VIDEO—Capitol Review: Budget Battle

Editor’s Note: Capitol Review is a weekly look at what your state legislators are doing at the Minnesota Capitol—how they’re voting, the bills they’re writing and the issues they’re getting behind. Come back to Minnetonka Patch every week for a new Capitol Review.

Budget Debate

The latest chapter in the budget debate has started. And Republicans hope to have budget targets hammered out by the end of this week. Democrats are fighting back, saying the cuts target education. To read a full story, click here. 

Sen. Terri Bonoff (DFL-District 43)

• A debate over prayer and its place in Minnesota's state Legislature is heating up at the Capitol and it’s Minnetonka’s own state senator,  who is at the heart of the fight. Sen. Bonoff said on March 15, that she wants it to be not only a standard policy, but also an enforced rule, that any prayer said in the Senate chamber be non-denominational in nature. See a full video story
• As Republicans and Democrats prepare for a showdown on the budget this week, Bonoff rebuffed arguments that there is no time to do tax reform. Her position is this is the ideal time to do tax reform because there is a budget crisis. See video at sidebar.
• Will Minnesota cities be hit harder by Republican cuts to school integration funds? Bonoff answered the question that Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch (R-St. Michael) avoided and says yes.  She said Minneapolis and St. Paul get more per pupil on integration aid and that it’s problematic that the state doesn't know if integration aid is actually boosting student achievement. Bonoff also said that developing tools to figure that out is where reform should be a goal. See video at sidebar.
• Bonoff is criticizing the website unveiled by Republican leaders to engage the public in issues. She said that while is a great idea, it shouldn't be paid for by the Republican party— because the input is then filtered. See video at sidebar.
• On March 16, introduced as a co-author, SF 848, a bill appropriating money from the special revenue fund to the Board of Teaching.
• On March 17, introduced as a co-author, SF 902, a bill appropriating money for early childhood and family, prekindergarten through grade 12, and adult education.
• On March 21, introduced as a co-author, SF 946, a bill establishing a pilot project to examine how school districts might operate jointly to provide innovative delivery of programs and activities and share resources.
• To read Sen. Bonoff’s latest Legislative Update, click here.

Sen. Gen Olson (R-District 33)

• On March 16, introduced as a co-author, SF 853, a bill modifying the uses of alternative facilities revenue for education.
• On March 17, introduced as a chief-author, SF 883, a bill expanding the number of public school pupils covered by the permanent school fund endowment apportionment.
• On March 17, introduced as a co-author, SF 901, a bill providing for coordination of early childhood services and programs to achieve full kindergarten readiness for all Minnesota children by 2020.
• On March 21, introduced as a chief-author, SF 956, a bill terminating the Hennepin County Soil And Water Conservation District and transferring certain duties.

Sen. David W. Hann (R-District 42)

• Sponsoring legislation that would remove a teacher's ability to strike. It's not the first time this debate has played out at Minnesota's state Capitol. To read a full story, click
• On March 16, introduced as a chief-author, SF 856, a bill repealing all mandated health benefits under state law.
• On March 17, introduced as a chief-author, SF 884, a bill a report when using the self-directed supports option for elderly and disabled individuals.
• On March 17, introduced as a co-author, SF 905, a bill modifying provisions governing the legislative auditor. See more on this, by clicking 
• On March 21, introduced as a chief-author, seven pieces of legislation, SF 965, SF 966, SF 967, SF 968, SF 969, SF 970, SF 971. These bills would:

1. Put a moratorium on implementation of new mandated health benefits.
2. Regulating gasoline sales below cost.
3. Allow a school district to transfer up to $51 per adjusted marginal cost pupil unit from its reserve for operating capital account to the unrestricted general fund.
4. Allow the referendum allowance limit (for education) to grow at the same percentage as the basic formula allowance.
5. Increasing the building lease levy authority (for education).
6. Eliminate the limit on total operating referendum authority (for education).
7. Modify the charter school authorizer provisions.

• On March 21, introduced as a chief-author, HF 1242, a bill extending Hennepin County’s ability to impose a mortgage registry and deed tax.

• On March 21, introduced as a co-author, HF 1249, a bill urging the United States Congress and the President of the United States to reorder federal spending priorities.
•  On March 14, introduced as a co-author, HF1069, a bill creating education boards and allowing school boards to reorganize as education boards. 

Rep. Kirk Stensrud (R-District 42A)

• On March 9, introduced legislation, HF 1003, which he says will, “provide tax relief for married filers...while protecting funding for classrooms, veterans and courts.” Specifically the measure would cut one percent of the income tax rate on couples earning up to $100,000 and singles earning up to $57,000. It’s a move that would translate into $100 million less in state income tax revenue over the next two years. 
• To ensure transparency and clean government, Minnesota's State Auditor's office conducts hundreds of audits of county government financial records every year.  Stensrud would like to give counties the option of having a private firm audit their books instead of the State Auditors office. To see a video story on this, click here. 

Minnetonka’s State lawmakers: Sen. Terri Bonoff (DFL-District 43), Sen. David Hann (R-District 42), Sen. Gen Olson (R-District 33), Rep. John Benson (DFL-District 43B), Rep. Connie Doepke (R-District 33B), and Rep. Kirk Stensrud (R-District 42A).