Advocacy News | May 6, 2021
THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY SUPPORTS...

"What does the business community think?" That is a question the Chamber gets asked a lot by policymakers and members of the media. Answering that question isn't easy, especially depending on the topic. Among our membership there are loud voices and quiet ones. Some volunteer their thoughts freely, some we have to seek out. Which is what makes working at the Chamber, and speaking on behalf of our membership, almost an art form. And a job we love to do. 

But still, the business community almost never entirely agrees. Among our 1,700+ members, there is no issue upon which all members agree 100%. That's part of the challenge and the beauty of the business community.

We've hit the point in session where advocates use every tactic they can think of to push their issue over the finish line. We're getting a lot of requests for letters of support. Some issues we've been working on, some are brand-new requests. Some we say yes to, and some we decline. (Often, not because of the merit of the ask, but due to complicated nuance in bills and the aforementioned diversity in what our members think.)

Running a business is hard work. Most entrepreneurs go into business for themselves only to find out that they work more hours and harder than they ever did as an employee. Along the way, the people behind our businesses - large or small - become subject matter experts and amazing problem solvers and those are the people we need weighing in on problems that government is trying to tackle. We need that expertise and creativity at the table. 

During the interim we will be hosting some new conversations, so keep an eye out for those invitations. We're looking forward to hearing what you think.

Shannon Watson
Vice President of Public Affairs
Follow me on Twitter @Shannon_SPACC
PUBLIC AFFAIRS ISSUE FORUMS
Instead of another webinar presentation to watch, our members are invited to participate in a roundtable meeting around a timely issue.

So far this year we've hosted issue forums on public safety, business recovery funding options, the future of corporate PACs, and parking minimums. Upcoming topics will include an overview of the St. Paul administrative citations proposal, and maybe a briefing on redistricting. We want to hear from members - what issues do you want to hear more about? Send your ideas to Shannon.
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BILLS WE'RE WATCHING
Each week we'll highlight a few bills at the legislature that have caught our attention. Being included in this list just means we're watching them -- it does not indicate approval or opposition. ("Retweets =/= endorsement.") Language from the bill title is listed, analysis from SPAC PA staff is in brackets.

Omnibus budget bills have the starring role at the Capitol these days. Here's where some of the committee bills stand as of right now...

Omnibus Tax - Both House and Senate have passed the House bill, there are differences between the current versions of the bill. Differences are being worked out by conference committee.
House conferees Marquart; Youakim; Her; Lislegard; Davids
Senate conferees Nelson; Weber; Miller; Bakk; Rest

Omnibus Higher Education Policy and Finance - Both House and Senate passed the Senate bill, differences are being worked out by conference committee.
House conferees Bernardy; Christensen; Keeler; Klevorn; O'Neill
Senate conferees Tomassoni; Rarick; Goggin; Jasinski; Clausen

Omnibus Education Finance - Both House and Senate passed the House bill, differences are being worked out by conference committee.
House conferees Davnie, Richardson, Pryor, Hassan, Kresha
Senate conferees Chamberlain; Eichorn; Duckworth: Dornink; Wiger

Omnibus Commerce Policy and Finance (including Energy) - Both House and Senate passed the Senate bill, differences are being worked out by conference committee.
House conferees Stephenson; Long; Hollins; Acomb; O'Driscoll
Senate conferees Dahms; Senjem; Utke; Mathews; Frentz

Omnibus Workforce and Business Development Finance and Policy - Both House and Senate passed the Senate bill, differences are being worked out by conference committee.
House conferees Noor; Ecklund; Olson, L.; Berg; Hamilton
Senate conferees Pratt; Rarick; Housley; Draheim; Eken

Omnibus Judiciary and Public Safety Policy and Finance - Both House and Senate passed the Senate bill, differences are being worked out by conference committee.
House conferees Mariani; Becker-Finn; Moller; Frazier; Miller
Senate conferees Limmer; Mathews; Johnson; Ingebrigtsen; Latz

Omnibus Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance - Both House and Senate passed the Senate bill, differences are being worked out by conference committee.
House conferees Hansen, R.; Wazlawik; Morrison; Fischer; Heintzeman
Senate conferees Ingebrigtsen; Ruud; Eichorn; Tomassoni; Westrom

Omnibus Transportation Finance - Both House and Senate passed the House bill, differences are being worked out by conference committee.
House conferees Hornstein, Koegel, Frederick, Elkins, Petersburg
Senate conferees Newman; Jasinski; Howe; Osmek; Bigham

Omnibus Housing Finance and Policy - Both House and Senate passed the House bill, differences are being worked out by conference committee.
House conferees Hausman, Howard, Agbaje, Reyer, Theis
Senate conferees Draheim; Duckworth; Dahms; Pratt; Dziedzic

Omnibus State Government Finance - Both House and Senate passed the House bill, differences are being worked out by conference committee.
House conferees Nelson, M.; Xiong, T.; Masin; Greenman; Nash
Senate conferees Kiffmeyer; Lang; Koran; Howe; Carlson

