by Rich Larson
Senator Rich Draheim said yesterday that he is proud that legislators were able to put partisan politics aside last week in order to work out a budget agreement and get their work done.
But Draheim said there were certainly frustrations. Many good ideas from both sides of the aisle were abandoned. In a divided legislature compromise is essential, and because of that there was good policy that simply could not be agreed to. Draheim was philosophical about things he wanted to see passed that couldn’t be, saying he and his colleagues will bring many of those ideas back next year and try again.
Still, he conceded that putting effort into ideas that he knows can help Minnesotans, only to watch them fail in the legislature can be frustrating.
“So, me being a big bill writer, I had a lot of bills in a lot of different committees, and they all get shoved in there. Some of them get thrown out and some of them get through. It’s disappointing when you work so hard on something you know will help the people of Minnesota and it doesn’t get included. But that is the process.”
Speaking on the tax bill, the Senator felt there is too much spending in the bill – noting that the conference committee exceeded its budget target – but was very happy to have delivered a $1 billion tax break to the state of Minnesota, especially in a year when the DFL was trying to raise taxes on those making more than $1 million. The Senator noted that Minnesota has had budget surpluses for upwards of seven years now, and it was time for the legislature to deliver a tax cut. He said bringing the state tax code in line with the federal tax code to forgive taxes on federal unemployment benefits and PPP loans was very important, although he said it is problematic that the tax cut comes after most people have paid their taxes.
The Senator said the Senate will remain in session for another couple weeks to go over the confirmation – or lack thereof – of many of the state’s commissioners, and then he expects another special session to be called in September.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Senator Rich Draheim can be heard here
Dunn happy that police reform did not go further
Rice County Sheriff Troy Dunn said he too was pleased with the way things worked out at the legislature this year, especially on the subject of police reform.
As the immediate past president and member of the board of the Minnesota Sheriff’s Association, Dunn said the organization was very involved with some of the public safety negotiations, and he said law enforcement on the whole was strongly opposed to the idea of limiting minor traffic violations.
The Sheriff questioned how laws on the books were supposed to be enforced without the ability to stop someone for expired license tabs or having a broken taillight. In fact, he said, quite often a car will be stopped for a broken taillight and the owner won’t know that it’s broken until an officer, or a deputy points it out. He also pointed out that the money from license tabs goes to support both public safety and road construction, and he believes that revenue would decline sharply if law enforcement was not allowed to pull cars over because of expired tabs.
Dunn was not bothered by new regulations for sign-and-release warrants and no-knock warrants. He said the number of no-knock warrants executed in Rice County was very small. By and large, a warrant of that type has been used to protect the officers serving it, and he believed that Rice County judges have been very responsible in issuing them when requested.
Dunn said that the strong reaction to law enforcement across the board for mistakes made by specific police departments is the wrong approach, and some things that happen in urban areas aren’t applicable to more rural areas. The important thing to the Sheriff is for all sides of an issue be allowed to voice their opinions and be heard and understood.
“You go and say, ‘Well Minneapolis did something bad so now all of law enforcement has to change. But that’s not the answer. We need to compromise in our legislature. No matter what side they’re on, people need to compromise. They need to work out and come to a compromise that’s going to be best for the majority of society. But that means both sides need to listen.”
Sheriff Dunn said it will take some time to sort out everything that has been changed by the new reforms, but he expects the Sheriff’s Association to have a good handle on things by the end of this week.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Rice County Sheriff Troy Dunn can be heard here
Northfield Education Association, School District, begin collective bargaining
And the Northfield teacher’s union, the Northfield Education Association, has entered collective bargaining negotiations with the Northfield School
District for a new contract.
Northfield Schools Superintendent Dr. Matt Hillmann said that the district employs more than 600 people, and they work with 16 separate bargaining groups. This summer, Hillmann said, the district will negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the NEA, and next summer, he said they will negotiate with the other 15 groups.
Hillmann said there is a longstanding tradition of labor peace between the district and the teachers, and he does not expect that to change.
“We have a long history of having very productive and respectful negotiations with our teachers association. People come to the table understanding what the needs are, and it’s productive. That doesn’t mean it’s not vigorous debate and discussion, it is. But I am really proud of the positive relationship that we have with our collectively bargained – and our other – groups as well.”
As negotiations are ongoing, Superintendent Hillmann would not comment on the terms being discussed or any details of a potential new contract. He said now that the legislature has completed the budget negotiations and passed an education bill, the parties can discuss the major financial components of a contract. Both sides have already met several times, and Hillmann expects a resolution to the negotiations in the not-too-distant future.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Superintendent Dr. Mat Hillmann can be heard here
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. He can be reached at rich@kymnradio.net
