STATE OF MINNESOTA EIGHTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-NINTH SESSION
Property Tax and Local Government Finance Division
MINUTES
Representative Drazkowski, Chair of the Property Tax and Local Government Finance Division, began the meeting at 8:16 A.M. on February 18, 2015, in the Basement Hearing Room of the State Office Building.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members present:
DRAZKOWSKI, Steve, Chair QUAM, Duane, VC
ANDERSON, Paul
DAVNIE, Jim
ERICKSON, Sondra
HERTAUS, Jerry
KOZNICK, Jon
LENCZEWSKI, Ann
LIEN, Ben
MARQUART, Paul
MCDONALD, Joe
PINTO, Dave
SIMONSON, Erik
VOGEL, Bob
WHELAN, Abigail
YOUAKIM, Cheryl
Chair Drazkowski began the meeting at 8:16 A.M. A quorum was NOT present.
HF482 (Wills): State general levy automatic inflation eliminated.
Representative Wills testified on HF482.
Chair Drazkowski called the meeting to order at 8:19 A.M. A quorum was present.
Representative Erickson moved that HF482 come before the committee and be laid over for possible inclusion in the division report.
Representative Anderson moved that HF664 come before the committee.
HF664 (Erhardt): State general levy phased out over five years.
Representative Erhardt testified on HF664.
Representative Davnie moved the H0664A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Chair Drazkowski moved that HF664, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion in the division report.
Representative Hertaus moved that HF968 come before the committee.
HF968 (Hertaus): Commercial-industrial property first tier exemption provided from the state general levy, and state general levy amount reduced.
Representative Hertaus testified on HF968.
Representative Hertaus moved that HF968 be laid over for possible inclusion in the division report.
HF984 (Drazkowski): State general levy phased out over six years, and student achievement levy repealed.
Chair Drazkowski gave an overview of HF984. No official action was taken on HF984 until received from the Education Finance Committee.
Keith Findlay, Owner, Wigwam Motel, testified on the impact of the state general levy on local businesses.
Donald Niemi, District 3 Commissioner, Aitkin County, testified on the impact of the state general levy on seasonal businesses.
Julie Engle, Co-Owner, Emily Wash, testified on the impact of the state general levy on Emily Wash.
Beth Kadoun, Director, Tax and Fiscal Policy, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and Steve Karolewski, Co-Owner, MB25 Media Solutions, testified in support of the four bills presented.
Mark Haveman, Executive Director, Minnesota Center for Fiscal Excellence, testified on business competitiveness implications of the state general levy.
Brandon Champeau, Chair of the Public Policy Committee, NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association, Minnesota Chapter, and Vice President, United Properties, testified on the state general levy’s impact on business tenants.
Representative Hertaus moved that the minutes of February 11, 2015 be approved. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
Jill Larson, Deputy Executive Director, Minnesota Business Partnership, testified in support of the four bills presented.
Mike Hickey, Minnesota State Director, National Federation of Independent Business, testified in support of the four bills presented.
Representative Youakim moved to reconsider the minutes of February 11, 2015. THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE MINUTES WERE REAPPROVED AS AMENDED.
Brian Rice, Lobbyist, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 5, testified in opposition of the bills presented.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:06 A.M.
Representative Steve Drazkowski, Chair
Grant Erickson, Committee Legislative Assistant