Capitol View for August 21

Good morning and welcome to another summer Monday.

Minnesota is saying goodbye to Al Quie. The former governor and member of Congress died Friday at age 99. MPR News reports: Quie died of natural causes at a senior living community in Wayzata, where he had lived for the last 10 years. He served in the House from 1958 to 1979, representing southern Minnesota. His term as governor from 1979 to 1983 was marked by a deep economic recession and a series of special sessions to address budget issues, and he chose not to seek reelection in 1982. He had a long career after politics and was known for his Norwegian roots, his devotion to his family and Lutheran religion, his love of horses and his gentle good humor.

There’s a big event coming up Wednesday in Milwaukee, the first Republican candidate debate of the 2024 campaign cycle. MPR’s Mark Zdechlik talked to two Minnesotans who know what it’s like to be on that stage: Both Sen. Amy Klobuchar and former Gov. Tim Pawlenty sought their party’s nominations, although neither ended up being the candidate. Even though she’s a Democrat, Klobuchar said the Republican presidential debates are a must watch for her. “I'm looking forward to these,” Klobuchar said, “I like watching debates. It does bring back the moment.” Just four years ago Klobuchar was among the candidates competing for the Democratic presidential nomination. Klobuchar said the challenge for her was trying to increase her profile without going negative. She was a lesser-known contender in the 2020 Democratic presidential contest, up against big political names such as Joe Biden, Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren. Pawlenty said he ran for president because he thought he had a shot at winning. But he said many different motives drive presidential candidates. “People might be saying, ‘even if I don't make it, this is the way you get considered for vice president,’” Pawlenty said, adding that others just want to increase their profile and take advantage of opportunities afforded to well-known politicians. Unlike Klobuchar, Pawlenty said he’ll be on the lookout for highlights from the forums rather than watching them live. He said that’s how most people get information about debates, which puts a lot of pressure on candidates to do something to stand out, especially lesser-known White House hopefuls.

Some people have been surprised by those rebates showing up in their bank accounts. MPR’s Brian Bakst reports: On internet search engines, “Why did I get a deposit” from the state of Minnesota has cropped up frequently. As of Friday, the Department of Revenue had taken more than 8,000 calls and emails, with people making sure their payment is legitimate and others asking when their money will arrive. Minnesota’s $260 per person tax rebate — $520 for couples and up to $1,300 that includes dependents in a household — has sparked plenty of curiosity. The direct deposit phase has wrapped up for eligible taxpayers who have electronic interactions with Minnesota’s tax agency. Checks will be mailed out over the next few weeks to eligible taxpayers who don’t use direct deposit.

Many public employees are still working remotely and it’s changing the way the state is looking at office space. The Star Tribune reports: Much of Minnesota's government workforce hasn't fully returned to the office and state agency leaders say they aren't planning to order employees back any time soon. Instead, agencies are looking to consolidate space and move into smaller buildings in what appears to be a lasting shift toward hybrid work. "This is a whole culture shift that I would be very shocked to see reversed in the future," said Megan Dayton, president of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees (MAPE), which represents 16,500 state government workers. "If the state of Minnesota is strategically deciding to reduce its footprint, I don't see them large-scale just calling people back to the workplaces arbitrarily." The state will spend $20 million in the coming years toward creating what some officials are calling the "workplace of the future."

Meanwhile, members of the two unions representing most of Minnesota's state government employees ratified contracts last week for the next two years. The main feature of the contracts for AFSCME Council 5 and MAPE is a pay increase of 5.5 percent in the first year and 4.5 percent in the second year. The contracts also include new health care benefits for some workers. Unlike in past years, the Legislature will not have the power to reject the agreements. The DFL-controlled Legislature ended that practice earlier this year, leaving the bargaining process entirely up to the governor's administration. MAPE represents 16,500 state government employees and AFSCME Council 5 represents 18,000 state workers.

The governor has a lot of positions to fill. He’s looking for a new state supreme court chief justice, and as MinnPost reports he’s also looking for a legal marijuana czar: The interim head of the Office of Cannabis Management predicted an early September appointment by Gov. Tim Walz. Charlene Briner, a current Department of Agriculture manager who is the temporary “implementation director” for the fledgling new agency, is leading the search and spoke during a webinar to update interested people about the first steps in carrying out the new law. “That means writing the job description, posting it, casting a wide net in the recruiting process, leading a multi-phased screening and interview process,” Briner said Wednesday evening. “We anticipate sending finalists to Gov. Walz in late August, and he expects to make an announcement in early September about who that new leader will be.” Walz was asked about the timing last week and was less specific. “We’re still going forward,” he said. “We’re going through the applications that will be there and we’ll try to get someone as soon as possible.”