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Dear Minnesotans,
My colleague Maddie Robinson is covering what may end up being one of the most — if not the most — consequential items in the legislative session this year: authorizing a bump in the Hennepin County sales tax to help Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC).
To review, HCMC is the only Level 1 trauma center in Minneapolis. And, over the past week, it has been praised by everyone from Rep. Aisha Gomez, DFL-Minneapolis, to Sen. Jordan Rasmusson, R-Fergus Falls, for its commitment to charity care.
Read Maddie’s pieces for the details, but here is my contribution to this story: Ann Rest — the roundly praised and feared chair of the Senate Taxes Committee — really, really loves the Minnesota Twins. Like, a lot. Like her Capitol office doubles as a shrine to the Twins’ World Series victories in 1987 and 1991.
Related: HCMC funding bill aims to keep hospital from financial tipping point
Like, she risked a safe seat in the Legislature 30 years ago in order to compel Gov. Arne Carlson to call a special session that lasted 23 days in order to find some way to raise the money needed for a new Twins ballpark.
Rest’s gambit failed, but eventually the Twins did get a new stadium. And now county sales tax proceeds to furnish Target Field are entwined with proposals to help HCMC.
Critics on Bluesky pointed out that Rest’s HCMC tax proposal gives less money to the hospital than its House counterpart and more to possible renovation at Target Field.
“This sales tax will fall far short of what HCMC needs, so will do more to save the Pohlads than the hospital,” wrote (one-time MinnPost columnist) David Brauer.
Related: With Survival at stake for HCMC, staff and leaders call for state action
But aiding the Pohlad family, which has owned the Twins since 1984 — the same year Rest joined the Legislature, is a consistent priority of the New Hope lawmaker.
Rest is retiring this year. My guess is that she wants to help her Twins on the way out, even if it may complicate assisting HCMC or other important tax business.
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Walz dumps cold water on spending bills
The Legislature gave itself a new rule it can break this week: A deadline to move spending bills out of their committee of origin.
But a retiring Tim Walz is not pushing onto the Legislature any ambitious new spending proposals (his plan to transform Medicaid notwithstanding, which is being discussed in Health and Human Services committees.)
In fact, quite the opposite.
“This is a very limited non-budget year,” the governor told reporters at the Capitol Tuesday. “I would just really caution the Legislature about any new spending in any new way.”
Walz said he would be “hard pressed” to not veto any new appropriations, “besides very limited specific targeting to recover from Metro Surge.”
The House Ways and Means Committee held a hearing Monday about the economic impact of Operation Metro Surge on everything from small businesses that closed to children seeking mental health care. But the committee did not take up legislation. And it seems unlikely in a tied House that Walz’s main spending request will be granted.
Questions about the session? Thoughts on your favorite Twin? Email me at mblake@minnpost.com.
Sincerely,
Matthew Blake
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