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2013 Legislative Session Recap

susan — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:09:52 +0000

The Minnesota Legislature finished its 2013 session last night at midnight with rare precision as both the House and Senate adjourned at the same moment. Democrats number among their accomplishments all-day kindergarten, property tax relief, and freezing tuition at state-run colleges and universities. Republicans point to a top-bracket income tax increase, cigarette tax hike and more government spending.

The DFL-controlled Minnesota Senate approved a top-bracket income tax increase and a hike in the cigarette tax Monday night just before the legislature adjourned. Governor Dayton is expected to sign the bill into law. The House approved the tax bill earlier in the day, with all 61 Republicans, and 4 Democrats voting against the measure. Local Representative Paul Torkelson opposed the bill because he says it ignores any sort of much-needed property tax reform. He says that the bill raises taxes by more than $2-billion – cigarette taxes, income taxes, and business-to-business service sales taxes, some of which will hit farmers the hardest. In addition, he says many of the other budget bills contain fee increases, to the tune of $300 to $500-million.

After many hours of debate, the Minnesota House passed a bill allowing daycare operators and personal care attendants to vote on whether or not they want to form a union. The bill passed the House 68-66. Republican Representative Glen Gruenhagen of Glencoe says that poll after poll shows that Minnesota daycare providers do not favor unionization, and that the bill was just a grab for union dues. Five DFLers joined all 61 Republicans in opposing the bill, although there were cheers heard from the House Gallery following the vote. The bill now heads to Governor Dayton, who is likely to sign it.

$109-million to renovate the State Capitol is the key feature of a scaled-back bonding bill lawmakers agreed upon late Monday night. The Bonding Bill also includes $22-million for a new parking ramp at the State Capitol, $20-million for flood mitigation projects, $19-million for the Minneapolis Veterans Home, $11-million for Como Zoo, and funding for a number of smaller projects. The total amount of the bonding bill is about $177-million, compared to the $800-million originally proposed by the House.

Vehicular Homicide Court Date

susan — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:08:04 +0000

A 94-year-old Truman man facing a criminal vehicular homicide charge for a fatal crash this past February is scheduled to make an appearance in court today (TUE). Sylvan Behrens was driving a Chevy Venture minivan northbound on Highway 15 in Truman when the accident occurred. Witnesses reported seeing the vehicle weaving back and forth, and Behrens allegedly failed to slow down when entering the Truman city limits prior to rear-ending a Chevy Blazer driven by 55-year-old Virginia Murphey of Truman. She was not wearing a seatbelt at the time, and was pronounced dead after her vehicle hit a tree. Behrens and his wife suffered non-life threatening injuries. Investigators believe that he may have experienced some sort of medical issue prior to the crash.

New Ulm Assault Sentencing

susan — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:07:51 +0000

An Owatonna man accused of assaulting a man at a residence at the New Ulm Mobile Village in February was sentenced to 2 years of probation and time served in court Monday morning. New Ulm Police were informed that intoxicated individuals had forced their way into the home and were refusing to leave, and a resident had suffered numerous injuries caused by 24-year-old Joshua Francis Weller. He was located during a traffic stop, and reportedly had an alcohol level nearly twice the legal limit at the time. He had been facing felony assault and burglary charges, but pleaded guilty to gross misdemeanor assault in a plea deal, and the other charges were dismissed. In addition to the 2 years of probation and 150 days he has spent in the Brown County Jail, Weller will also be required to pay the victim’s medical bills and over a thousand dollars in fines.

MN Gas Price Relief Coming

susan — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:05:31 +0000

There may be some relief in store for Minnesotans at the gas pump. Triple-A Minnesota’s Gail Weinholzer says we should hit peak prices at some point this week, with a slow decline after the Memorial Day holiday, and then a more rapid decline in mid-June. She says that our state is currently second only to Hawaii in the price we’re paying for gas–and we’re paying significantly more than the rest of the country–as much as 60-cents more in some cases. The record-high prices throughout the state in the last five days are being blamed on a constricted supply due to 3 regional refineries being down for maintenance.

