Back In Session
While I am getting back into the swing of things on the debate on the floor, listen to this report (HT Gary and Drew). Tom Hauser did the math on the claim of 30,000 new jobs and found out that the claims are (gasp) not near reality.
Rep Mark Olson (in defense of his amendment) just gave a speech that has echoed what many of us have said....it's about priorities! We need to make roads and bridges a priority!
The mantra continues....roads and bridges, roads and bridges, roads and bridges....and priorities. Good for you guys. It's more than past time to be talking about necessaties and "nice to haves".
The roll is being taken on the Olson Amendment. I came into the webcast in the middle of it but the best that I can tell is that the amendment would guarantee that 50% of all bonded dollars went to ROADS AND BRIDGES. The motion failed 40 Ayes to 93 Nays along party lines.
Rep Olson has another amendment on the floor and has asked for a roll call vote on it. The Amendment requests that no taxes be raised during this time of economic downturn and recommends that the revenue increases in transportation funding be offset with tax/spending cuts in other areas. Rep Solberg rose to raise a point of order that the amendment was not germane. Rep Olson ably defended why it is germane and Rep. Solberg withdrew his point of order. Rep Olson points out that state spending is 52% HIGHER than the rate of inflation and insists that the citizens of Minnesota simply can not afford that to continue! Bravo Rep. Olson.
Rep. Lenczewski argued against the amendment because of it's "regressivity". Rep. Brod got up and stated that if you are against "regressivity" then you need to vote AGAINST THE ENTIRE BILL! Brava Rep. Brod.
Rep. Erhardt rises and askes how much is being taken out of the general fund in order to fund the roads under the Olson Amendment. Rep. Olson said that it is reducing what is spent less $19 million. Rep Erhardt claims that necessary items like Education funding would be cut out of the General Fund and argues against the Amendment. Rep. Olson said that the money would not come out of necessary items like Education but it would come from one time monies and rainy day funding.
Rep. Erhardt went off on a tangent and finished off his tirade with a comment "I'd like to see those numbers (reffering to federal funding)" and then finished with a rather odd laugh. All Speaker Anderson could follow up with was "okaaaayyyyy". The roll was called and went down on a 41-92 party line (except for Rep. Erhardt) vote.
Rep. Heidgerken made a great point (talking about the amendment to change the sales tax from 1/2 cent to 1/4 cent) that most Minnesotans do not have "transit". Now to the defense of that, most counties do have a city/county circulator bus or other form of localized bus circulation. That said, this transit money is the troubling part. Again - this bill is supposed to be for "roads and bridges". If we are serious about fixing our ailing infrastructure then we must temporarily stop subsidizing Hiawatha LRT and North Star and Dan Patch lines and the Central Corridor LRT. We have to reset our priorities. How difficult is that for the Legislature to understand?
Rep. Morrow got up and gave an impassioned plea in support of the amendment saying (directly to Rep. Tinglestad) "we want North Star don't we?" NO, NO, NO, NO!!!!! ROADS AND BRIDGES, ROADS AND BRIDGES, ROADS AND BRIDGES!
Rep. Buesgens is speaking now likening this "compromise" to a thief taking all of your money, handing half of it back to you and saying "see we compromised!"
Rep. Seifert is saying that he can not vote for an amendment that would raise taxes on the outstate voters who can least afford it.
Rep. Berns got up and asked where the sales tax referendum was for the metro area residents! Apparently outstate gets to vote on it but the 7 county metro area does not.
Rep. Solberg got up and read a Chamber of Commerce letter endorsing the Lieder Amendment (which would lower the sales tax increase from 1/2 cent to 1/4 cent). Rep. Brod got up and asked several questions on the amendment including whether there was a fiscal note done to see what negative impact the sales tax increase would have on local governments and state government (local and state governments are not tax exempt). Rep. Solberg snarked "well if you want to look for a reason to vote against the Chamber of Commerce"to which Rep. Brod answered "no I am looking for a reason to vote for or against this bill based ON FACT!" Brava Rep. Brod.
The Lieder Amendment passed 98-34 mostly on party lines.
