By Rich Larson, News Director
With less than two weeks left in the legislative session, all the major budget bills have been passed and are headed to conference committees. Before those committees can begin their negotiations, however, the leadership in the House and the Senate, along with the Governor, must come to an agreement on the overall budget amount. Once that is set, then the budget targets will be handed down to the committees.
Senator Rich Draheim said this is the most interesting budget cycle he has been through, and there will be quite a bit of wrangling before the final budget is put together. Some key differences between the two parties right now include a tax increase on the wealthiest Minnesotans, which is in the bill passed by the DFL controlled House but the Republicans who control the Senate have called a non-starter. Draheim, as the chair of the Senate Housing Finance Committee is the chief author of a bill that would start to sort out how Minnesota landlords are going to handle the eviction moratorium as it comes to an end on June 30. He said the bill passed by the house last week is much more focused on tenant law, so the two sides are “on different planets right now.”
Draheim said that is fairly typical for the legislature as things move close to the end of the session. Both sides start to dig in and there are ultimatums issued from several different places.
“You have the BIPOC group in the house threatening if we don’t have more police reform they’re not going to vote for a budget and they want the government to shut down. And then there’s some talk on my side of the aisle that if we don’t end [the Governor’s] emergency powers, we aren’t going to do any budget bills. It’s that type of thing”
As the leadership confers, however, Draheim said there isn’t a lot to be done. He said the two sides are trying to size each other up and find where there might be room for general compromise, but even those conversations are limited without budget targets.
The legislature is set to adjourn on Friday, May 17.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Senator Rich Draheim can be heard here.
Northfield looks to partner with Farmingto, Lakeville for Over 21 Diploma
The Northfield school district is exploring an option for a Twenty-One and Over High School Diploma program with the Farmington and Lakeville School Districts.
Minnesota school districts are allowed by law to work with people who have not received a high school diploma until they turn 21, after which time they would go into the GED program. District superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann said that the GED is a very different approach, and if someone is within just a few credits, moving to the GED program can be frustrating.
Hillmann said that Northfield has a collaborative partnership in adult basic education with Lakeville and Farmington, and the three districts are working together to receive certification for the Over 21 program. Dr. Hillmann said it’s just one more option that the district would offer.
“It’s something we’re excited about offering to people. We want to make sure that we give people as many options as we can to complete their degree. And this is just another way that we can support people who maybe have had a difficult time but are ready to lean in and get the work done.”
Hillmann said the vast majority of Northfield students graduate in four years, but he said, students graduate when they’re ready, and this would be one more way for the school to facilitate that goal.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Dr. Matt Hillmann can be heard here
Merchants Bank brings Muhlenbruck on board
And Merchants Bank announced on Friday that Kirk Muhlenbruck will become the new Market President for their Northfield branch.
Muhlenbruck is a former bank president of the Wells Fargo branch in Northfield. He has more than 30 years of banking experience and has been with Think Mutual Bank in their Rochester and Eagan locations since 2005.
In a statement, Merchants’ Central Region President Dan Massett said that Muhlenbruck “brings a broad background related to strategic leadership, commercial banking and community involvement to Merchants, which will be extremely beneficial to his role in Northfield.”
Muhlenbruck has lived in Northfield for 19 years, and has worked with Laura Baker Services Association, the Northfield Area United Way and the Chamber of Commerce. He said he is looking forward to his new position at Merchants Bank, calling it a “homecoming.”
Merchants Bank acquired First National Bank of Northfield in 2019.
