Roger Crawford

Dear Friends,
For those following the debate on state funding for the Vikings stadium, you are already aware that the bill passed the House and Senate. It is now in the Conference Committee to resolve the differences, which are substantial. For those that contacted me along the way, thank you for weighing in! I appreciated reading and listening to all your comments.

I have been a fan of the Vikings since they played their first game at the old Met. They beat the Bears 37-13, I believe, when Fran Tarkenton came in relief of George Shaw and threw four TD passes. I’ve watched all four Super Bowls, seen the Hail Mary catch with Rashad, witnessed two NFC championship losses and hundreds of other games. However, this is not about being a fan. It is about how much to pay, who pays and are the numbers presented trustworthy. After all, this is a $1.2 billion proposal and should get close scrutiny from your legislator.

In a nutshell, the state funding numbers for the new untested electronic pull tabs don’t work and the state is on the hook for the entire $600+ million of general fund public financing.

There are conditions that could get my support for a new stadium. That stance, taken after much input from my local people, was conditional to no general fund money at risk and having user fees to pay for the stadium. These amendments and efforts did not succeed so I voted no on the final proposal.

In the St. Paul newspaper this week, there was a story about the Vadnais Sports Arena audit. It stated that the hoped-for revenue is falling short. It is delinquent in remitting a year’s worth of sales taxes to the state amongst many other financial issues. That will leave the local property taxpayers to foot the bill.

Passion for the Minnesota Vikings doesn’t mean that we put Minnesota judgment on hold. My job is to make sure that the taxpayers are properly protected and that I have confidence in the funding proposals. I don’t want the State of MN to be in a situation like the story above.

Alternatives were offered that took a sounder and more market based approach. However, the Vikings reject user fees and the Governor rejects infrastructure bonding.

The mechanism that is left is a poorly constructed financing proposal. It puts our taxpayers on the hook to bail out the stadium in the future with dollars that could go to other state needs.

I voted against the current stadium bill. I hope the conference committee report comes back with better funding so I can support the bill on final passage. There is time to fix it. I hope the conference committee accomplishes that. My support can be gained with the proper funding proposal.

Again, thanks to all for your contributions to this process.
Roger

State Rep. Roger Crawford
District 08B
Pine, Kanabec, & Isanti counties
421 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-0518

Dear Friends,

Tax Relief and Job Creation Act Passed  May 1, 2012
The Tax Relief and Job Creation Act passed on the House floor today embodies a much needed market-based approach to tax policies. It also makes most of them permanent so businesses have some certainty in their future.

Considering the fact that Minnesota is near the bottom on the Tax Climate Index and our neighboring states are near the top, this bill is vital. Making Minnesota a more economically competitive and attractive place for job creation is a policy that deserves the Governor’s signature. This bill keeps money in the pockets of small business owners who know how to create jobs. It encourages businesses to stay here, expand here, move their operations here and create more jobs for our Minnesotans.

The Bill:

• Permanently freezes the automatic inflator on the statewide levy for commercial/industrial properties. This means businesses will keep more of their money to invest in employees and growth, not job-killing-suck-you-dry taxes.
• Emphasizes policies to encourage high-growth industries to encourage Minnesota businesses to be a magnet for the medical device and bio-technology industry.
• Provides incentives to create a well-trained work force in Greater Minnesota not just the twin cities area.
• Provides incentives to help our veteran men and women who did their job and fought for our country get jobs when they come back home.
• Reforms targeted programs to make sure they are more helpful to our Minnesota-based businesses, especially in rural Minnesota.

Minnesota’s business property tax rate ranks among the highest in the United States. We need to make our state competitive to foster business development, expansion and job growth. Eliminating the property tax will allow businesses to put their money into growth and employees, not paying more taxes. From our local businesses and local government leaders, the statewide general property tax is one of the greatest obstacles to attracting businesses to our area. What does the bill do?

• Freezes the current rate for statewide tax on business property permanently.
• Permanently provides an up-front sales tax exemption on capital equipment purchases for all small businesses.
• Permanently eliminates the accelerated sales tax remittance for 11 months of the year, allowing small businesses to keep more of their money to help with monthly cash flow.
• Provides a property tax credit toward producers still under testing requirements for bovine tuberculosis.
• Modifies the sales tax exemption for data centers to make it easier for small businesses to take advantage of this job creation opportunity.
• Provides property tax relief to homeowners whose property taxes increased by more than 12%: 90% payable this year and 75% after that. There are no income restrictions but the increase must be at least $100 in one year.

