Capitol Review

Fridley Reps Introduce Bills on Marriage Amendment, Mortgage Value Homestead Tax Credit

Also of interest in House: tornado tax relief, bicycle lights, foreclosure tenants.

The three state representatives whose districts include parts of Fridley have so far signed on a cosponsors of two bills: one to repeal the marriage amendment, the other to restore the Mortgage Value Homestead Credit. Repealing Marriage Amendment Rep. Carolyn Laine (DFL-50A), who represents western and southern Fridley, and Rep. Kate Knuth (DFL-50B), who represents Fridley's southeastern corner, are co-authors with 15 others of a bill to repeal the marriage amendment passed last year. The amendment to the Minnesota Constitution is currently set to appear on ballots throughout the state in November. It would define marriage as between one man and one woman. Restoring Mortgage Value Homestead Credit All three of Fridley's representatives—…

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UPDATED: State Fair Poll Taps Public Views

Marriage amendment was among topics.

Updated below: Of a record 12,549 participants in this year's Minnesota House of Representatives State Fair Poll, nearly 70 percent said the state constitution should not be amended to define marriage as only a union of one man and one woman. That was just one of the interesting results from the annual poll, which also showed that Minnesotans appear to be basically split on whether voters should be required to show photo ID before voting. The recent state government shutdown was also fresh on the mind, and roughly 69 percent of polltakers said current levels of state funding should remain in effect if the governor and legislators cannot agree on a state budget for an upcoming biennium—an approach that would prevent future shutdowns. Update…

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Five Things to Know about the Minnesota State Fair on Saturday

State Fair Day 3: Sports, swine and dancing.

Here are a handful of highlights if you're headed to the State Fair on Saturday. Also check out our quick list of Fair basics. To know: Today is 4-H Day at the fair, which means swine, rabbits, sheep and more will be on prominent display. The weather is expected to be perfect, with a high of 79 and zero percent chance of rain. Check out the fair’s website for a full schedule of the day’s activities and events. To watch: A groundbreaking ceremony for the $3 million, 27,000-square-foot Equine and Livestock Arena will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Judging Arena on Judson Avenue. A 4-H Purple Ribbon Auction will follow at 6 p.m. To dance: Teens and young adults attending the first-ever “FAIR-Well-To-Summer Dance Party” from 8-11 p.m. at Carousel…

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Of Fridley Reps, All But Knuth Got Shutdown Pay

Among Fridley's representatives in the state House, Knuth refused pay, Laine took back pay, Tillberry got paid as usual.

Fridley at the Fair

Fridley at the Fair: Knuth, FHS Band and ...?

Do you know Fridley folks doing things at the Minnesota State Fair this year?

Where at the Minnesota State Fair can you see a bit of Fridley? Here are a couple ways Fridley will feature at the Fair. If you know of others, leave a comment below or send an email to chris.steller@patch.com. 

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One Week in, What's Your Shutdown Message for Fridley Legislators?

Minnesota government is shut down because the Legislature and governor can't agree on a budget.

What would you like to ask or say to your state representative and senator about the Minnesota government shutdown? The shutdown, which started July 1, has been going on for one week as of Friday. There are the three members of the state House and two members of the state Senate who represent parts of Fridley. Every Fridley resident, business and property-owner has one state senator and one state representative. STATE SENATORS District 50 (includes all but northeastern Fridley; see PDF map): Sen. Barb Goodwin (DFL) District 51 (includes northeastern Fridley; see PDF map): Sen. Pam Wolf (GOP) STATE REPRESENTATIVES District 50A (includes western and southern Fridley; see PDF map): Rep. Carolyn Laine (DFL) District 50B (includes small part of…

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Amy Paddock

8:53 am on Monday, July 11, 2011

continued from below: So, my bad use of the term "fake" was because no one else had any idea of what was happening. Even if you are concerned about any ways or means of gov intervention of those numbers (which would mean a bigger deficit - a larger problem then those numbers the MN GOP used) it wouldn't make sense to make something appear worse then it is on purpose from a Gov. pov. To change the…   more ›

Laine on tornado aftermath, Knuth on session

Two of Fridley's state reps on the May 22 tornado and the legislature.

