May 22, 2006

JUHNKE SAYS 2006 SESSION PRODUCED KEY INVESTMENTS IN AREA

INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT LACK OF PROPERTY TAX RELIEF TROUBLING

A day after the 2006 Legislative Session officially ended, State Representative Al Juhnke (DFL-Willmar) said the results were for the most part good, though mixed.

"Although the session produced important legislation for communities in our area, I don't think we can declare it an unqualified success because some of the most important issues – property taxes, school funding, health care and rural transportation – were not addressed," Juhnke said. "That's a shame because we had the opportunity address those issues, but the Governor and House Republicans had other priorities."

Juhnke said the session did produce a number of important accomplishments, including:

A $1 billion bonding bill that invests in the state's infrastructure and will eventually create over 10,000 new jobs in the state. The bill included eight projects in District 13B that will pump over $8 million into the local economy.

Bipartisan eminent domain reform that balances individual property rights with the needs of the community.

A landmark Mercury Reduction Act that will lead the nation in eliminating mercury from the state's air and waters.

Serious and comprehensive efforts to clean up the state's polluted waters were begun with passage of the Clean Water Legacy Act.

Elimination of the Marriage Penalty on the state income tax.

Approval of new Twins and Gophers stadiums.

Passage of Rep. Juhnke's Neighborhood Electric Vehicle bill, which will allow neighborhood electric vehicles to be licensed and operated on Minnesota streets. Juhnke originally authored the bill after hearing from a Willmar auto dealer who said unable to sell these vehicles because they could not be licensed in our state.

"The bonding bill will ultimately create over 10,000 jobs across the state, a lot of them in our area," Juhnke said. "West Central Minnesota was a big winner in the bill. Projects in District 13B include a renovations and updates at the poultry inspection lab in Willmar, a joint dental clinic and training facility between the University of Minnesota Dental School and Rice Hospital, planning and pre-design for construction at Ridgewater College's Willmar campus, a wastewater project in Atwater, restoration of the Grass Lake wetlands, a dam project in New London, improvements to the Glacial Lake Trail and funding for area bridges. These are important projects in our area and the funding will provide a big boost to our local economy."

However, Juhnke said he was most disappointed about the absence of any permanent property tax relief.

"Property taxes in Minnesotans will have increased by almost $2 billion since the Governor took office. We had the opportunity to provide some relief this session, but the Governor and House Speaker Steve Sviggum stood in the way of permanent property tax relief throughout the session, preferring instead election-year gimmicks like rebates," he said.

Another disappointment was the failure to authorize a Constitution Amendment to dedicate a portion of the sales tax to hunting, fishing and conservation efforts.

"This was the closest we've come to passing this bill since it was first proposed," Juhnke said. "The sticking point – again – was funding it. House Republicans continue insist that the money come from existing sources, which means it would take money from education, health care, transportation and other budget areas. Considering how a lack of stable funding is an issue with all of those things, that kind of doomed it."

Juhnke said those issues were generally ignored during the session, something he believes needs to change.

"Our schools – particularly here in Rural Minnesota – continue to struggle to find the resources to provide an excellent education for every Minnesota kids, affordable health care continues to be harder to find for more and more Minnesota families and highways and roads across the state continue to deteriorate from lack of funding and excessive borrowing," Juhnke said.

"This session, we were able to find a way to fund nearly $1 billion worth of new stadiums, but we provided $0 for classrooms, $0 on expanding health care and $0 in new transportation spending. It's clear we need a new direction and new leadership."

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