Pawlenty signs flood relief bill

09/12/2007

The measure containing $157 million in flood relief for southeastern Minnesota became law after hours of legislative debate that stretched Tuesday's special session into today.


By Mark Brunswick and Pat Doyle,
Star Tribune
September 12, 2007


Working past midnight Tuesday and into this morning in an unusual special session, the Legislature passed a $157 million disaster relief bill for flood-ravaged southeastern Minnesota.

The House and Senate overwhelmingly passed the legislation early today, more than seven hours after the special session started, and Gov. Tim Pawlenty signed it shortly before 3 a.m.

Absent from the disaster relief package is any notable state funding for transportation, a cause that gained traction last month after the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge.

DFL and GOP legislators alike had called for a special session to speed bridge repair and replacement. Pawlenty appeared willing to go along, indicating he would consider breaking his no-new-taxes pledge.

At one point, the governor and legislators had been considering a nickel-a-gallon gas tax increase, a transportation bill, a $200 million bonding bill and some local government aid to tamp down property tax increases. But after weeks of failed talks, momentum stalled and leaders were able to agree only to focus on natural-disaster relief.

On Tuesday, DFLers and the governor traded accusations over who was to blame. DFLers said Pawlenty had caved to pressure from no-tax-increase conservatives. "The right wing got revved up, and Gov. Pawlenty started bobbing and weaving," said Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis.

Pawlenty spokesman Brian McClung retorted the impasse was "due to the DFL's insistence on massive tax hikes" to fund transit projects.

McClung said DFLers had tried to resurrect proposed increases in license tab fees, a metro area sales tax and an optional, referendum-based sales tax increase in outstate Minnesota.

Sen. Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing, defended the moves as part of a broader plan to pay for more than $1 billion in annual funding shortfalls for transportation and called McClung's description of the proposals "a total mischaracterization."

While Pawlenty had anticipated signing a bill by 10 p.m. Tuesday, legislators did not seem inclined toward rapid action. The full Senate did not take up discussion of the disaster relief bill until 10:30 p.m. and passed its version 62-1.

After midnight, the House passed a version 130-0, with just a scant 45 minutes of debate, and then adjourned. Shortly after 1 a.m. the Senate adopted the House bill on a 62-1 vote.

House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, ended the debate talking about lost opportunities from the session.

Members from the flood-stricken areas took the opportunity to remind others of the capricious nature of the disasters.

"What happened in Rushford and Goodview could happen in any of our districts," said Rep. Ken Tschumper, DFL-La Crescent. "All the dependability and reliability and predictability can be gone one day when it starts raining."

Both the House and Senate provided a total of $218.5 million and included authorization to spend more than $53 million in federal money for I-35W recovery and cleanup costs, but there would be no additional funding to repair many other structurally deficient bridges in the state.

Another $6.1 million would assist with recovery efforts from other recent disasters, including forest fires in Cook County, flooding in Browns Valley and Crookston, and drought relief for farmers.

The flood relief portion would begin the arduous task of reconstructing washed-out roads and bridges, repairing storm sewers, restoring wastewater and drinking water systems, and helping businesses get back up and running.

Sen. Sharon Erickson Ropes, DFL-Winona, said the aid comes not a moment too soon. "These people have nothing," she said. "We're real resilient people. We may be homeless. Carless. Clothesless. Jobless. But we are not hopeless."

Earlier Tuesday, advocates for a comprehensive transportation bill talked about the need to address the broad transportation funding needs that became a focus after the I-35W bridge collapse in August.

DFLers described the special session as a missed opportunity but defended limiting the agenda to helping flood-stricken communities.

Asked why DFL legislators didn't insist on including transportation on a special session agenda, Murphy said he became convinced that a standoff with the governor would jeopardize flood relief.

Among the provisions in the bill were tax abatements for affected communities and loans that would be forgiven or deferred for businesses and residents who remain in the area -- an incentive to stem depopulation. Money also will be appropriated to hire local residents for reconstruction.

Flood-damaged state parks and trails also would come in for a share of disaster relief, including $250,000 for cleanup and replace damaged historic structures. About $2 million would go to help livestock producers who lost forage or other feed due to flood or drought.

The total package uses $79.8 million from the state's general fund, $56 million in general obligation bonds, $61 million in trunk highway funding, $20 million in trunk highway bonds and $1 million for the petroleum tank release fund.

Despite the agreement among Pawlenty and legislative leaders about limits, there was some indication that property tax relief might bubble up during the floor session.

Cities and counties across Minnesota lost state aid in the last session when Pawlenty vetoed the 2007 tax bill and some local governments will face double-digit property tax increases without it.

Pawlenty appeared concerned enough about a breach in the agreement that he sent another letter just as the session was getting underway.

"I am hopeful you share my belief that a deal is a deal," he wrote. "The integrity of the process and my willingness to call special sessions depends on the willingness of members to respect the bipartisan agreements reached as a condition for convening the session."