Government & Politics

Sixteen organizations are seeking $136.4 million in state funding to construct buildings they say will allow them to do their work more effectively.

Lawmakers are considering two bills that would dump money into local government budgets. One would increase the aid for cities and counties by $300 million in total and ensure payments rise with inflation. The other would distribute $300 million specifically for public safety spending.

Since a March 9 hearing on the bill, an Eden Prairie law firm has rallied police officers to oppose the legislation. They inundated lawmakers with letters and showed up in force for the Monday hearing on the bill by the Legislative Commission on Pensions and Retirement, which comprises both House and Senate members.

If the Legislature advances all 36 proposals, perhaps one-quarter of Minnesotans could encounter a local sales tax proposal on an upcoming ballot. Outside the metro, 17 cities and five counties are seeking legislative approval for local sales tax increases, including Grand Rapids and Beltrami County.

The bill is aimed at the likes of 3M, which has avoided major litigation from Minnesotans despite contaminating water supplies in the East Metro with a class of chemicals known as PFAS, which are used widely in industrial and consumer products.

The vote illustrated the divide among Republicans, particularly in rural areas, as the party debated whether to stall a bonding bill as a negotiating tactic or greenlight money to pay for critical infrastructure.

The bill would broaden the number of local governments that could adopt the system and then create a task force with the aim of crafting a plan to elect partisan state and federal officials via ranked choice voting.

MDH makes recommendations to the governor’s office based on what areas data shows a need. The health commissioner then brings proposals to the governor.

It would be illegal to spread false information about the “time, place or manner of holding an election,” qualifications for or restrictions on voter eligibility, and threats to physical safety associated with voting.

After pushback from Minnesota lawmakers a few months ago, Sanford and Fairview delayed the merger’s deadline from March 31 to May 31, but Attorney General Keith Ellison said he wishes the date would be delayed further.