MN GOP “Fires” Dayton Apointee

On a strictly party line vote, Republicans vote to not confirm DFL Governor Mark Dayton’s pick to run the Public Utilities Commission.

Former State Senator Ellen Anderson has been serving as PUC Commissioner for nearly a year. It appears it wasn’t Anderson’s record as Commissioner that Republicans objected to (most of the votes on the PUC during her tenure have been unanimous), but her past work as a Senator where she advocated against “dirty energy”.

In response to the Senate Republican’s rejection of Public Utilities Commission Chair Ellen Anderson today, Governor Mark Dayton issued the following statement:

“A very good person, a very dedicated public servant, and an excellent Chair of the Public Utilities Commission was wrongly maligned and cruelly rejected today by Republican Senators, who showed once again that they are unfit to govern this state.

GOP “too extreme to lead” says Governor Dayton … Continue Reading

MN Prepares For Legislative Session

With the start of the 2012 legislative session just days away, Governor Mark Dayton and House and Senate leaders from the DFL and the GOP answer questions from reporters. Click on the above player to watch the session.

Earlier in the day, Minnesota Republican lawmakers revealed their plan for state government reform.
Click here to watch a replay of the Republican government reform news conference and read the Republican Party press release on government reform and a reply from the DFL … Continue Reading

Pack Sells Stock While Vikes Seek Tax Dollars

It’s a contrast in how to fund a stadium. Today the Green Bay packers are selling 250,000 shares of stock in its team to help finance $130 million in renovations to its stadium. Across the border in Minnesota, the Vikings will talk about how they need the state to help fund a new stadium for the team.

The Packers stock will likely sell out at $250 a share, but is worthless. It has no resale value and provides no dividends other than bragging rights. It’s not ownership in the official sense because the NFL prohibits public ownership. Despite all that, there were more than 1,600 orders for the stock in the first 11 minutes it was for sale this morning.

It’s the second time the Packers have offered stock in the team. The Packers are technically organized as a non-profit, public corporation and has had special league permission to conduct stock sales to raise capital.

During its last stock sale in 1997 the Packers sold 120,000 shares at $200 each. That brought its shareholder total to 112,205 and total shares to 4.75 million. The Packers are the NFL’s only publicly held (but not traded) team.

In Minnesota, 2012 will mark more than a decade of the Vikings lobbying the legislature for a new stadium. Like other states, Minnesota has had to slash services to stay solvent. The state’s finances showed a glimmer of hope with a projected surplus this month. By law, that surplus must first go to replenish the state’s reserves and then pay back millions of dollars borrowed from the state’s school districts.

However, the Vikings and owner Ziggy Wilf are still asking for public dollars to finance a $1.1 billion stadium. Today’s hearing focuses on possible revenue sources including gambling and a tax on professional sports tickets.

Click here to read our live blog and see an archive of the hearing … Continue Reading

MN Has A Surplus For A Change-Sort Of

State budget forecasters say Minnesota will have an $876 million surplus at the end of the year. That’s a welcome change from the multi-billion dollar deficit that greeted Governor Mark Dayton after he took over from departing Governor Tim Pawlenty.

But despite the good news, the states finances are a bit gloomy because the economy is expected to get worse through 2013.

DFL Chair Ken Martan says there is still really a deficit because the state has borrowed money from school districts.
“The economic forecast that was released today does not reflect the irresponsible borrow and spend tactics that the Republicans have used to balance our state’s budget. In spite of the surplus, Minnesota still has a $1.4 billion debt to our children and schools because the Republicans decided it was easier to take money from education rather than raise taxes on the rich. Middle class families are shouldering higher property taxes because the Republicans refused to make millionaires pay their fair share. Last summer’s state shutdown was completely due to the Republicans refusal to give an inch on taxes, a move which cost the state $60 million. The Republican budget strategies rely on one-time borrow and shift methods that have maxed out our state’s credit card; their celebration of today’s budget news is misguided.”

Continue reading to view video

Vikings, Public Weigh In On New Stadium

Minnesota lawmakers hold an informational hearing on a new Vikings football stadium. The Joint Senate Taxes Committee and Senate Local Government and Elections Committee Hearing ran for almost four hours.

Agenda:
Background and Site Information
Testimony from:
a. Metropolitan Sports Commission
b. Vikings
c. Ramsey County/Arden Hills
d. Minneapolis
e. Public testimony related to site specific support or opposition

Archive of testimony … Continue Reading

MN Senate Passes Anti-Gay Constitutional Amendment

Text by Mary Turck – Twin Cities Daily Planet

The proposed anti-gay marriage amendment passed the Minnesota Senate May 11 by a vote of 38-27. If passed by the House of Representatives, the question would appear on the November 2012 ballot for decision by voters:

“Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to provide that only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in Minnesota?

The bill does not need to be signed by the governor. If it is passed by both houses, then it will be on the November 2012 ballot. Approval of a constitutional amendment requires the vote of “a majority of all the electors voting at the election,” whether or not the voter casts a “yes” or “no” vote on a proposed amendment.

Below:
Senator Scott Dibble talks about his husband and how hurtful an anti-gay constitutional amendment would be.

You can comment in our anti-gay constitutional amendment live blog

Anti-Gay Amendment Heard In MN Senate Rules Committee

Minnesota’s proposed anti-gay constitutional amendment gets what is likely its final Senate hearing before the rules committee. If passed here, it will likely be up for a vote on the Minnesota Senate floor before the end of session on May 23rd.

MN Anti-Gay Constitutional Amendment Gets 1st Hearing

A proposed Minnesota constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage is given a hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee. If such a bill were to pass the Senate and the House, it would go on the November 2012 ballot for voters to decide.
Join the conversation about this proposal here.
Anti-gay Constitutional Amendment Hearing Live blog in a pop-up window here.

Senate Rules Committee Adopts Permanent Rules

The Senate Rules Committee meets to adopt the body’s permanent rules.

MN GOP, DFL On Improved Budget Picture

Minnesota Republicans hold a news conference in response to the new state budget forecast. The DFL news conference follows.