New Ulm City Council Preview

susan — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:03:02 +0000

The New Ulm City Council will again be discussing the non-functioning Marktplatz Mall sign next to city hall during its meeting this (TUE) evening. The city had previously agreed to sell the sign to an unnamed downtown business after the mall’s lease on the sign expired, but the city’s claim to the sign is now being challenged by the owner of the south end of the mall, Randy Danielson. The council will consider authorizing the city attorney to seek litigation over the ownership of the sign during today’s meeting, which begins at 5pm at New Ulm City Hall. In other business, the council will consider a lease agreement with M-R Paving for managing the New Ulm’s compost and burn site. The city had discontinued filtering the compost in recent years due to costs, and leasing the site to M-R is expected to save New Ulm upwards of $36,000 annually. The council will also consider entering into an agreement with the DNR to develop an improved water access site at New Ulm’s Minnecon Park.

Mankato Car Dealership Burglary

susan — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:16:40 +0000

Authorities in Mankato are asking for the public’s help in solving a weekend burglary at a car dealership. The break-in at Northtown Auto on North Riverfront Drive apparently took place at some point between 10:30 Saturday night and 8:50 Sunday morning. Unknown suspects broke into the dealership and took keys to several vehicles, along with other items. Two vehicles have been reported missing as well. They included a maroon 1999 Cadillac Deville with Minnesota license plate 075-EJM and a brown 2008 Chevy Silverado with Minnesota plate XAW-562. Anyone who has seen the vehicles is asked to call 911.

New Ulm Man Back In Jail

susan — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:15:12 +0000

A 20-year-old New Ulm man convicted of felony burglary earlier this year is back in jail on a probation violation. Matthew Russell Lindberg was found guilty of 2nd-degree burglary in March for a break-in at SSL Auto Service in New Ulm that occurred last December. Officers investigating the burglary had found a broken window at the gas station, and discovered that a number of items had been stolen. They also found foot prints in the snow at the scene of the crime that led right to Lindberg’s home. He was taken back into custody in Brown County Friday afternoon after apparently violating his probation by using a controlled substance.

Click It Or Ticket Crackdown

susan — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:04:00 +0000

A statewide “Click it or Ticket” campaign gets underway today (MON) with extra law enforcement patrols hitting Minnesota’s roadways. The seatbelt enforcement campaign runs through June 2nd. Nearly 400 Minnesota law enforcement agencies will be increasing patrols to encourage motorists to buckle up. It’s a nationwide crackdown as well. Unbelted motorists continue to represent a significant amount of Minnesota’s traffic fatalities, especially in Greater Minnesota. In the last three years on Minnesota roads a total of 852 motorists died in car crashes, of which 361 of them, or 42%, were not buckled up.

Nursing Home Pay Raise Passed

susan — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:02:39 +0000

The Legislature has sent Governor Dayton an $11-billion package of spending on health and assistance programs that includes a 5% pay increase for nursing home workers. The Senate passed the Democratic-crafted bill on Saturday afternoon by a 39-28 vote along party lines. The House passed the bill late Friday. It funds medical and other assistance programs that together make up nearly a third of all projected state spending in the next two years. The pay increase for nursing home workers is the first in four years. The bill also has a smaller, 1% hike for care workers for the disabled. Republicans say those workers deserve more, given that Democrats are raising more than $2-billion in new tax revenue in their budget plan. Lawmakers were busy passing budget bills over the weekend, and convene again today (MON) as they head toward tonight’s midnight deadline to adjourn the 2013 session.

Power Line Helicopter Work

susan — Mon, 20 May 2013 13:55:55 +0000

Construction crews will be using helicopters to install power lines in the local area this week. The work involves the new CapX-2020 high-voltage lines that have been constructed across the state over the past year. The helicopter work this week will be centered around the Minnesota River near Redwood Falls, and is expected to get underway today (MON). Officials say there will be occasional traffic stoppages on Brown County Road 5 and Renville County Road 3 as the wire is pulled across those roads. The closures are expected to be brief. The Renville County to Scott County segment of the Cap-X lines is scheduled to be energized this summer, and the Renville to Lyon County segment early next year.