The following article by Patty Dexter was posted on the Eden Prairie News website February 15, 2018:
The newspaper contacted Rep. Laurie Pryor for a Q&A previewing the session.
What are the biggest issues facing your district this session?
In talking to members of the community, their top of mind issues haven’t changed a great deal. Minnesotans are counting on the Legislature to ensure kids can get a great education, make health care affordable and accessible, build upon economic opportunities for the region, and invest in updated transportation infrastructure. I also hear from many folks about the need to protect our land, air, and water, and enact common-sense solutions to prevent gun violence.
How would you characterize the legislature’s relationship with the governor?
Clearly, fallout from the 2017 legislative session led to some difficulties between the Republican legislative leadership and Gov. Dayton, including a court battle. A lack of accountability in the legislative process, especially toward the end of session with bills several hundred pages in length being put together behind closed doors, has led to trust eroding. As Minnesotans look to leaders in St. Paul to help them create better opportunities for their families, continued partisan squabbling like this gets in the way of that.
What ways will national politics impact Minnesota politics this session?
We’ve already seen the federal tax bill’s looming impact on Minnesota, which will require a great deal of attention this session as we decide the level at which to conform at a state level. Congress continues failing to uphold their end of the bargain on health care, with children’s health insurance and community health centers facing unacceptable delays. Beyond any singular issue though, in talking to people I get the sense that frustrations both with Washington and St. Paul are inspiring them to become committed to get involved in politics at an unprecedented level.
How will the legislature keep operating in 2018 if it runs out of money?
The Legislative Coordinating Commission has moved money from a reserve account to keep the lights for the House and Senate. The legislature will likely move to fully fund the legislature and make whole again the budget for the LCC shortly after session begins.
What should the legislature do about the $43 million request by Gov. Mark Dayton’s administration to fix the Minnesota License and Registration System?
Minnesotans deserve efficient, effective delivery of government services, especially those as fundamental as vehicle registration and driver’s license renewals. With the Real ID compliance deadline on the horizon, it’s imperative that these systems be fully functional. New leadership and vendors have been brought on board to improve performance and reduce the vehicle title processing backlog. The Legislature must do its due diligence to understand what went wrong and what needs to be done to completely fix it. Additionally, since the MNLARS launch, deputy registrars have put in countless amounts of overtime, and deserve to be compensated for this work.
What are your thoughts about the latest delays in the Southwest Light Rail Transit project?
For our region to continue to grow while creating more opportunities for families, we must move forward with infrastructure like SWLRT. We can’t take shortcuts on a multibillion dollar project like this, though. Demand for new transit options continue to grow, and SWLRT is critical to a successful multi modal transportation system for the metro area and to our future economic development. We’ve seen businesses, civic organizations and citizens come together to push for SWLRT’s completion and we can’t put it at risk.
What tax changes would you support to conform with the federal tax changes?
Unfortunately for many Minnesotans, the federal Republican tax bill raises taxes on Minnesotans by over $800 million per year. Additionally, they will see vital benefits that many Minnesotans have counted on disappear due to the Republican tax bill. Any conformity we make must be done with the objective of protecting working families from seeing unnecessary tax increases for the benefit of the richest and big corporations.
What are your thoughts about the lawsuit related to Sen. Michelle Fischbach’s desire to retain her position as the president of the Minnesota Senate while acting as the lieutenant governor?
Interpreting the language of the Minnesota Constitution plainly, it’s clear one person isn’t permitted to serve in both offices. I hope the court will decide the matter in short order to ensure all Minnesotans have full representation in the Legislature.
How should sexual harassment be addressed at the capitol?
Visitors, elected officials, staff, and lobbyists all have the right to serve in an environment that’s safe and free from the unacceptable behavior that came to light last year. Soon after session stars, all members of the House will attend mandatory harassment training, but this isn’t enough. A task force is needed to fully examine why this culture has been allowed to persist in the Legislature, executive branch, and political campaigns. From there, we can make needed changes, including improved reporting procedures and investigation policies which everyone can be confident in.
View the post here.