Politics & Government

Commuter Rail Bills From Northfield Legislators Stall in House, Senate

Want to know what your Dakota and Rice County legislators are up to? Check out Patch's weekly legislative review to find out.

It's not legislative action, but lack of action, that defines Northfield's Capitol Review this week. Early in February, District 20B Rep. David Bly (DFL) authored a bill repealing an 11-year-old moratorium on the study of, planning for or development of the Dan Patch commuter rail line.

Legislative discussion of the Dan Patch route, which could link Northfield and Minneapolis via commuter rail, was literally forbidden in 2002 by suburban representatives in Edina and other communities worried about the impact a possible rail line could have on suburban neighborhoods.

While a companion bill authored by District 20 Sen. Kevin L. Dahle (DFL) has passed through committee and had a second reading on the Senate floor, Bly's legislation has stalled in the House's Transportation Committee, which is chaired by District 49A Rep. Ron Erhardt (DFL), of Edina, who introduced the ban on Dan Patch discussions in the first place.

Find out what's happening in Northfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

In other political news around the county:

District 58 (Lakeville)

A proposal to institute a $100 annual tax on all-electric vehicles has the support of District 58A Rep. Mary Liz Holberg (R).

Find out what's happening in Northfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The bill, authored by District 6B Rep. Jason Metsa (DFL), would deposit the money generated by the tax into the highway user tax distribution fund. The fund is used to maintain and repair state roads, and also draws funding from Minnesota gasoline taxes.

District 57 (Lakeville, Apple Valley)

The financial plight of Minnesota college graduates has District 57 Sen. Greg D. Clausen (DFL) worried.

Clausen is working on a bill that would provide a refundable credit of up to $4,000 to graduates from two- or four-year programs. The credit would be earmarked for payments on the principal and interest of student loans.

“One message I hear from my constituents is that our college students need help with the increasing cost of higher education,” Clausen said in a news release. "The cost of tuition coupled with the downturn in the economy and job market is a serious cause for concern."

District 51 (Eagan, Burnsville)

Why wait until August to hold a primary election?

A new proposal authored by District 51 Sen. Jim Carlson (DFL) would bump up the state primary election date a full two months, from the third Monday in August to the third Monday in June.

But that's not all. Under the bill's provisions, many of the most important election cycle dates would also be moved forward on the calendar. Polling places would have to be selected by no later than March 1, district boundary changes adopted by April 1 and candidate filing periods advanced.

District 52 (Mendota Heights, Inver Grove Heights)

District 52B Rep. Joe Atkins (DFL) is backing a bill that would appropriate $225,000 in 2014 and again in 2015 from the state's lottery prize fund to help finance gambling addiction treatment. Under the proposed bill, the money would be distributed in the form of a grant to a state affiliate recognized by the National Council on Problem Gambling. That affiliate would then be responsible for increasing awareness of problem gambling, educating and training others to provide treatment for the addiction and conducting research on the issue.

District 56 (Burnsville)

District 56B Rep. Will Morgan (DFL) wants to increase the maximum amount of money a school district can levy from local taxpayers for the purpose of leasing land or a facility. Under a proposal co-sponsored by Morgan, districts would be allowed to levy a maximum of $175 dollars per pupil under a building lease levy. The current maximum amount is $150 per student. Building lease levies are used specifically to lease land or structures for educational purposes.


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