Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Fox 9 News: Pawlenty Proposes Small Business Assistance for '08 Session

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Rural Minnesota small business development is the first major initiative proposed by Gov. Tim Pawlenty for the 2008 legislative session. On Tuesday, Pawlenty outlined SEED -- his Strategic Entrepreneurial Economic Development program.

SEED is a combination of tax credits, loans, grants and other capital assistance to small business owners in Minnesota. Pawlenty will ask the 2008 Legislature to approve and pay the program with $20 million from the state's general fund and another $50 million in borrowed money.

Click here to read the full article.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

KARE 11: Pawlenty announces state loans for Mesabi Nugget plant






(Associated Press) Governor Tim Pawlenty said state agencies will lend $26.5 million to the Mesabi Nugget plant on the Iron Range, calling it a "transformational moment for northeastern Minnesota."

He signed a $16.5 million loan from the Iron Range Resources Board in Eveleth on Thursday and said the project will also get $10 million from the state Department of Employment and Economic Development.

Click here to read the full article.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Governor Pawlenty Signs Flood Relief Bill

Just before 3:00 AM this morning, Governor Pawlenty signed the flood relief bill passed in the one-day special session.

As reported by the Pioneer Press, the bill includes:

- $51 million to repair and replace roads and bridges.

- $38 million for other public infrastructure projects, including repairing local sewer and water systems, city and county buildings, municipal utilities and state and local parks.

- $35 million in grants and loans to small businesses.

- $16 million in low-interest and forgivable loans to individual homeowners.

- $1 million for property tax abatements for flooded homes and businesses.

- $584,000 to clean up and repair schools and provide aid to offset pupils who left school districts after the flood.

Click here to read the rest of the Pioneer Press article.


Monday, September 10, 2007

Governor Pawlenty Calls Special Session

The State Legislature will convene at 5:00pm Tuesday for a special session to provide aid needed from the recent droughts and flooding in Minnesota.

Click here to listen to the press conference, via MPR.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

PIONEER PRESS: Pawlenty says special session must be limited to floods, transportation, cutting property taxes

By Rachel E. Stassen-Berger


Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty said he has begun to doubt lawmakers' willingness to focus a potential special session only on emergency issues.

Pawlenty, a Republican, voiced those doubts in a letter to Democratic-Farmer-Labor leaders Tuesday. He said his questions were prompted after reading an article in the West Central Tribune newspaper and talks his staffers have had with lawmakers.

"The sentiments expressed in the attached article and the discussions with legislators since our meeting last week raise questions about the DFL majority's willingness to keep a potential special session properly focused," he wrote.

Since the Interstate-35W bridge collapse on Aug. 1, lawmakers and the governor have considered the possibility of an interim legislative session to deal with the disaster. The massive flooding in southeastern Minnesota on Aug. 19 further fueled those discussions.

But the governor has said he will only call lawmakers into special session if he receives a detailed pre-agreement on what bills will be passed and the length of the session.

Click here to read the full article.