Editor's Note: After the end of the regular session of the state legislature last week, Fridley Patch invited Fridley's state representatives and senators to contribute their thoughts. Here are new messages from Rep. Carolyn Laine (DFL-50A) on the tornado's aftermath, and Rep. Kate Knuth (DFL-50B) on the session's end. First, Laine: I met Thursday with Scott Hickok, the Community Development Director for Fridley, regarding the tornado damage from May 22. Fifty to 60 homes have been damaged in Fridley. Many, many trees are down. The Water Works on East River Road has substantial and expensive damage. Among the businesses hit, BAE and some of the businesses on Main Street sustained damage. FEMA will be considering federal disaster funds for …

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Amy Paddock

11:39 am on Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Without a access to healthcare insurance, many go on treated - and much is lost in those who become sick, or injured. Making healthcare costs in a range that people can actually afford for their situation, and at choice is a true way to making sure those can get medical they need. Everyone should pay something - it is better to know that you are not a full burden, and participate in helping …   more ›

Fire Chief Opposes Bill to Ban Fire-Sprinkler Requirements for Single-family Homes

Fridley's Fire Chief isn't in favor of legislation that passed the House over two Fridley reps' 'No' votes.

A bill banning state and local codes from requiring fire sprinklers in single-family homes has passed the Minnesota House of Representatives and a state Senate committee, but it doesn't get a passing grade from Fridley Fire Chief John Berg. The bill, H.F. 460, "flies in the face of the building code process that was established for debating and amending building codes that protect people," Berg said in an email. The bill passed out of the state Senate's Judiciary and Public Safety Committee (over Sen. Barb Goodwin's "no" vote) and got its second reading in the state Senate last week. State Reps. Tom Tillberry (DFL-51BA) and Kate Knuth (DFL-51A) cast votes against the bill. (Fridley's other representative, DFLer Carolyn Laine of House …

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Letter to the Editor

Senate District 50 Is Example of Bad Legislators Making Bad Law

The letter-writer says local DFLers at the Capitol are on the wrong course.

To the editor: I don't want to get into an endless back and forth volley of dueling letters with John Haluska, but it appears that he and his ilk are the ones who are compensating for their lack of substantive ideas with equally vapid and self-serving rhetoric. His last letter tends to support my contention that his crowd does not understand basic economics or the proper role of government in a representative republic. Although Sen. Barb Goodwin, Rep. Kate Knuth and Rep. Carolyn Laine do a very poor job of representing the interests of their constituents and the state, it is the liberal, socialist and statist policies they support and are attempting to perpetuate that are largely responsible for many of the problems our state and nation …

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Chris Steller

5:44 pm on Monday, March 14, 2011

I'll make the fix in the text, Steve. Thanks for catching that, and sorry I missed it.   more ›

Pam Wolf Steps from Classroom to Capitol

The new state senator taught school on Monday and was sworn in on Tuesday.

Pam Wolf didn't have a day off this week. Instead, the new state senator from District 51 was in her classroom at Pines School in Lino Lakes on Monday for one last day of teaching this school year. The next day, she was among 21 new Republicans sworn in as senators in St. Paul, helping her party take the majority in both houses of the state Legislature. A substitute will take over her classroom until Wolf returns after the legislative session. But among her first orders of business was arranging a Capitol tour for her students next week—this time with a stop at the senate office of their regular teacher. Finding herself elected to the Senate on her second attempt and in the majority came as a pleasant surprise to Wolf, but "that's what we …

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Chris Steller

5:35 pm on Thursday, January 6, 2011

I asked Rep. Knuth by email about once being Sen. Wolf's student and got this reply: "As far as I can remember, I did have Pam Wolf as a student at Edgewood Middle School. I know of at least one other teacher/student pair in the Minnesota legislature. Rep. Swails was Rep. Bigham's teacher. They both served from 2007-2010. I received a world-class education in Minnesota public schools, and I think…   more ›