Omnibus Agriculture and Broadband Finance - Both House and Senate passed the Senate bill, differences are being worked out by conference committee.
House conferees Sundin; Vang; Pelowski; Lippert; Nelson, N.
Senate conferees Westrom; Dornink; Goggin; Anderson; Murphy

Omnibus Legacy Finance - Both House and Senate passed the House bill, differences are being worked out by conference committee.
House conferees Lillie; Jordan; Xiong, J.; Huot; Green
Senate conferees Ruud; Weber; Senjem; Lang; Hawj

Omnibus Health and Human Services Policy and Finance - Both House and Senate passed the House bill, differences are being worked out by conference committee.
House conferees Liebling; Schultz; Gomez; Pinto; Schomacker
Senate conferees Benson; Abeler; Utke; Koran; Hoffman
IN STATE GOVERNMENT NEWS


The Senate capitol investment committee didn't start meeting regularly until late last week. Is the late push enough to get a bonding bill done by May 17?

Why aren't conference committees moving faster? In part, because they need their targets.

And you thought normal bills were hard to find agreement... now it's redistricting time.
IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT NEWS

West 7th business owners take issues with inappropriate behavior to the St. Paul planning commission.

Stillwater city council approved a parking variance for a new downtown apartment complex, while St Paul city council considers doing away with parking minimums altogether.

Dakota county commissioners unanimously recommend Kathryn Keena to fill the remainder of county attorney's term, but also want to be able to send these decisions to the voters in the future.

South St. Paul goat is still at-large, and now Woodbury has a bear or two.
DOING BUSINESS WITH...
This section highlights east metro elected officials who bring their own experience in business to their elected role.

Councilmember Julie Eastman
City of West St. Paul

What was your day job?
I have over 35 years of experience at Control Data, Ceridian, G&K Services as well as working with small businesses, non-profit and community organizations. A few areas include: M&A, strategic planning, economics, finance, legal, pricing/profitability, program management, application development, customer relationship, diversity/employee/leadership development, process improvement, advanced analytics, and change management.
 
How does your business experience inform your role as a city councilor?
I have had an unusual “career path” brought about by frequent market and organizational changes. I was given opportunities to shift and try something different. I am very grateful to the people that gave me those chances. Being open to learning something new and adapting to change helped me succeed in the long haul. Those skills are critical to my new role as a councilmember.

Do you find your experience as an elected official helps or hurts your day job?
I am mostly retired so I’m able to spend more time on my councilmember duties. It’s a new sphere of networking and relationship opportunities – all very positive. Listening and learning are essential to the role.

Would you encourage other members of the business community to run for office? Why or why not?
I encourage anyone who is passionate about making positive contributions to their community to consider running for office. Even the smallest cities are working on similar challenges that federal and state officials are addressing: infrastructure, environment, economic development, affordable housing, fiscal responsibility, parks, community engagement, social justice, equity and inclusivity, public safety, mental and public health. You do not need to know everything and you don’t have to do it all alone. Just bring your unique perspective and experience, do your homework, and be ready to listen and learn. The work can be extremely challenging, but also very rewarding.
We regularly get calls from reporters looking for businesses to comment on a wide set of issues. To make those interactions easier and quicker we keep a list of member company media contacts and areas of expertise. If your company is willing to speak to media on the record, email Shannon and she'll add you to the list.
OPPORTUNITIES TO GET INVOLVED

Join MNDOT to discuss electric vehicles. Sponsored by MnDOT and facilitated by Great Plains Institute, the sessions are designed to determine how to move forward with electric vehicles in the state. (This project is not affiliated with the Clean Cars Rule.)

General Sessions – These sessions will review all strategies broadly.
Tuesday, May 18, 5:00-6:30 pm
Thursday, May 20, 6:30-8:00 pm
Saturday, May 22, 9:30-11:00 am
 
Topic-Specific Sessions – These sessions will dive deeper into specific categories as noted below.
EV delivery trucks, semis and buses: Monday, May 17, 2:00-3:30 pm
EV charging: Tuesday, May 25, 10:00-11:30 am
EV passenger cars and trucks: Wednesday, May 26, 11:30 am-1:00 pm
 
Register for the sessions and find more information here.
2021 PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPONSORS
Thank you to the following companies supporting public affairs initiatives and programming in 2021!
Want to see your logo here? It's not too late! Contact Shannon.
Supporting our members' own advocacy at the Capitol and in City Halls across the East Metro. If you have an issue you’re working on and would like support from the Chamber, contact Shannon to discuss the options. From committee testimony, to letters of support, to meetings with elected officials, we're here to support you and champion an economically vibrant business community. Especially if you do not have in-house government relations staff or contract lobbyists to move your issues, our public affairs team can be a powerful ally and a valuable benefit of membership.
St. Paul Area Chamber