New legislators eager to tackle state budget

By MaryHelen Swanson
Invited guests at the Dec. 18 county board meeting were Senator-elect Sean Nienow, Representative-elect Pete Nelson and re-elected Representative Rob Eastlund.
With little exception, the three, who will represent Chisago County citizens, appeared eager to get to St. Paul and begin the process of attacking the state deficit.
With a roomful of department heads, the commissioners directed specific issues at the 2003 legislators representing our area.
Board chairman Bob Vande Kamp had three concerns:
a. What will the three legislators do if the counties rebel against mandates that come without funding?
b. Would they try to make licensure changes that would require public meetings when a group home is opening in a neighborhood;
c. Will they encourage a gas tax increase as a way of addressing Governor-elect Tim Pawlentyís no tax increase platform?
Commissioner Mike Robinson told the three legislators that if the cities, like Harris and Rush City, have to raise taxes because of lost state aid, he will be giving the city officials the phone numbers of the legislators.
Commissioner Bob Gustafson reminded the three that Chisago County is a bedroom community and doesnít have a lot of industrial support.
Not all counties are alike, he said.
Commissioner-elect Lora Walker reminded the men that Chisago County already has good programs. She implored them to consider the people that would be affected if there were cuts.
Commissioner-elect Rick Olseen expressed concern over the loss of local government aid and asked the legislators not to leave Chisago County ìout there hanging.î
In response to the boardís concerns, Nelson said he understands about the loss of government aid in his work with the city of Lindstrom.
He told the board they have to give the new governor a chance and that it was important to work together.
He said there was a lot of opportunity for solving problems in ways that shouldnít hurt.
Eastlund viewed the predicament the state is in as an opportunity to be creative.
ìThere are a lot of obvious solutions,î he said.
He said privatization in some areas might be a solution. ìWe have an opportunity to bring great accountability to government,î he said.
He also said there will be decisions that will hurt and some that wonít be right.
Nienow said everyone is aware that some decisions will have to be made that are not easy.
He agreed with Rep. Eastlund that difficult times are an opportunity for change.
He also said the best ideas wonít come from the legislators sitting in St. Paul. He said getting out and talking to the people about the issues that affect them will help to understand their needs.
Commissioner Tom Delaney said he liked the positive attitude the three had and agreed with Rep. Eastlund that government grows too fast.
He cautioned them not to pass the buck to the counties, townships and cities.
And he said, as someone not in favor of more taxes, that the legislature will have to handle the road issues that all 87 counties face. A gas tax increase, he said, has got to be looked at.
Concluding the visit, chairman Vande Kamp said he agreed with everything the three legislators said. Only in America, he said, is there the opportunity to make changes and challenge ourselves.
The legislators stayed around to talk to members of the public who were on hand that night.
In prepared information presented to the legislators, county administration showed the impact of reduction of state aid in 2003.
If the county loses $1.4 million, it would have to spend down its fund balance by $200,000, reduce capital equipment spending by $100,000, and reduce personnel by 10 FTE (full-time equivalent employees) through attrition and lay offs.
Additionally, there would have to be a reduction of $150,000 in line item spending, elimination of $150,000 in outside agency funding, reduction in scope of projects by $150,000 and other, unspecified cuts in the amount of $120,000.
The handout to the legislators also included information on priorities in court services, the need for state funding for environmental services and zoning department and a request from the highway department for consideration of a gas tax increase, specifically one that will be used for local roads.

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