2A, Discussion with Senator Barb Goodwin & State Rep Kate Knuth

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2011 Legislative Session: New Players, Same Game Page 2 of 3 The Minnesota Department of Management and Budget will update the official state budget forecast in late February or early March and that forecast will become the final official projections of revenues and expenditures upon which the final state budget will be based. Republican leaders have stressed that they will balance the deficit without raising taxes. Gov. Dayton indicated during his campaign that he favors a tax increase on the wealthiest Minnesotans as a part of his proposal to balance the state budget. The final budget solution will almost certainly impact all areas of the state budget. Government reform and mandate relief. Government redesign to increase efficiency and accountability has been on everyone's plate since way before Election Day. Bills will likely be introduced to reduce government regulation, and mandate relief will be a topic of discussion once again. Policymakers will want to pay close attention to the newly released report by the Commission on Service Innovation for ideas on changes to state and local government service delivery. Elections. The League will propose an earlier deadline for in- person absentee voting (or enactment of an early voting process) as well as authority for cities to consolidate polling places. The League will also seek a repeal of the law that prohibits election judges from being within six feet of vote tabulating equipment at the polls on Election Day. In addition, as the Legislature takes up state redistricting, the League will urge that cities with wards that hold local elections in odd numbered years be allowed to redistrict wards in 2012 or 2013 to avoid the need to redraw ward boundaries again after the Legislature is redistricted. Broadband. By Feb. 1, the Minnesota State Broadband Advisory Task Force will report to the Legislature its continued support of state broadband goals, and point to benchmarks that the state needs to address to achieve them. The League supports action to encourage deployment of advanced broadband networks and high -speed capacity throughout the state; public /private collaboration and cooperation for last -mile connections; and removal of obstacles to local authority to provide for such facilities and infrastructure. The League also continues its strong support of local authority to franchise cable TV services, and opposes measures to shift that authority to state government. Transportation. Transportation funding may come through the legislative session relatively unscathed. While other committees wrangle to help resolve the $6.2 billion budget gap, most of the $5.8 billion transportation budget is from funds dedicated to roads, transit, and other transportation needs. Securing new state transportation funds may be difficult, even though transportation infrastructure investments are essential for economic development. The League will look for innovative ways, such as street improvement district authority, to partner with the state and private sector to advance local and regional projects. Economic development. Job creation will be a theme once again this year, as all caucuses and Gov. Dayton have made their pledge to see what the state can do in this area to put more people back to work. A jobs coalition is meeting again and is likely to release its package in early January. This group has been active the last two legislative sessions and is made up of a variety of business interests (architects, builders, unions, cities). A bonding bill could be part of this equation, although that is usually something that happens in the second year of the biennium. Land use and zoning. The Minnesota Supreme Court recently issued a decision that changed the longstanding interpretation of the statutory standard for cities to grant zoning variances. The League has worked over the interim with interested parties to develop a legislative fix to this problem that will http: /www.lmc.org /page /1 /newsession.jsp 1/5/2011