04-01-2024 JDA Agenda Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Joint Development Authority TCAAP Redevelopment Project Joint Development Authority TCAAP Redevelopment Project AGENDA ITEM 8b MEMORANDUM DATE: April 1, 2024 TO: Joint Development Authority Board of Commissioners FROM: Jennifer O’Rourke, Director of Government Relations, Ramsey County SUBJECT: Update from the State Legislative Session Will there be an Omnibus Bonding Bill? According to the legislative schedule, 2024 is traditionally a bonding year. Speaker Hortman has been consistent with her messaging—the only thing left she wants to accomplish this year is passing a bonding bill. Some speculate that there won’t be a bonding bill and they don’t have the necessary Republican votes to pass a bonding bill as they need a supermajority. Others remain hopeful that they will pass a bonding bill—Senate Capitol Investment chair Senator Pappas (Saint Paul) has certainly expressed a desire to pass one. Going into an election year, conventional wisdom would say most legislators should be motivated to pass the bill so they can talk about projects they’ve been able to deliver on. Bill Information: On the House side, HF3510 was introduced on 2/12/24, with Representative Moller as the chief author and Ramsey / Anoka county area Representatives Hussein, Curran, and Fischer, Norris, Feist, Kraft, Newton who have signed on as co-authors. On the Senate side, SF3990 as introduced on 2/20/24, with Senator Marty as the chief author and Senators Xiong, Gustafson, and Oumou Verbeten as co-authors. Lobbying: Ramsey County commissioners and Government Relations staff have been consistent with all legislators, our Ramsey County delegation, and the Governor’s office that bonding for Rice Creek Commons is our number one issue and we need the full $25 million. Rice Creek Commons has been popular with members and everyone seems to understand the need for investment in this project and that the timing is right. We have been collecting letters of support for the project. Hearings: While the House and Senate Capital Investment committees have been meeting, they have not been hearing individual bills. They have been taking presentations from the various agencies, essentially the Governor’s recommendations which did not contain any local projects. They have also spent committee time taking up lots of technical and clarifying changes related to the 2023 bonding/cash bills. The general thought this year is that if you received a tour stop on the bonding tours, which Rice Creek Commons did on both the Senate and House side, then you do not get a bill