Floor,
Bills passed off the House floor this week were HFs 283 (Camp Ripley Nearby Lands Designated as Sentinel Landscape) and 307 (Proof of Auto Insurance in Electronic Format). HF 283 would allow for land close to Fort Ripley to be designated as sentinel landscape and eligible for federal grants for land management consistent with Camp Ripley’s military mission. HF 307 would allow for proof of auto insurance to be provided to peace officers on smartphones or tablets.
Governor Dayton released his Capital Investment proposal this week as an $842 million bill that would create 23,900 jobs across Minnesota. Very significant to our district are the inclusion of $13.67 million for flood mitigation projects around the state and $64.6 million for rail infrastructure projects around the state. Specific projects for our district include:
· $34.5 million for the 20th/21st Street grade separation project
· $5.66 million to complete the Oakport flood mitigation project
· $5 million for improvements at MSUM
· $6 million for improvements to Clay County’s Solid Waste Processing facility
Overall, I appreciate the governor’s ambitious proposal and approach to Capital Investment. Interest rates are still low and our state budget is in a place to handle the debt service that would be incurred from this bill. We should make the most of the opportunity we have right now to address critical infrastructure projects and continue our economic strength through more job creation. I also appreciate the governor’s focus on rail safety and infrastructure over the last couple of years as he toured the state and held several listening sessions. This is an issue that is not going away anytime soon, as all signs point to North Dakota’s natural resource production to continue for decades. Oil trains impact communities all across the state and taking action this year to provide more safety and resources for local governments is the right thing to do.
The governor also delivered his State of the State address last night to the Legislature and people of Minnesota. I thought it was a brief and pointed speech. He highlighted Minnesota’s strong economy and his goal of using the budget surplus to continue economic development for years to come. His comments regarding the budget surplus focused on education and helping all Minnesota families prosper. Governor Dayton’s speech also focused on the need for a major transportation bill this session. He said that he appreciates the fact that both legislative bodies recognize the need for a large transportation bill this session, but does not agree with the notion of using surplus or General Fund dollars to do so. The governor does not agree with putting transportation projects against the interests of other needs in the state budget. Also, it would be short-sighted to look at the current surplus and expect that we can use it to provide adequate funding for transportation over the next 10 years and beyond.
We have five weeks to go before the Legislature has to adjourn for the year, and committees have begun to release omnibus bills detailing final priorities for the session. I anticipate some long days and nights ahead as these bills make their way to the floor. I look forward to reviewing the final bills and having the conversations about where the session may land in regards to the big issues of the budget, transportation and capital investment.
Thank You for the Opportunity to Serve,
Ben