Rep. Tina Liebling: Legisative Update 2/8/07

02/08/2007

Dear Friends,

With only a few weeks of the 2007 Legislative Session behind us, the pace is already very busy. Committees are hearing testimony, advocates are making their case to legislators and the phones are ringing. The Governor has released his budget proposal, and there are some positive initiatives to consider; however, I have some concerns that his budget falls short in producing the kinds of results that voters indicated they were looking for in November.

In the end, we're going to judge the overall budget by how well it educates every child in Minnesota, how many Minnesotans can get the health care they need, and by whether homeowners can afford their property taxes. I continue to believe we'll find enough common ground to address these issues in a meaningful way.

This week, I'm giving you a brief look into what's going on at the Capitol. As always, I'm here to answer any questions you may have, and to help in resolve problems related to state government. Please feel free to contact my office with thoughts, concerns and suggestions. I, along with my legislative staff, stand ready to assist you. You can email me directly at or call me at (800) 339-9038 or (651) 296-0573.

Warm regards,

- Tina


Global Warming Takes Center Stage

Last week I attended an historic hearing on the floor of the Minnesota House. More than 90 representatives and senators from committees on the environment, energy and transportation -- nearly half of the legislature -- gathered in the House chamber for an informational session on global warming that included faith leaders, polar explorer Will Steger and scientific experts. Their message was clear - addressing the challenge of global warming is both an ethical and a moral challenge we must meet. Furthermore, leading the way in this challenge will put Minnesota at the forefront of future-looking industry.

Fortunately, Minnesotans have gotten the message and are ready to find solutions. Several bill have been introduced, including a Renewable Energy Standard to require 25 percent of all Minnesota electricity come from renewable sources by the year 2020, and another bill called the Global Warming Mitigation Act of 2007, that would put Minnesota on the cutting edge of the fight against the greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming.

These proposals would make Minnesota number one in the nation in renewable energy and could give the alternative energy industry in Minnesota a tremendous boost. In addition to saving money, renewables create high-paying Minnesota jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and produce significant reductions in global warming emissions, resulting in cleaner air and water.

Prompt and decisive leadership from the Minnesota Legislature to enact policies for real and immediate change will help slow the pace of further environmental damage from global warming. Sound scientific evidence, potential economic growth, and the prospect of energy security for this state are compelling us to act. It is our moral responsibility to future generations that we take this seriously and act now.


BIPARTISANSHIP

While disagreements and sniping get attention from the media, there is a reassuring level of bipartisan cooperation among rank-and-file members this session. Most significant bills have bipartisan authorship and lawmakers are consciously trying to find common ground on issues like education, health care, and transportation.


HEALTH CARE

The House is considering an assortment of policy options for improving the health and health care coverage of Minnesotans. As a member of both the Health and Human Services Committee and the Health Care and Human Services Finance Division, I'm reviewing proposals including:

• Cover All Kids - A bill to extend health insurance coverage to all 68,000 uninsured children in Minnesota by 2010.

• Long Term Care Tax Credit - A new tax credit worth as much as $200 per month for up to 2,500 families to offset the costs of providing long term care to elderly relatives as an alternative to institutional care.

• Freedom to Breathe Act of 2007 - This bill would ban smoking statewide in all public facilities and workplaces, including bars, restaurants, offices, and public transportation. I was pleased to help pass this bill out of its first committee last week on a vote of 12-6.


PROPERTY TAXES

There are many different proposals for property tax relief. Every legislator, no matter where he or she comes from in Minnesota, heard property tax concerns during last fall's campaigns. While we don’t know what it will look like in the end, I'm confident there will be some significant reform to our property tax system this year.

In the meantime, the first bill to become law this year provided income tax cuts for combat veterans, teachers who buy school supplies with their own money, and middle-income families with higher education expenses.