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WALKER - Sen. Tom Saxhaug, DFL- Grand Rapids, and Rep. John Persell, DFL-Bemidji discussed with the Cass County Board Tuesday results of the 2013 state legislative session.

Dan Larson, lobbyist and director of Rural Minnesota Counties Caucus, also discussed legislative issues as they relate to rural counties.

Saxhaug said during the final days of the 2012 legislative session, minority Democrats helped the Republican majority pass some final legislation. This year in a turnaround, he said the minority Republicans helped majority Democrats pass some of their final key legislation.

In his view, when the final crunch in legislation occurs, the two parties are not as polarized as it seems during the session.

The 2013 Legislature did balance the budget, invest in education and provide property tax relief by increasing local government aids and relief to property taxpayers, Saxhaug said.

Persell said some state payments in lieu of tax (PILT) previously reduced were restored. A sales tax exemption for local governments was approved. Permit efficiencies for loggers was included in a DNR bill, he said

Saxhaug said he expects the restored state PILT to provide Cass County an additional $215,000 this year. He also noted the DNR was allowed to hire 20 additional foresters and to replace any who retire or resign.

Mississippi Headwaters Board funding was increased nearly double to $100,000, which Saxhaug said may enable re-creating a director position. The Explore Minnesota budget was increased to enable more tourism advertising, he said.

Saxhaug indicated he believes by funding put into a variety of bills there is now adequate money to fight aquatic invasive species for the state's waterways. He said any group with a project for fighting invasive aquatic species should contact him, so he can direct them to a funding source.

The senator also noted Rep. Tom Anzelc's successfully passed bill to extend the property tax bill due date from May 15 to June 14 for seasonal businesses, because those had been unable to open by May 15 due to the late snow season this year.

Larson approached Cass commissioners to ask them to rejoin Rural Minnesota Counties Caucus (RMCC) after several years' absence. The group formed in 1997 to lobby the Legislature on rural issues. Annual dues are only $2,100, he said.

Administrator Robert Yochum said Cass had dropped its membership partly because commissioners did not want to make the time commitment it took and partly because issues at that time of wetlands and the conversion of judicial employees from county to state employee status were not issues to Cass.

Larson said the time issue has been addressed since that time by scheduling RMCC meetings in conjunction with area Association of Minnesota Counties legislative conferences.

Issues he listed that RMCC addressed during the recently completed session and is working on for the next session include the following:

•Getting funding restored that had been cut from social service programs for vulnerable children and adults. This had been proposed to be a 13 percent cut for Cass.

• Getting funding from the Legacy funds for rural parks and trails.

•Seeking increases for state payments in lieu of tax.

•Stopping shoreland rule activity.

• Seeking transportation funding formulas and allow rural roads and bridges to benefit along with the funding being targeted for metropolitan area transit.

Commissioner Neal Gaalswyk said he supports the concept of more balanced funding for rural counties versus metro area counties, but would not support requests for additional funding from the Legislature.

In response to a question from the board, Cass Land Commissioner Joshua Stevenson said he has not had difficulty obtaining trails funding from the state for Cass's trails. He said his issue is getting easements from private and public landowners for trail routes.

The board referred the issue of whether to re-join RMCC to the county budget committee to consider for 2014.

Second publication rights after Brainerd Dispatch.

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