The City Council met in joint session with our state legislative delegation last night to discuss matters of mutual concern in St. Paul. It’s a good opportunity for local and state leaders to talk about how legislators can best represent the City’s interests in the State Legislature and how City Councilmembers can best assist the state in carrying out its policies at the local level.
From the Left-Right: Councilmember Phil Young, Mayor Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Councilmember Ron Case, Councilmember Brad Aho, Councilmember Sherry Butcher, and State Representative Maria Ruud (DFL-42A)
The life of a state legislator is difficult. Only the most dedicated citizens can afford to serve in the State Legislature. The time frame for the state legislative session is compressed and intense. At our joint meeting, Representative Ruud had to leave early to get back to St. Paul for a legislative committee hearing, and Representative Erik Paulsen (R-42B) and Senator David Hann had to come late because of previously scheduled committee meetings at the Capitol.
Senator David Hann
Representative Erik Paulsen
We covered a lot of legislative territory with our legislators during the meeting. We talked about the Governor’s proposed “turbo truth in taxation” proposal; the City’s responsibility to collect new fees to finance the Governor’s Clean Waters Legacy Act; the Governor’s proposal to continue for two more years the zero funding of the State’s reimbursement to the City of Market Value Credit; Sen. Larry Poogemiller’s proposal to make our Market Value Credit cut permanent; and how the State might fund future statewide transportation improvements.
I’ve had the opportunity to work with all three of our legislators this week to get a bill drafted, introduced, and passed through committees in the House and Senate that would allow the on-sale of liquor, beer, and wine in the Garden Room of City Center. A recent change of vendors for the operation of the Garden Room put our ability to lease that space out to weekend wedding receptions in jeopardy when we were told that we’d no longer be able to allow the sale of alcoholic beverages in the Garden Room. I testified for Senator Hann’s bill in the Senate on Monday afternoon and for Rep. Ruud’s bill in the House on Monday night. Rep. Ruud’s bill was co-authored by Rep. Paulsen. Both bills made it through their respective committees and will now head to the floor of both Chambers in liquor omnibus bills. That’s good news for final passage.
It’s important for locally elected officials to work closely with state legislators. We can double the benefit to Eden Prairie citizens by working cooperatively for Eden Prairie both here in the Eden Prairie City Center and in the State Capitol in St. Paul.
