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Dear Friends,Thank you for giving us the honor of representing you in the Minnesota Legislature
The recently concluded biennial session was marked by gridlock. The Republican
legislative majorities did not balance the budget in a fiscally responsible manner.
Unfortunately, the legacy of the 2011-2012 session will be passage of a large
public subsidy for a new Vikings stadium, promotion of constitutional amendments
to restrict the freedom to marry for the LGBT community, and an effort to suppress
voting rights through a restrictive photo ID requirement. These ballot questions will
be decided in the general election on November 6.
One positive accomplishment of the session was a reform to Minneapolis police
and fire pension funds which will curb steep increases in city property taxes.
With the support of Governor Dayton, we were able to turn back efforts to curtail
a womans right to reproductive self-determination, restrict collective bargaining,
attack public school teachers, and increase Metro Transit bus and train fares.
The Capital Bonding bill included support for affordable housing, Minneapolis
Community and Technical College and a rail transit hub in downtown Minneapolis.
We appreciate the active involvement in state legislative issues of so many of you.
Please continue to write, call or visit us with your legislative and community concerns.
Rep. Frank Hornstein Rep. Marion Greene Sen. Scott Dibble
2012 LEGISLATIVE REPORTRep. MaRion GReene Rep. FRankHoRnstein sen. scott Dibble
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2012 LEGISLATIVE REPORTRep. MaRion GReene Rep. FRankHoRnstein sen. scott Dibble
ANTI-MARRIAGE AMENDMENTWe are extremely disappointed that a constitutional
amendment that will permanently restrict the freedom
of loving, committed same sex couples to get married
in Minnesota will appear on the November general
election ballot. An incredible coalition has come to-
gether to defeat the amendment. This coalition seeks
to displace the disinformation from amendment pro-
ponents with a civil discussion about the importance
of freedom in our democracy; the fact that marriage is
about love and commitment; and that, in Minnesota,
we come together not to judge one another, but to
treat each other the way we would want to be treated
ourselves.
VOTER ID AMENDMENTAnother disappointing outcome of the 2012 session
was passage of a constitutional amendment to
require photo identification for voting, which will beon the November ballot. The amendment, if passed,
will make it difficult for many Minnesotans to exercise
their right to vote, including senior citizens, students,
people with disabilities and new citizens. It threatens
same-day registration and some forms of absentee
voting. There is, in fact, no evidence of voter fraud
and voter impersonation in Minnesota, and a voter ID
requirement has significant financial costs to the state
and to individual voters.
VIKINGS STADIUM
We voted against the Vikings Stadium financing planbecause it relies too heavily on expanding gambling
for the state share of funding, and places significant
restrictions on the future use of Minneapolis sales
taxes for non-sports facility purposes. The legislation
also preempts the city charter, and as a result
Minneapolis voters will have no say in whether city
sales taxes should be used for stadium construction
and operations. We supported plans that would
have raised more revenue from private sources and
stadium users, or revenue that also could have been
used for more effective investments in our economicfuture. We will work to ensure that Minneapolis
taxpayers will not have to contribute more if state
gambling taxes fall short of projections.
EDUCATIONFully 40% of all school funding is now held back
every year in a measure Minnesota Republicans
passed in 2011 as their budget fix. In 2012, themajority party rejected long-term solutions to pay
back schools and begin to permanently solve
structural budget problems. The Republican
legislature mimicked the national push of attacking
public school teachers. While 40% of Minnesotas
school districts have agreements with teacher unions
that recognize factors in addition to seniority in the
hiring and firing of teachers, efforts were made to
institute a one-size-fits-all approach. In good news,
the teacher evaluation process called for in 2011 is
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well underway. Additionally, Minnesota was one of
nine states to win a federal Race To The Top (RTT)
early learning grant. Winning states were asked to
demonstrate a commitment to making early learning
programs more effective, accessible and coordinated.