In order for Minnesota to increase jobs, we need Minnesota to become a magnet for the high tech industry. We do that by investing in programs that will encourage the growth of the medical device and bio tech industries in our state which creates good paying jobs for our citizens.

Angel Investor Credit

• Permanently increases Angel Investment Credit by $5 million for the duration of the program and enhances effort to push m ore investment to Greater Minnesota.
• Prohibits businesses who receive the credit from selling or making a public offer within 6 months
• Allows public employees or contracted personel contract information to be shared with the public

Research and Development

• Increases the Research and Development tax credit by 24% for Minnesota companies to help make Minnesota a more attractive place to do business and enables companies to create high-paying jobs throughout the state.

Minnesota Investment Fund
Minnesota is #42 from the bottom on the Entrepreneur Index.

• Increased funding to the Minnesota Investment Fund, which helps spur economic growth and job creation across Minnesota, by $2 million for FY13.

Greater Minnesota is in need of qualified and trained workers. Our jobs bill creates an internship grant program designed to attract and keep talent in the rural areas of our state. We also create a permanent tax credit to encourage employers to hire the men and women who have served our country.

• Create Internship Grant Program that is aimed at attracting and keeping talent in Greater Minnesota. Administered through the Office of Higher Education, this program provides 40% grant up to $1250 per intern to employers (maximum of 5 interns per employers)
• Veterans jobs tax credit aimed at making sure the men and women who serve our country are employed when they return.

Financially, these are modest changes, but have a very large return. In these times, employers have many choices and many places that are eager to have their jobs. Unless we are competitive with our surrounding states and world, our children will graduate and leave for jobs elsewhere. This bill lets them know we notice, we care and are taking the actions we can to help!

Thank you to all for your help in voicing your concerns about small businesses surviving and helped to put this package of tax relief and job promoting policies together.

As always, I welcome your calls at 651-296-0518 or your emails @rep.roger.crawford@house.mn.

Sincerely,
Roger Crawford
421 State Office Building
100 Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-0518
rep.roger.crawford@house.mn

Dear Friends,

The historic School Land Trust Bill was passed overwhelmingly by both the House and Senate and signed into law by the Governor this weekend. Maybe you did not notice since all the coverage was about a stadium. However, we do much good work here that does not make such coverage but is very valuable to the citizens.

Like other states, when Minnesota was granted statehood, one section of land in each township was required to be set aside for the benefit of the school students. Minnesota chose to set aside two sections of land in each township. Upon acceptance of this land grant, a permanent school trust fund was created. These lands were to be managed in such a way that they would generate financial revenue to a trust fund. The fund principle generates interest and dividends which are distributed each year to every school district in the State. Currently, there are more than 2.5 million acres of school land trust property that is supposed to be managed to benefit funding education in the state. These lands currently fall under the management of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The goal of this bill is to shift sole management of the School Trust Lands away from the DNR, which has an inherent conflict of interest between environmental decisions or revenue production for the school students. This bill creates two sources for oversight of the land while still leaving the day-to-day (boots on the ground) efforts in the hands of the DNR.

1. Director of School Trust Lands

• Appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate
• Housed within the Department of Administration
• Funded for a staff of up to 5 people
• Will assume responsibilities currently handled by Department of Natural Resources staff (does not create “more government†)
• Would work in collaboration with the DNR commissioner on the management and administration of school trust lands with the sole purpose of maximizing revenues for the purpose of education

2. Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission

• Made up of twelve Legislative members: six from the Senate and six from the House, representing both the Majority and Minority party equally
• Will provide advice to the director regarding management of the trust lands
• Will review reports submitted by the Director to assure revenues are being maximized

Other Facts:

Income from the school trust lands have been averaging between $22 million and $27 million annually over the past five years.

Income from forestry on the lands during the past two years dropped 22 percent, and money transferred to the fund had dropped 84 percent.

Minnesota is in the bottom third of states for Land Trust revenue.

In 16 years after making a similar management change, the state of Utah’s trust fund money grew from $18 million to $1.3 billion.