The debate has gone from transportation and into immigration so I am going to take a break.
Rep Mark Olson (in defense of his amendment) just gave a speech that has echoed what many of us have said....it's about priorities! We need to make roads and bridges a priority!
The mantra continues....roads and bridges, roads and bridges, roads and bridges....and priorities. Good for you guys. It's more than past time to be talking about necessaties and "nice to haves".
The roll is being taken on the Olson Amendment. I came into the webcast in the middle of it but the best that I can tell is that the amendment would guarantee that 50% of all bonded dollars went to ROADS AND BRIDGES. The motion failed 40 Ayes to 93 Nays along party lines.
Rep Olson has another amendment on the floor and has asked for a roll call vote on it. The Amendment requests that no taxes be raised during this time of economic downturn and recommends that the revenue increases in transportation funding be offset with tax/spending cuts in other areas. Rep Solberg rose to raise a point of order that the amendment was not germane. Rep Olson ably defended why it is germane and Rep. Solberg withdrew his point of order. Rep Olson points out that state spending is 52% HIGHER than the rate of inflation and insists that the citizens of Minnesota simply can not afford that to continue! Bravo Rep. Olson.
Rep. Lenczewski argued against the amendment because of it's "regressivity". Rep. Brod got up and stated that if you are against "regressivity" then you need to vote AGAINST THE ENTIRE BILL! Brava Rep. Brod.
Rep. Erhardt rises and askes how much is being taken out of the general fund in order to fund the roads under the Olson Amendment. Rep. Olson said that it is reducing what is spent less $19 million. Rep Erhardt claims that necessary items like Education funding would be cut out of the General Fund and argues against the Amendment. Rep. Olson said that the money would not come out of necessary items like Education but it would come from one time monies and rainy day funding.
Rep. Erhardt went off on a tangent and finished off his tirade with a comment "I'd like to see those numbers (reffering to federal funding)" and then finished with a rather odd laugh. All Speaker Anderson could follow up with was "okaaaayyyyy". The roll was called and went down on a 41-92 party line (except for Rep. Erhardt) vote.
Rep. Heidgerken made a great point (talking about the amendment to change the sales tax from 1/2 cent to 1/4 cent) that most Minnesotans do not have "transit". Now to the defense of that, most counties do have a city/county circulator bus or other form of localized bus circulation. That said, this transit money is the troubling part. Again - this bill is supposed to be for "roads and bridges". If we are serious about fixing our ailing infrastructure then we must temporarily stop subsidizing Hiawatha LRT and North Star and Dan Patch lines and the Central Corridor LRT. We have to reset our priorities. How difficult is that for the Legislature to understand?
Rep. Morrow got up and gave an impassioned plea in support of the amendment saying (directly to Rep. Tinglestad) "we want North Star don't we?" NO, NO, NO, NO!!!!! ROADS AND BRIDGES, ROADS AND BRIDGES, ROADS AND BRIDGES!
Rep. Buesgens is speaking now likening this "compromise" to a thief taking all of your money, handing half of it back to you and saying "see we compromised!"
Rep. Seifert is saying that he can not vote for an amendment that would raise taxes on the outstate voters who can least afford it.
Rep. Berns got up and asked where the sales tax referendum was for the metro area residents! Apparently outstate gets to vote on it but the 7 county metro area does not.
Rep. Solberg got up and read a Chamber of Commerce letter endorsing the Lieder Amendment (which would lower the sales tax increase from 1/2 cent to 1/4 cent). Rep. Brod got up and asked several questions on the amendment including whether there was a fiscal note done to see what negative impact the sales tax increase would have on local governments and state government (local and state governments are not tax exempt). Rep. Solberg snarked "well if you want to look for a reason to vote against the Chamber of Commerce"to which Rep. Brod answered "no I am looking for a reason to vote for or against this bill based ON FACT!" Brava Rep. Brod.
The Lieder Amendment passed 98-34 mostly on party lines.
The debate has gone from transportation and into immigration so I am going to take a break.
Labels: MN Legislature, Roads and Bridges
posted by The Lady Logician at
1:08 PM
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