Dear Neighbor,
Greetings and I hope your summer is going well. Talks of a special session taking place this summer continue percolating and it has been suggested the Legislature may be briefly called back to the Capitol next month. At this point it's difficult to know exactly what will happen, so I cannot speculate on exactly if or when it would occur, or what might be included in the bills that we would be asked to vote on.
The special session discussions primarily focus on bills pertaining to bonding and taxes. This year’s tax bill provided more than $800 million in relief but was vetoed despite overwhelming bipartisan support in the Legislature. The governor indicated a one-word error was a significant factor in his veto even though there was strong belief the error could have been fixed administratively instead of vetoing this widely popular bill. However because of the veto a new bill (hopefully one that exactly parallels the one vetoed) would again be presented so people could be provided the tax relief they deserve.
The bonding bill also passed with strong bipartisan support in the House during the last minutes of session, however a handful of Democrat Senators amended funding for the controversial Southwest Light Rail project onto the bill, effectively killing it. The bonding bill did contain nearly $700 million in funding for roads and bridges, so if there is a special session my hope is that funding will still be included. It will also be necessary to keep the bill as "clean" as possible so projects which may be nice to have, but not necessary, don't overtake the things which need to be done to keep our state's infrastructure in good repair.
It remains to be seen if a special session will take place. If a special session is not called, my hope is to repass the tax bill in January so the people of Minnesota can enjoy the benefits in it they are due.
This week brings us to the 60-day mark from the end of the 2016 regular session. Campaign Finance Board rules prevent legislators from issuing email updates such as this one from now until after the November election. A brief window may open for communication if a special session becomes reality.
Even though my email updates will be put on hold, I will continue working to represent citizens of District 20B and am able to communicate with constituents on an individual basis. Your continued correspondence is welcome and you can contact me at (612) 296-7065 or rep.bob.vogel@house.mn with any questions, concerns, etc.
It remains privilege of serving as your state representative and hope to see you at local events throughout the summer.
Sincerely,
Bob