Smokin Moose
Fallen Cannabis Warrior & Ex Moderator
ST. PAUL (WCCO) ― Lawmakers at the Minnesota State Capitol have wrapped up Session 2008.
Democratic legislative leaders and Governor Tim Pawlenty crisscrossed Minnesota on Monday touting their accomplishments.
Lawmakers passed the final bills and adjourned just before the midnight deadline Sunday evening.
Among the bills passed: $20 million to buy land for a new state park on Lake Vermillion, which willA be the first new state park in 30 years.
And the city of Bloomington got permission to raise sales taxes at the Mall of America as well as the city's lodging tax. Both increases will help pay for a $2 billion expansion at the mall.
Of course, there were plenty of winners and losers to be found in this year's session.
Love it or hate it, light rail's back on track. Lawmakers said "yes" to borrowing money to build a new light rail line between Minneapolis and St. Paul.
As for property taxes, they'll probably still go up next year. The good news is that the legislature passed a bill to hold those tax hikes down in the single digits.
For teen drivers, a new law limits passengers in the car to one non-family member, and no driving between midnight and 5 a.m.
Gas prices are pushing $4 a gallon so it's hard to notice, but the gas tax went up 2 cents in April, and it'll rise another 2 and 1/2 cents in September. The money is for fixing roads and bridges.
That's lot of winners, but there were also some losers.
If you're working for minimum wage, you won't be getting a raise. Mandatory seat belts got unbuckled. Medical marijuana for terminally ill patients got snuffed.
Lawmakers went home after completing their biggest task: fixing the state's nearly $1 billion budget deficit.
Webpage: https://wcco.com/local/budget.session.2008....
Newshawk: [BOT] DrugSenseBot's Home
Democratic legislative leaders and Governor Tim Pawlenty crisscrossed Minnesota on Monday touting their accomplishments.
Lawmakers passed the final bills and adjourned just before the midnight deadline Sunday evening.
Among the bills passed: $20 million to buy land for a new state park on Lake Vermillion, which willA be the first new state park in 30 years.
And the city of Bloomington got permission to raise sales taxes at the Mall of America as well as the city's lodging tax. Both increases will help pay for a $2 billion expansion at the mall.
Of course, there were plenty of winners and losers to be found in this year's session.
Love it or hate it, light rail's back on track. Lawmakers said "yes" to borrowing money to build a new light rail line between Minneapolis and St. Paul.
As for property taxes, they'll probably still go up next year. The good news is that the legislature passed a bill to hold those tax hikes down in the single digits.
For teen drivers, a new law limits passengers in the car to one non-family member, and no driving between midnight and 5 a.m.
Gas prices are pushing $4 a gallon so it's hard to notice, but the gas tax went up 2 cents in April, and it'll rise another 2 and 1/2 cents in September. The money is for fixing roads and bridges.
That's lot of winners, but there were also some losers.
If you're working for minimum wage, you won't be getting a raise. Mandatory seat belts got unbuckled. Medical marijuana for terminally ill patients got snuffed.
Lawmakers went home after completing their biggest task: fixing the state's nearly $1 billion budget deficit.
Webpage: https://wcco.com/local/budget.session.2008....
Newshawk: [BOT] DrugSenseBot's Home