TRANSPORTATIONThe legislature missed important opportunities to
expand public transportation and improve road and
bridge safety. We succeeded in halting Republican
proposals to both increase fares and cut Metro Tran-
sit. The Omnibus Transportation Policy bill included
Dibble-Hornstein provisions to enhance bike safety
and ensure that bicycles with a modest boost to ped-
als be defined simply as bicycles. While the bonding
bill did include a small amount of funding for a down-town Minneapolis light rail and commuter rail hub,
known as the Interchange, no progress was made to
support the Southwest LRT line, nor the I-35W/Lake
Street transit station. It also barely made a dent in
funding needed for bridge and road safety improve-
ments, which is particularly troubling as we approach
the fifth anniversary of the I-35W bridge collapse.
BONDINGThe legislature made a $496 million investment in
infrastructure improvements though the biennial
capital bonding bill. While the Southwest Light Rail
Transit Corridor was not funded (even with the strong
backing of the metro business community and the
citizens in the western suburbs), the bill does invest
in a transit center to be located near the Twins
stadium. Additionally, the final legislation contains
$50 million for asset preservation and replacement
for the University of Minnesota, and $95 million
for investment in Minnesotas state colleges and
universities, most notably $8.9 million for updating
classroom and training facilities at Minneapolis
Community and Technical College.
PROPERTY TAXESRepublican budgets have driven property taxes, the
most regressive tax, up 82%, fully $3.8 billion in the
last 10 years via cuts to Local Government Aid and
County Program Aid, cuts to K-12 education, and
transportation costs pushed onto local governments.
Before they would end their government shutdown
last summer, Republicans insisted on eliminating the
Market Value Homestead Credit, making permanent
the cut to the renters credit, and expanding the
accounting shift to which public schools are subject.
Meanwhile, Republicans sought elimination of the
statewide property tax for businesses, which once
again would have pushed more taxes onto residents.
One bright spot was our success in merging policeand fire pension funds into the states larger pension
system, eliminating what would have been a $26
million Minneapolis property tax levy.
ARTS/LEGACYIn the face of continuing tight budgets, proposals were
floated to divert constitutionally dedicated Legacyfunds for a variety of projects, including the Vikings
stadium, restoration of the State Capitol building, and
even a proposal to insist that 40% of the fund address
K-12 education needs. Such plans run contrary to
the intent and language of the recently enacted
Legacy Amendment. Highlights of the final bills were
investment in aquatic invasive species research at the
U of M and continued significant supplemental funding
to be distributed by the Minnesota Arts Board.
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CONTACT SEN. DIBBLE:
115 State Office BuildingSt. Paul, MN 55155
(651) [email protected]
www.senate.mn/senatordibble
CHOICEWomens freedom to determine their own future,
their own reproductive decisions, even their right to
a fair wage were under withering attack this session.
Numerous bills eroding access to safe, legal abortion,
family planning services, health care providers, and
even a constitutional amendment were introduced.Many were passed. Each was vetoed by Governor
Dayton. Amazingly, we had to fight against a repeal
of the long-standing guarantee in our law that women
receive equal pay for equal work.
RIGHT TO WORKThe labor movementthe right of workers to
organize for better working conditionsis part of the
larger movement for greater democracy, dignity and
opportunity for Americans. The American Legislative
Exchange Council (ALEC), fueled by big business,
launched sustained, unyielding, Wisconsin-style
attacks on workers. We stood up against daily
assaults on wages, working conditions, benefits and
a dignified retirement for public employees, including
our teachers, police and nurses. Those that got to
Governor Daytons desk were promptly vetoed.
SHOOT FIRSTShoot First legislation garnered a lot of attentiona
bill that would have lowered the threshold for
a person to legally fire a gun at someone. We
especially appreciated Governor Daytons veto given
the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of
Trayvon Martin in Florida.
REDISTRICTINGDue to the 2010 census, all of Minnesotas legislative
districts have been redrawn to reflect Minnesotas
current population distribution. Unfortunately this
means that Minneapolis lost two legislators, including
Rep. Marion Greene. She bids you a fond farewell,
with much gratitude for your support over the last two
years. Maps of the new districts can be found here:http://www.gis.leg.mn/html/redistricting.html
CONTACT REP. GREENE:
331 State Office BuildingSt. Paul, MN 55155
(651) [email protected]
www.house.mn/60A
CONTACT REP. HORNSTEIN:
213 State Office BuildingSt. Paul, MN 55155
(651) [email protected]
www.house.mn/60B
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