BLOG: Jobs for Veterans, Students First, Governor's Vetoes

Governor Signs Veterans Jobs Bill
On Friday afternoon Governor Dayton signed several veterans’ preference hiring bills in to law, including two of my bills. U.S. veterans are experiencing unemployment at rates more than twice the general population and this rate is even higher in Minnesota where our Reserve Forces have very high rates of volunteerism and deployment. As Vice-Chairman of the State Government and Veterans Committee, I have worked to combat veterans’ unemployment and these bills are steps forward in that initiative.

Governor Rejects Tax Relief & Job Creation Efforts
Hours after the MN Senate passed the jobs and tax relief conference committee report, Gov. Dayton announced his veto of the bill. The measure offered $51.7 million in immediate tax relief and $200 million over the next three years. During the legislative process, lawmakers focused their efforts in stimulating economic development activity, job creation and homeowner tax relief. Furthermore, legislative leaders took the Governor’s priorities and concerns into consideration in the development of the final conference committee report. This bill was crafted within the parameters that the Gov. set in negotiations and the conferees responded to his concerns by reducing future costs and eliminating renters credit reductions. Conferees also included a Dayton priority of $2 million for the Minnesota Investment Fund and $6 million for a tax credit for hiring veterans. An important provision in the bill freezes business property taxes and eliminates the automatic inflator, which under current law, increases with inflation every year. The compromised bill called for the state’s levy amount to be frozen at $817 million. Without the freeze, the statewide levy would escalate to over $1 billion for business property taxpayers by 2022. The bill also included a phased-in, upfront sales tax exemption for capital equipment purchases which would have been effective in July 2012. It was designed to encourage immediate investments and would be expected to generate a surge in business activity in the state. Gov. Dayton also vetoed important provisions for homeowner tax relief and incentives for construction and economic development for dozens of cities throughout the state.

Students First
The Minnesota Senate unanimously passed and Governor Dayton signed the Omnibus Education Policy bill (SF 2482). The Senate made great strides last year in developing and implementing meaningful solutions to the challenges we face in our public education system. This law builds on those achievements focusing on post-secondary education and ensuring we have the best teachers in our classrooms. Specifically, this legislation updates and reforms the Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program, requires 35 percent of principal evaluations to be connected to student achievement, measures to put budgetary control back in the hands local school boards. House File 2506 was signed into law this week, containing two important provisions affecting schools. First, this law repeals state-mandated staff development allocations and allows each local school board to determine its own approach. Staff development is ultimately a strategic judgment call that should be left to locally-elected officials. The second provision establishes a requirement for school districts to provide secondary students one time CPR instruction, equipping youth with skills that could save someone’s life in the event of cardiac arrest. Community resources exist to assist with and/or provide the training to the students. In an effort to support our school children, Minnesota’s school trust lands need to be maximized. The MN Senate reached consensus with the House and passed a conference committee report Wednesday to create efficiency and transparency in government as it related to school trust lands, ultimately benefitting Minnesota students.

Governor Vetoes Teacher Layoff Reform
The “Last In, First Out” (LIFO) reform bill was vetoed by Gov. Dayton Thursday. The legislation, which garnered bipartisan support, attempted to keep the best teachers in Minnesota’s classrooms by removing ineffective teachers before those who had been deemed “effective” or “highly effective” in lay-off situations. Based on current statute, school districts must shift positions and reassign more senior teachers while teachers with less seniority are guaranteed to be laid off first, regardless of teacher effectiveness or experience. Minnesota is one of only eleven states that require school districts to base teacher layoffs on seniority without consideration of teacher performance. Among others, StudentsFirst, African American Leadership Forum, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, MinnCAN, and Action for Equity joined the broad coalition of organizations to offer support for this legislative initiative. Education Minnesota was the only organization to publicly oppose the LIFO reform measure. Proponents agree that reforming the current LIFO system would have given our schools the tools they need to attract and retain effective educators who can provide our children with quality education.