ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Legislature adjourned Sunday night just prior to its midnight constitutional deadline to pass bills. From a local perspective, the session ended with DFL Reps. Jen Schultz and Liz Olson delivering some significant victories for Duluth including provisions in a robust capital investment bonding bill which passed at the last minute. Included in the package were $4 million for improvements at Glensheen, $1.9 million for the Lake Superior Zoo, the next phase of the Duluth Steam Plant project, upgrades to the chemistry building at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, grants for the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, and significant funding for affordable housing and regional mental health crisis centers (for which Duluth is eligible). The House also passed a bipartisan measure to strengthen the long-term viability of public employee pension funds.
Unfortunately though for the community, a measure to authorize the city of Duluth to enact a half-cent sales tax increase for street improvements was not advanced on its own, nor included in broader tax legislation Gov. Mark Dayton could likely sign into law.
Rep. Jen Schultz (DFL – Duluth) issued the following statement:
“After so much hard work, it’s extremely rewarding to see these significant investments make it across the finish line, especially the overdue funding to protect Glensheen, which is such a unique asset for our region. I also want to share my disappointment that the sales tax for street improvements didn’t make it forward. Again this session, the Republican majority has insisted on passing massive omnibus bills with multiple provisions to which Gov. Dayton raised strong objections. We worked all session to advance the sales tax without tying it to the really controversial items the Governor made clear he would veto. It is disappointing that GOP leadership chose this broken method of legislating which means things with broad support, like street improvements, are left stalled."
Rep. Liz Olson (DFL – Duluth) issued the following statement:
“I’m pleased that we were able to address many of our infrastructure needs in the bonding bill we passed last night. Whether the Zoo, UMD, the Steam Plant, or other local assets, these investments will ensure a stronger future for Duluth. Consequently, it’s disappointing we won’t be able to fix more of our streets as the local sales tax measure didn’t pass. When widely-supported provisions like this one get bogged down in larger partisan squabbles, it’s deeply unfortunate when local communities like Duluth lose out. Investments in infrastructure are investments in opportunities for people, and I’m confident that if we can set partisan politics aside, we can move priorities like this forward.”