STATE OF MINNESOTA 37th MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-NINTH SESSION
TAX COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Representative Davids, Chair of the Tax Committee, began the meeting at 12:30 P.M. on April 20th, 2015, in Room 10 of the State Office Building.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members present:
DAVIDS, Gregory M. McDONALD Joe
BARRETT, Bob MELIN, Carly
LENCZEWSKI, Ann PETERSBURG, John
ANDERSON, Sarah SIMONSON, Erik
ANZELC, Tom SWEDZINSKI, Chris
CARLSON, Lyndon TORKELSON, Paul
DAVNIE, Jim WILLS, Anna
DRAZKOWSKI, Steve
ERHARDT, Ron
ERICKSON, Sondra
GAROFALO, Pat
HACKBARTH, Tom
KNOBLACH, Jim
KOZNICK, Jon
LESCH, John
LOEFFLER, Diane
LOON, Jenifer
Members excused:
SLOCUM, Linda
Representative Davids began the meeting at 12:30 P.M. A quorum was NOT present.
A quorum was present at 12:32 P.M. and the meeting was called to order.
Representative Loon moved that HF844 come before the committee.
HF844 Loon: Education; funding provided for early childhood and family, prekindergarten through grade 12, adult education, general education, education excellence, special education, facilities, technology, nutrition, libraries, accounting, early childhood, education, self-sufficiency, lifelong learning, and state agencies; and money appropriated.
Representative Loon moved that the H0844A36 amendment be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Representative Loon, Grace Keliher of the Minnesota School Boards Association, Josh Downham of Minneapolis Public Schools, and Mary Gilbert of St. Paul Public Schools, testified on HF844, first engrossment.
Representative Simonson moved to approve the minutes from April 16th, 2015. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Representative Loon moved that HF844, as amended, be rereferred to the Committee on Ways & Means. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Representative Davids moved that HF848 come before the committee.
HF848 Davids: Omnibus Tax Bill.
Representative Davids moved that the A15-0509 amendment come before the committee.
Joel Michael, Nina Manzi, Steve Hinze, Pat Dalton, and Christopher Kleman of House Nonpartisan Research gave an overview of the A15-0509 amendment.
Representative Davids, Jim Carlisle of ADAPT MN, Galen Smith of ADAPT MN, Leslea Hodgson of Fountain, MN, Paul Sobocinski of the Land Stewardship Project, Kim Murray of Brainerd, MN, Deb Strohm of Duluth, MN, Daniel Fanning, Communications and Policy Director for Duluth of the Mayor of Duluth, and Dennis Frazier of AFSCME Council 5, testified on the A15-0509 amendment.
Representative Barrett assumed the gavel at 2:40 P.M.
Representative Davids assumed the gavel at 3:15 P.M.
Cynthia Templin, Katherine Schill, and Andrew Lee of House Fiscal Staff, gave an overview on the A15-0509 amendment.
Commissioner Cynthia Bauerly of the Minnesota Department of Revenue, Carol Nieters, Executive Director of SEIU Local 284, Dan Long of the St. Francis School District, Grace Keliher of the Minnesota School Boards Association, Gary Amaroso of the MN Association of School Administrators, Valerie Dosland of the MN Association of School Business Officials, Scott Croonquist, Executive Director of the Association of Metropolitan School Districts, Kate Schmit, President of Dakota County United Educators, Mike Hickey of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, Genevieve Plumadore of LifeScience Alley, John Dukich of the Minnesota High Tech Association, Gary Carlson of the League of Minnesota Cities, Keith Carlson of the Minnesota Inter-County Association, Kit Hadley, Director of St. Paul Public Libraries, Regina Harris, Manager of Rice Street Library, Rebecca Ryan, Manager of the Sun Ray Library, Pang Yang, Community Services Coordinator of the City of St. Paul, J.D. Burton, Director of Government Relations of the City of St. Paul, Sasha Bergman of the City of Minneapolis, Susie Brown of the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, Rich Gehrman of Safe Passage for Children, Matt Hilgart of the Association of Minnesota Counties, Darielle Dannen, Public Policy Director of the Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers, Bradley Peterson of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, Reverend Grant Stevensen of ISAIAH, Chris Conry of TakeAction Minnesota, Michelle Morris of the American Lung Association, Jeff Van Wychen of Growth & Justice, Molly Moilanen of Clearway Minnesota/Raise it for Health, Tim Koester of the Independent Vapor Retailers of Minnesota, Dan Dorman of the Greater MN Partnership, Steve Larson of The Arc Minnesota, Dr. John Ruesch of E-Cig Cafe, Sean Condon, E-Cig store owner, Laura Sayles of the Minnesota Nurses Association, Matt Schafer of the American Cancer Society, Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project, Ben Ashley-Wurtman of the Mental Health Association of Minnesota, Roger Aronson of the Minnesota State High School League, Jeanne Weigum of the Raise it for Health Coalition, Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, Al Lund of Allied Charities of Minnesota, Stephen Baker of the Minnesota Association of Assessing Officers, Cap O’Rourke of the Independent Vapor Retailers of Minnesota, Jill Larson of the Minnesota Business Partnership, and Beth Kadoun of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, testified on the A15-0509 amendment.
Discussion on the A15-0509 amendment will continue at the Tax Committee hearing on April 21st, 2015.
Meeting adjourned at 6:14 P.M.
Representative Greg Davids, Chair
Andrew Hasek, Committee Legislative Assistant