Last week the state House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to end any business and investment relationships that Minnesota has
with Russia in reaction to that country’s brutal invasion of the Ukraine.
Representative Todd Lippert said over the last month he and his colleagues in St. Paul have watched “in horror,” as the events in Eastern Europe have unfolded, and this bi-partisan legislation will ensure that the state is not doing anything to contribute to the Russian invasion.
The bill calls for the State Investment Board to pull state pension funds from any Russian interests. The move is estimated to be worth more than $50 million.
Furthermore, the bill calls on all state contracts with Russian entities to be canceled, reinforcing an executive order issued by Governor Walz at the beginning of the month.
The bill calls for state money to be out within 15 months.
Passage of the bill mirrors action taken by more than a dozen other states across the country who are seeking to further isolate the Russian economy and make it more difficult for Russian President Vladimir Putin to prosecute the war.
Lippert said the measure is not a new idea, and the state has taken similar action in the past.
“It’s an action the state has taken before, with Iran and Sudan, in civil war circumstances. So, there’s precedent for this. And it’s a way for us to stand with the Ukrainian people, and to really make sure that we’re doing our part to weaken Putin’s military and try to end the war.”
While the bill passed unanimously, Lippert said the debate did take some curious turns.
“Often some of my colleagues in the House will offer up amendments that don’t make a lot of sense,” he said, “and they offered amendments on this bill that didn’t make a lot of sense.
“I was a different level of offensiveness.”
Despite some of the political games being played, there is nearly unprecedented support for the bill in both houses of the legislature. The bill is expected to pass through the Senate sometime in the next week.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Representative Todd Lippert can be heard here
County hoping legislature approves sales tax for safety center funding
Rice County is hoping to put a measure on the November ballot that would allow for revenue from a proposed sales tax to help repay the
bonds on the new County Safety Center. The Board of Commissioners approved construction of the new $48 million facility last spring. The proposed tax, set at .375% of one cent, would allow the county to repay the bonds sooner than their established 30-year time frame.
If approved, the tax would apply to sales throughout Rice County, excluding food and clothing, prescription drugs, and motor vehicles. Proceeds from the tax would only be used to repay bonds for the project, and a sunset date is set for the tax once those bonds are repaid.
The revenue source is proposed as a sales tax because the facility, which will house the county jail and offices for Rice County Sheriff’s personnel, will benefit a larger region. County Administrator Sarah Folsted and Rice County Chief Financial Officer Paula O’Connell recommended spreading the expense to those living outside of Rice County but spend money here.
County Commissioner Galen Malecha supports putting the tax on the ballot in November to let the voters of the county choose the best way to fund the new facility. He said he likes the idea of visitors to Rice County helping to pay for it, but there is no guarantee that it will get that far.
“There’s always the unknown. You never know what the legislature is going to do. Especially when it comes to last minute finagling up at the Capitol. So, we won’t be sure until we know whether it came through or not.”
Representative Todd Lippert has said despite his misgivings about the regressive nature of a sales tax, he will support putting the measure on the ballot. He said it will be interesting to see how the debate develops, especially when Senate Republicans are pushing tax cuts so hard in the session right now.
The new Safety Center will include a 76-bed jail and offices for the Rice County Sheriff’s Department. The new facility is needed to continue to house inmates locally and came about after the Minnesota Department of Corrections downgraded the current jail, which doesn’t meet its standards for recreation and programming space.
Jeff Johnson’s full conversation with Rice County Commissioner Galen Malecha can be heard here.
City looking for help to keep storm sewers clean
And the Northfield Public Works department is once again looking for volunteers to help keep the city’s storm drains, and by extension, local
ponds and rivers, clean.
The Adopt-A-Catch-basin program has returned for another year. The city is asking for volunteers to commit to inspecting a storm drain on a regular basis, cleaning away grass clippings, leaves, garbage and other debris.
During and after a rainstorm, the storm water that runs across lawns, driveways and streets collects debris as it goes and then enters a catch basin through the storms drains and flows directly into ponds and rivers without being treated. The extra elements collected by the water, along with other nutrients, runs into the ponds and rivers and can cause harmful algae to grow, not to mention the problems it can cause by clogging the pipes.
Cole Johnson, the city’s water quality technician said while the city does inspect and clean the drains, with more than 3000 of them around town, it can be difficult to get to all of them on a timely basis. “We need volunteers,” he said, “to help keep our storm water flowing properly and to keep our ponds and river healthy.”
The program is for individuals, families or small community groups. Volunteers will be able to select a drain convenient to them by using an interactive map on the registration webpage and will even have the opportunity to name their catch basin.
For more information on the Adopt-A -Catch Basin program, click here.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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