Local lawmaker: Challenging session ahead

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM--The upcoming 2003 State Legislative session may not be the most challenging Sen. Dennis Frederickson has seen in 22 years in the State Senate, but it's definitely in the top three.

"I would say, as far as challenging, it would be a toss-up between this coming session and my first two sessions in 1981 and 1982 because we had very severe budget problems then, too; maybe worse than we have now," the New Ulm Republican said.

"It's hard to equate the two because of inflation and all the changes. I think in a period of two years we had several special sessions to balance the budget, and each time we came in there were no good, popular solutions. I mean it was raise taxes and fees, shift some funding into the next biennium and make cuts. We made cuts in virtually every program."

The veteran lawmaker also envisions a long, drawn-out session which might be followed immediately by a special session when, by the Constitution, the session ends Monday, May 19.

"It could well be that we won't finish because of political differences, the difficulty that there might be in solving this budget crisis. It could very well be that we'd be in session until the end of June. By the constitution, we must adjourn the regular legislative session by the first Monday following the third Saturday in May," Frederickson explained.

"The real, absolute deadline for a passing a bill and not causing major problems is the end of June because the new biennium starts on July 1. If we don't pass the funding bills, there is no money to operate state government. It's not like with Congress where the agencies can keep on operating on last year's budget. In Minnesota, at the end of the biennium, except for two or three human service financial assistance programs, there's no more money to operate."

However, the committees involved may elect to continue working, particularly if there appears to be some movement, Frederickson explained. Then, the governor has to make a decision whether to call a special session immediately to force the issue if the committees aren't meeting or wait until there is a resolution if the committees are in "meaningful" negotiations.

Frederickson said the Senate is doing its part in cutting expenses by reducing the number of committees.

"One of the ways the Legislature can reduce costs is by having fewer committees because that requires less staffing. The flip side of that is (with) fewer committees, that means there will be fewer hearings, and there will be less opportunity for citizens to appear before senate committees and give us their formal input on what they would like to see happen," Frederickson said.

While the Democrats have retained control of the Senate, Frederickson sees problems ahead for the DFL in maintaining that control as there are 35 Democrats, just one vote over a majority. There are several rural conservative Democrats who are as apt to vote with the Republicans as they are with their own party.

"If you look at the rural conservative Democrats, like Sen. Jim Vickerman of Tracy, where on many issues, there is very little difference in his voting record and mine, and if our Republican caucus would all stay together, we would have the majority on many, many issues," Frederickson said.

"So, it's going to be very contentious, particularly for the DFL caucus. Nothing is going to be a given."