Finance committees get first look at changes to jobs and energy bill

The House Ways and Means Committee and Senate Finance Committee held an informational hearing Thursday to learn more about the new omnibus jobs and energy proposal.

The plan, which would appropriate more than $509 million during the upcoming biennium, is one of several that must be passed if the state’s budget is to be finalized before a new fiscal year begins July 1.

This plan addresses many provisions in the omnibus jobs and energy bill vetoed by Gov. Mark Dayton on May 23. In his  veto letter, Dayton said the bill passed in the waning moments of the regular session did not adequately fund a number of state agencies, including the Department of Commerce, where he outlined a dozen examples of how the legislation falls short in terms of funding.

At Thursday’s meeting, House fiscal staff told committee members the proposed special session bill would include an additional $18.15 million in direct appropriations from the General Fund.

Sen. David Tomassoni (DFL-Chisholm), who sponsored the original bill with Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington), said the new legislation addresses many of Dayton’s objections.

“There’s been funding put in places he’s had some very serious concerns about,” Tomassoni said. “I think we fixed some things that were lacking in the bill.”

Rep. Pat Garofalo speaks to the omnibus jobs and energy bill during a June 11 joint meeting of the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees. Photo by Andrew VonBank

However, Rep. Tim Mahoney (DFL-St. Paul) complained the proposal is still lacking in a number of areas, including funding for broadband projects, and said Greater Minnesota wouldn’t receive all the assistance it needs if the bill becomes law.

“I think the citizens of Greater Minnesota should be told that they got nothing in broadband; they got nothing in their housing; they got all sorts of earmarks in this jobs bill; and they’re not going to get the economic development that (the GOP) promised them,” Mahoney said.

Tomassoni said he would have preferred the proposal be written differently, but a compromise had to be reached after the governor’s veto.

“I can’t say that I’m 110 percent happy with what happened,” Tomassoni said. “But I’m willing to vote for this bill and pass it to get these agencies funded and to make sure people who work for these agencies aren’t laid off on June 30.”