2002-04-24 CC Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

----- J LMC ~ 0/ Mmnuola Citka C;u.. ",..,....,n..g .....n.-. ities Number 12 Apr:il10, 2002 Paltry progress at Legislature Budget, bontIlng, and IJaDpark bog billmakers Gal}' Carlson Over the weekend, House and Senate leadership made little progress to end the 2002 legislative session. On Monday, the only major conference conunittee to meet was the transpor- tation finance panel The budget reconciliation conference committee canceled its meeting as did the stadium conterence committee, and the bonding conterence committee has not reconvened since its first meeting nearly three weeks ago. Although most of the major bills are now in conference committees, the dif!erences between the House and Senate positions on the budget deficit and on transportation funding are sigoificant. The final resolution of those differences conld take a week, or perbaps a month. In addition. the Legislature nmst resolve other major issues, including the bonding bill. an anti-terrorism bill, a stadiwn bill, and a state employee contract that must be ratified. The budget conference committee met for the fust time last Thursday, but after 2 14 hours of discussion, the members only had a more complete understanding of the vast dif!erences between the House and Senate positions. The eommittee met again on Friday to take public testimony for nearly a full day on the House and Senate proposals. Perhaps the best indication of the rift between the House and Senate was captured in a volley between the two chairs. In response to a question from Sen. Doug Johnson (DfL- Tower), Rep. Kevin Goodno (R-Moorhead) indicated he hoped the committee wonld complete its work by Christtnas. He must have been referring to a special session given rhat the state's Constitution requires the regular session to end by May 20. The House budget reconciliation conference committee members are Rep. Kevin Goodno (R-Moorhead), Rep. Ron Abrams (R-Minnetonka), Rep. Phil Krinkie (R -Shorevicw), Rep.Alice Seagren (R-Bloomington), and Rep. Tom Pugh (DFL-South St. Paul). The Senate members are Sen. DougJohnson (DFL- Tower), Sen. Larry Pogemiller (DFL-Minneapolis), Sell. Len Price (DFL- Woodbury), Sen. Linda Berglin (DFL-Minneapolis), and Sen. Dick Day (R-Owatonna). Hause IIucIl!I8t PI.... The House proposal utilizes funds in the tobacco endowment by effectively transferring more than $300 million in funds to the state~ general fund. The plan also makes further cuts in broad state spending categories, including bealrh and human service cuts, environment and natural resources cuts, f.unily and early childhood spending reductions, and additional cuts in state government operations. Senate budget proposaJ The Senate proposal refinances with bonds $245 million in transportation projects that were originally funded wirh =h in rhe 2000 omnibus trans- portation bill. In addition, the bill delays =tain K-12 education payments to school districts, which saves the state general fund more than $300 mil- lion in immediate costs. The remain- der of the state's cash flow account is tapped, and the remainder of the workers' compensation special fund reserve is used to cover rhe shortfall. unlike the House, the Senate plan would increase a nwnber of taxes; most notably, tobacco and cigarette taxes. The Senate would also restore some of the cuts ror the current biennium that were enacted in Phase I, and would restore the inflationary increase assumptions for K-12 expenditureS for the 2004-05 bienniwn. The budget conference committee is scheduled to meet at 2 p.rn. today to continue consideration of public testimony. The bonding and stadium conference committees do not have meet:ing;; scheduled. We may be here 'ti] May. k