Good morning, and happy Tuesday.
The House passed a $1.9 billion package of public construction projects with a broad bipartisan vote Monday evening, but that doesn’t mean smooth sailing for the plan. MPR’s Dana Ferguson reports: The two bills passed by the House authorize the state to borrow $1.5 billion and put up $393 million in cash to pay for wastewater treatment centers, bridge repairs, college and university building projects and more. And Democrats said the package would be the first of two installments that they hope to pass this year. But even before the bill came up for a vote, Senate Republicans threatened to put a wrench in that plan. With a giant budget surplus, the state should prioritize sending money back to Minnesotans, Senate Republicans said. GOP leaders in that chamber said they would block the bills unless Democrats put forward proposals to cut taxes. “That bill is going to be dead on arrival because we believe that we need to see some tax cuts tied to that,” Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks, told reporters. “This is our leverage, we can have those negotiations and discussions. But that's very, very critical to have assurance that those issues will get done.” It takes a three-fifths majority vote to issue state general obligation bonds, so Democrats need to win over some Republicans in each chamber to pass bonding proposals. But DFL leaders said they’d turn to a cash-only bill if they can’t get GOP lawmakers to agree.
Gov. Tim Walz should be back in the office today. He’s planning to sign the bill that will let people get driver’s licenses regardless of their immigration status. Walz had a colonoscopy Monday, and his office says he received a clean bill of health. While he was under general anesthetic, he temporarily transferred power to Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan, but a little more than an hour later, Walz sent written notice to legislative leaders ending the transfer.
The Legislature is considering measures to help increase access to child care, and help is needed, especially in rural parts of the state. MPR’s Hannah Yang reports the lack of child care in Minnesota’s rural areas is becoming critical. Outside the metro area more providers are exiting the field than younger providers entering, preventing parents from returning to work. A report by First Children’s Finance in June 2022 found 90 percent of children under age five in New Ulm have both parents working. Minnesota’s statewide average is 76 percent. New Ulm’s unemployment rate is also lower than average, further driving the need for child care providers. Child care shortages stretch across 80 counties in greater Minnesota, according to the Center for Rural Policy and Development. It estimates a shortage of more than 40,000 child care spots outside of the metro area.
Like most cities, Rochester’s downtown life took a hit during the pandemic. What’s different is that Rochester is in the midst of a massive, and expensive 20 year transformation, with its downtown a big part of making the city more vibrant. MPR’s Catharine Richert reports nearly a decade ago, Rochester's downtown started an epic transformation. It's called Destination Medical Center, an idea spearheaded by Mayo Clinic aimed at making the city's entertainment, arts and infrastructure as highly regarded as the hospital. Luring new businesses and workers in the tech and health sectors is part of the plan, too. But eight years in, a gauntlet of roadblocks is stopping the city from getting there. Now the city has formed a task force to try to figure out what to do next.
MPR’s Tim Nelson reports Minneapolis police are investigating vandalism reported over the weekend at a center operated by a group opposed to abortion. New Life Family Services, which operates the First Care Pregnancy Center at 2015 Chicago Ave. in the Phillips neighborhood, reported Saturday that someone broke windows and spray-painted on the building the previous night. A video shared by the group shows graffiti left on windows by the entrance, including the phrase: “If abortion arn’t safe neither r u.” It’s at least the third incident of vandalism targeting abortion opponents in the Twin Cities since last summer, when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade.
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