| For Immediate Release | For more information contact: |
| July 2, 2001 | Jon Peterson (651-296-5989) |
(ST. PAUL) Reform was the theme of many of the budget bills passed during the final hours of the 2001 special session, said Rep. Rich Stanek (R-Maple Grove). "It took a little extra time to accomplish it, but at the end of the day we enacted historic reform that will impact the state for generations to come," he said.
Rep. Stanek said that the reform centerpiece was the 2001 Tax Bill, a sweeping $900 million package that included double-digit property tax relief for all classes of property, a rebate of the entire tax surplus, and a state takeover of the General Education Levy. The bill, which Governor Ventura signed into law on June 30, also creates a new statewide levy on cabins and businesses, which dedicates new resources to education. By shifting the general levy to the state, local property tax bills will now more clearly reflect local operating and excess levy amounts.
Reform marked the K-12 Education Bill, which included provisions to require school districts to operate with balanced budgets, allow outside audits, and fund alternative teacher compensation. "Again this year, the education bill placed new money on the per pupil formula, which treats children equally throughout the state," said Rep. Stanek. "Gone are the days when the legislature simply poured money into pet projects that only helped a few school districts."
The Health and Human Services Bill also contained significant reform, most notably in long term care. To address critical worker shortages, the bill included a 3 percent hike per year in nursing home reimbursement rates. The bill also began the process of changing nursing homes reimbursement, and it provided funding to develop a alternative nursing home survey process.
Welfare reform was kept intact from the 1997 federal law, but the Health and Human Services Bill allowed extensions for public benefits for people with extraordinary circumstances that make them unable to work.
Rep. Stanek serves District 33B in the House of Representatives. He is the chair of the Judciary Finance Committee and also serves on the Crime Prevention Committee, the Civil Law Committee and the Ways and Means Committee.
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