Legislature was able to do good things for state; lawmaker says of just-completed session

BY DENISE MARTIN
Chisago County Press

One of the highlights of Rick Olseen's 2008 session in the Minnesota Senate had to have been serving on the Claims Committee that reviewed requests for compensation offered to victims of the 35W Bridge disaster. Olseen said, "Being a part of that process was pretty unbelievable." Normally the type of claims that this group looks at are more like restitution for a prison inmate's missing pair of tennis shoes, Olseen said. 

The committee heard from the World Trade Center victim claims administrator who shared some of the policy and philosophy behind how the injuries and loss of life claims were handled from 9-11.

The committee met about half a day once each month, for the first few months of the session, just on bridge-related claims. Senator Olseen said he thought the process resulted in a good resolution for most. Although, he observed, it is ironic that in our society someone's "worth" boils down to earning capacity and what we do for a living.

The Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court has until June 30 to establish the "master panel" whose appointees will enter into settlement agreements with survivors. Total appropriated in state funds to address this liability is $38 million.

Sen. Olseen also said on a personal level his being able to be instrumental in passing safety regulations on transportation for students was very gratifying. The bill came about in connection with the Forest Lake School Dist student who died when her contracted minivan crashed. Among other things, the new law puts more inspectors in the field and boosts safety standards.

Sen. Olseen commented that he left this session with the feeling that, "We did some good things for Minnesota." He said future budgets will be tough, but the legislature upheld its commitment to nursing homes, and to education.

There's some movement in the legislature on a source of funding for schools that Olseen said is being pushed by "..freshmen lawmakers asking a lot of questions" Years ago the state established School Trust Fund Lands, and there were at least two sections of land set aside in every county. The lands have been sold and exchanged all around this state over decades, but there's acreage in northern Minnesota that contains minerals that could be profitable when mined. Olseen said $30 of the "extra" $51 per pupil unit funding that was approved this session is coming out of this Trust account. As mineral leases are bought by the private sector and revenue is generated, Olseen is hopeful additional revenues will be dedicated to schools to boost the per-pupil funding formula.

Sen. Olseen added that the more he becomes involved in lawmaking the more he understands which needs have been swept under the financial rug in many prior sessions.

He said, "Minnesota is like a facade, it looks good on the surface." Get behind the scenes though and there's "...going to be a lot of cleanup to do."

For next year's session

Measures that Olseen tried to get into law, and will keep pushing include: 

~ A sales tax exemption for local governments. He will continue to try to erase the requirement that government pay sales tax, but it's a struggle because the revenue loss to the state under an exemption is big.

~ Recruiting and retaining local firefighters was of interest for Sen. Olseen. He tried to get firefighters' retirement payouts exempted from capital gains tax. He also introduced a tax credit for firefighters to claim as an incentive to volunteer, but that did not pass. And, he introduced a measure to allow collecting unpaid fire service run fees out of state tax refunds, but that too has a ways to go before being accepted.

~ He also wanted to change how election/campaign complaints are paid for Under the existing law Chisago County gets the bill for all Office of Administrative Hearing campaign cases. Olseen thinks each local jurisdiction where the election took place should be responsible for expenses incurred by the OAH for reviewing and ruling on complaints.

On other issues:

Senator Olseen opposes action that would allow medical marijuana distribution, possession and use. 

He says the law enforcement community has understandable concerns with how sale of marijuana can be regulated. Controls are still missing in medical marijuana bills he's seen. There are other, restricted pharmaceuticals that can work as well as the THC in marijuana, he feels.

Olseen is anxious to continue the legislature's work on renewable energy and resources. "The next generation, this is really going to take-off," he commented. "We are just on the cutting edge of alternative energy."

This past session was almost like two distinct sessions, Olseen added. The Transportation Funding issue was handled, Budget Adjustments covering the state budget shortfall were worked out and then came everything else.

Olseen said Gov. Pawlenty was very strong on three items and once the legislature worked those into the picture, the session moved along well. Levy Limits (3.9 percent on local governments for three years), Veterans' Home improvements and the acquisition of Lake Vermillion lakeshore were Pawlenty's three focus issues. 

"Once he laid these out," it was clear what he wanted and what we had to work with, Olseen mentioned. 

Olseen is back at his "day job" with the session over, and he enjoys being in the real world again. "I think it is important that we (lawmakers) also work outside." He said he gets valuable feedback and insight from being in the workplace and it's good to be back.