While maximizing revenue, all laws governing caring for the environment will continue to be in place

This is a common sense effort toward positive reform for the express purpose of the original intent of granting this land to Minnesota in statehood and most importantly for its purpose of to be managed to the benefit of our kids. As the legislative stewards for this fund, it is our obligation to make sure the revenue for those funds are being maximized and used for its original intent.

You may hear about partisanship, but I think the passing of the School Land Trust bill will demonstrate some thoughtful efforts across party lines to the benefit of our schools. This is the culmination of a multi-year effort led by many legislators both democrats and republicans.

As always, I welcome your calls at 651-296-0518 or your emails @rep.roger.crawford@house.mn.

Sincerely,

Roger Crawford
421 State Office Building
100 Rev Dr Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-0518
rep.roger.crawford@house.mn

Dear Friends,

Tax Relief and Jobs Creation Act:

A bill designed to reduce taxes and create jobs passed the Minnesota House of Representatives last week. The package of wide-ranging initiatives is called the Tax Relief and Jobs Creation Act (H.F. 2337). The Tax Relief and Job Creation Act will make Minnesota a more economically competitive and attractive place for job creation.

This bill is focused on Minnesota business and employment growth, which will stimulate long-term economic activity. It encourages businesses to stay here, expand here, move their operations here and create more jobs. This act declares to job creators around the country that Minnesota is open for business.

There are several very important measures in the act. They include:

• A statewide business property-tax reduction to begin a 12-year phase-out process.
• A $25 million increase in research-and-development credits for Minnesota companies.
• A permanent $5 million increase in the Angel Investment Tax Credit.
• Allowing small businesses to take up-front capital equipment exemptions.
• A tax credit for businesses that hire veterans.

This bill has been sent to the Senate for approval and then will go to the governor for his signature. I urge both bodies to support these measures so we can offer Minnesotans some relief and get people back to work as soon as possible.

Education:

A few interesting bits of information on Education-

Just in case you missed it, below is an article I wrote and was published in the Kanabec County Times on March 7, 2012-

Crawford explains teacher seniority bill
“A number of people have asked me a question or two about a recent vote in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

The bill in question would change state law which currently mandates that those teachers who were the last ones hired be the first ones laid off (defined as LIFO) in the unfortunate situation where school districts have to lay off teachers.

HF1870 would allow for other factors, such as teacher performance and teacher effectiveness to be used, in addition to seniority.

Let me explain why I support this measure and what the benefits might be…” Read More >

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Did you ever wonder why tuition is so high at the U?
Check these salaries out. http://extra.twincities.com/car/salaries/
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As always, I welcome your calls at 651-296-0518 or your emails @ rep.roger.crawford@house.mn.

Roger

St. Paul – The Minnesota House of Representatives today passed the photo ID constitutional amendment bill on a vote of 72-62. The bill, House File 2738, allows for a public vote in the November election on a photo ID voting requirement.

Under the bill, a ballot question would ask if voters would like to add an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution that would require that, on Election Day, all voters present valid photo identification prior to casting a ballot. A majority vote of the people would amend the constitution, and the Legislature would implement the new photo ID requirement in 2013. This amendment would also require state identification be made available at no charge to those who do not already have an ID.

The amendment preserves the ability of all eligible Minnesotans, including military members, college students, and the elderly, to continue voting with ease. It also keeps in place same day voter registration and absentee voting. Representative Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake), the chief author of the bill, testified on the House floor on behalf of her bill.

“I think it is fitting that this measure be given approval by our voting public,” said Representative Kiffmeyer. “Polls are showing overwhelming public support for a photo ID voting requirement; and this will finally put that decision where it belongs, in the hands of the Minnesota voters. This measure will add some much needed integrity to our voter registration system.”

Speaker of the House Kurt Zellers (R-Maple Grove) added “Minnesotans deserve to know their vote counts. Photo ID is a simple, common sense measure that protects the integrity of our elections and instills greater confidence in the process.”

House File 2738 must be approved by the Minnesota Senate before it will appear on the ballot this November. The amendment does not include any mandates for spending or technology requirements. Enacting legislation would be decided by the Legislature only after the amendment is approved during the 2012 November election.

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Roger Crawford represents District 8B in the Minnesota House of Representatives, which includes the cities of Pine City and Mora. Crawford encourages constituents to contact him with questions or opinions on any state legislative issue. He may be reached at rep.roger.crawford@house.mn or 651.296.0518. Mail should be sent to Rep. Roger Crawford, 421 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.