Pax-salon Mailing List: Fwd: UPDATE- MN Bill to weaken local control stalls in committee

[patty guerrero (pattypax]

Yea!  for those who called.  patty


> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: "Bobby King (LSP)" <bking [at] landstewardshipproject.org>
> Subject: UPDATE- MN Bill to weaken local control stalls in committee
> Date: April 7, 2016 at 1:10:20 PM CDT
> To: pattypax [at] icloud.com
> Reply-To: bking [at] landstewardshipproject.org
> 
>  
> <http://www3.thedatabank.com/dpg/_public/hasFriend.asp?aacwc=371562319802023057216178778111&email=pattypax%40icloud.com>
> 
> Dear Patty,
> 
> We asked you and other Land Stewardship Project members to make calls (see 
> action alert below) to Minnesota state legislators opposing the bill to 
> weaken local control and you did! Senators were flooded with calls and this 
> bill, which was on track to pass when this action alert went out over the 
> weekend, stalled in the Senate Local Government Committee on Monday. At the 
> hearing, after strong testimony in opposition and Senators on the committee 
> voicing concerns, Chair Sen. Patricia Torres Ray tabled the bill. The bill 
> needed to advance past this committee to meet a critical legislative deadline.
> 
> Nothing is certain until the legislative session adjourns on May 23, but this 
> is good news and the result of legislators responding to grassroots 
> opposition. 
> 
> Bobby King
> Land Stewardship Project organizer
> 612-722-6377 
>  
> LSP Action Alert: 
> 
> Calls needed TODAY. Bill to Weaken Local Control Gets Senate Hearing on 
> Monday.
> 
> Sen. Sen. Pappas is on the Committee & Needs to Hear from You.
> 
> Corporate interests are pushing bills to weaken the rights of cities and 
> townships to effectively respond to unwanted and potentially harmful 
> developments. This in turn weakens our ability as citizens to work through 
> our local government to protect our community.  
> 
> House File 2585 
> <https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF2585&ssn=0&y=2015>: 
> Reps. Jim Nash (R-Waconia), Mark Uglem (R-Champlin), Mike Nelson 
> (DFL-Brooklyn Park), Leon Lillie (DFL-North St. Paul), Josh Heintzeman 
> (R-Baxter), Jerry Hertaus (R-Greenfield), Linda Runbeck (R- Circle Pines)
> Senate File 2694 
> <https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?f=SF2694&y=2016&ssn=0&b=senate>: 
> Sen. Melisa Franzen (DFL-Edina)
> The bills weaken the interim ordinance powers of townships and cities. 
> Interim ordinances allow cities or townships to quickly put a temporary 
> moratorium on major development. This is an emergency power that is essential 
> when the community is caught off-guard by unanticipated and potentially 
> harmful proposals, especially those from outside corporate interests. The 
> interim ordinance freezes the status quo and gives the community time to 
> review or create the appropriate zoning ordinances. Corporate interests have 
> long pushed to weaken these rights because citizens have used them 
> effectively to stop unwanted developments like factory farms.
> 
> The bills require a two-thirds super majority to enact an interim ordinance. 
> Currently, an interim ordinance can be enacted by a simple majority — that’s 
> how democratic rights should work.
> The bills would delay enactment of an emergency interim ordinance for so long 
> that it will often be ineffective. The bill requires public notice and a 
> public hearing before a city or township enacts an emergency interim 
> ordinance on "activities related to housing." The problem with this is that 
> neighbors often don't learn about a proposed project until just days before a 
> permit is going to be issued. Under this bill, by the time the township or 
> city posts a notice and has a public hearing on adopting the moratorium, the 
> project could already be permitted. This provision is particularly 
> problematic for township boards and small cities, which often only meet once 
> a month. For them, meeting this requirement may take months. By that time, 
> the project could be permitted and the moratorium be ineffective.
> We are making progress. Because of grassroots opposition, two co-authors took 
> their name off the bill.  Rep Paul Thissen in the House and Sen. Karin 
> Housley in the Senate removed their names from the bill. That leaves only one 
> author in the Senate and this is a clear signal to others that this bill is 
> controversial and not liked.
> 
> However, the bill did move out of the House Government Operations Committee 
> on March 24 and gets a Senate hearing this Monday, April 4.   
> 
> TAKE ACTION!  The Senate bill will get a hearing in the Senate State and 
> Local Government Committee on Monday at 2 p.m. Sen. Pappas, your state 
> senator, sits on the committee and she needs to hear from you at 651-296-1802 
> or MAIL FORM 
> <http://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1046&ls=>
> Suggested message: “Sen. Pappas I am your constituent. On Monday, April 4, 
> Senate File 2694 will be heard in the Senate State and Local Government 
> Committee. Minnesotans value strong local control and township rights. Senate 
> File 2694 weakens these rights and I oppose it. Townships and cities need to 
> keep their power to enact an interim ordinance strong. An interim ordinance 
> is an emergency power that in order to work needs to be enacted quickly. It 
> allows for a moratorium on major development when the community is caught 
> off-guard by unanticipated and potentially harmful proposed developments. 
> Township and city local control is working as it stands now and should be 
> left alone, especially during this year’s rushed and unusually short 
> legislative session. Please, vote against this bill in any form.”
> 
> Telephone calls are best. You can call now and leave a message. Be sure and 
> leave your name and say that you are a constituent.   
> 
>  All Members of the Senate Local Government Committee:
> 
> Sen. Patricia Torres Ray (DFL-Minneapolis), Chiar, 651-296-4274 or MAIL FORM 
> <http://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1151&ls=>
> Sen. Chris A. Eaton (DFL-Brooklyn Center) at 651-296-8869 or MAIL FORM 
> <http://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1192&ls=>
> Sen. Jim Abeler (R-Anoka) at 651-296-3733 or sen.jim.abeler [at] senate.mn 
> <mailto:sen.jim.abeler [at] senate.mn>
> Sen. Dan Hall (R-Burnsville) at 651-296-5975 or MAIL FORM 
> <http://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1182&ls=>
> Sen Alice M. Johnson (DFL-Blaine) at 651-296-2556 or MAIL FORM 
> <http://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1206&ls=>
> Sen. Bev Scalze (DFL-Little Canada ) at 651-296-5537 or sen.bev.scalze [at] 
> senate.mn <mailto:sen.bev.scalze [at] senate.mn>
> Sen. Bruce Anderson (R-Buffalo) at 651-296-5981 or sen.bruce.anderson [at] 
> senate.mn <mailto:sen.bruce.anderson [at] senate.mn>
> Sen. Dave Thompson (R-Lakeville) at 651-296-5252 or sen.dave.thompson [at] 
> senate.mn <mailto:sen.dave.thompson [at] senate.mn>
> Sen. Kevin Dahle (DFL-Northfield) at 651-296-1279 or MAIL FORM 
> <http://www.senate.mn/members/member_emailform.php?mem_id=1160&ls=>
> Sen. Karin Housley (R- Stillwater) 651-296-4351 or sen.karin.housley [at] 
> senate.mn <mailto:sen.karin.housley [at] senate.mn>   
> Sen. Melissa H. Wiklund (DFL-Bloomington)  at 651-297-8061  or 
> sen.melissa.wiklund [at] senate.mn <mailto:sen.melissa.wiklund [at] senate.mn>
> ​ <mailto:sen.melissa.wiklund [at] senate.mn>Please, let me know if you need 
> more information or hear back from any legislators.
> 
> Bobby King
> Land Stewardship Project
> 612-722-6377
> bking [at] landstewardshipproject.org <mailto:bking [at] 
> landstewardshipproject.org>
>  
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