Commentary; Posted: 1/14/04

Top political stories of 2003

T.W. Budig
ECM Capitol Reporter

It was a year dominated by a crushing state budget deficit, Republican ascendency to power, political squabbling, notable legislation. Itís the just completed year of 2003. Some of the Capitol highlights include:

ïGov. Pawlenty: Quickly dissipating lingering images of Gov. Ventura, Pawlenty skillfully led House Republicans to startlingly complete success last session.

Pawlenty seems well poised to dominate the upcoming session in February.

ïBudget deficit: Pawlenty and House Republicans crafted a budgetary response to a projected $4.5 billion deficit. By the end of the legislative session, double-digit budget cuts, fee increases, use of budget reserves had largely plugged the fiscal gap.

(When the affects of inflation are factored in, the state still faces $1.3 billion projected deficit for 2006-2007 biennium.)

Senate DFL leadership opted not to force a special legislative session to fight the Republican agenda but focus on the aftermath of the budget cutting.

ïNo New Taxes: Drawing a distinction between state and local taxes, Pawlenty held true to his campaign promise not to raise taxes. DFLers charge Republicans have indeed raised taxes: state fees, indirectly property taxes.

ïProfile of Learning: the show-what-you-know approach to education was shown the door by the Legislature. Currently, the Department of Education is working on new statewide standards.

ïTransportation funding: An abbreviated $400 million state bonding package ó less than originally proposed by gubernatorial candidate Tim Pawlenty ó was passed by the Legislature.

Advanced federal dollars were also thrown into the transportation kitty. Pawlenty talks about not needing to raise the gas tax for years.

ïFAST Lanes and HOT Lanes: Gov. Pawlenty proposes private builders at their own expense add highway lanes to congested areas in the metro highway system. Motorists, for a set period of time, would need to pay tolls to use the additional lanes.

In time, the state would assume ownership of these FAST Lanes.

In a related but different initiative, Pawlenty proposes in his HOT Lane proposal to allow single-passenger vehicles to use HOV lanes if motorist are willing to pay a toll.

ïNorthstar Commuter Rail: In an action raising the question whether Northstar ought be called Crossstar, the Federal Transit Administrationís recent preliminary analysis of Northstar has advocates proposing to reduce the length of the line by half.

Questions concerning track improvement cost remain to be resolved. The $101 million question is whether Pawlenty will support proposed bonding for the project.

ïLGA: About $140 million in local government aid was cut during the 2003 session ó about $110 million of this directed at Greater Minnesota.

Though some cities are expected to see double-digit property tax increases, estimates on the average metro property tax increase range from 5.8 percent to 7.7 percent.

ïConcealed carry: considered a fundamental right by advocates and public safety nightmare by opponents, the Legislature passed and Pawlenty signed a concealed carry bill. Sen. Pat Pariseau, R-Farmington, championed the legislation in the Senate.

ï24-hour waiting bill: After falling to earlier gubernatorial vetoes, the Legislature passed and Pawlenty quickly signed abortion legislation requiring that women must be provided with certain medical information 24-hour prior to having an abortion.

ïEthic complaints: Rep. Arlon Lindner, R-Corcoran, had an ethics complaint filed against him by House DFLers regarding words spoken on the House floor. The House Ethics Committee, chaired by Rep. Sondra Erickson, R-Princeton, dismissed the complaint.

ïRemoving protected class: Conservatives, including Sen. Michael Jungbauer, R-East Bethel, pushed for the removal of gays and lesbians as a protected class under the stateís human right act. The controversial initiative sparked one of the largest rallies seen at the Capitol last session.

ïJOBZ: Championed by Gov. Pawlenty, the initiative thus far has designated some 29,000 acres in Greater Minnesota as job creations zones ó companies locating in these zones can qualify for various tax reductions.

Local cities, such as Wyoming, North Branch, Cambridge, others have had land designated JOBZ zones. Pawlenty called JOBZ ìthe mother of all incentive packages.î DFL critics charge the initiative picks winners and losers and will merely shuffle jobs around the state.

ïPawlenty v. Hatch: A celebrated feud between the governor and Attorney General Mike Hatch ó seen as a possible DFL gubernatorial candidate ó enlivened the summer.

The recent filing of a lawsuit against a telecommunication company owned by a holding company on whose board of directors Pawlenty once served, may pass as a warning shot across the hollow.

ïSex offender: Controversy over the release of level-3 sex offender Alfonso Rodriguez Jr., charged with the Dru Sjodin kidnapping, includes charges of mismanagement against the Pawlenty Administration.

Pawlenty has been vague in his comments about responsibility for the release.

Death sentence: Pawlenty in a press conference in which he expressed exasperation over crimes committed by sex offenders, announced his intention to push for a death sentence in Minnesota.

The last legal execution in Minnesota occurred almost a century ago. House Speaker Steve Sviggum, R-Kenyon, said he can detect no majority support for capital punishment in any caucus.

ïComings and goings: Besides Pawlenty taking over the Governorís Office, fellow Republican John Kline ó on a third attempt ó defeated Rep. Bill Luther to become Second District congressman.

Former 2nd District congressman Mark Kennedy handily won election in the Sixth District to the north.

Dan McElroy, formerly Republican House member from Burnsville, was appointed finance commissioner by the governor.

Joan Fabian, a resident of North Branch with a long career in corrections, was appointed corrections commissioner.

Former state senator Gene Merriam was appointed DNR commissioner by Pawlenty.

Former Ventura Public Safety commissioner Charlie Weaver became Pawlentyís chief of staff, recently leaving the employment of his old law school chum to assume leadership of the Minnesota Business Partnership.

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