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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, May 9, 2016 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br />Page 2 of 28  <br />  <br />3. ORONO CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION OF APRIL 25, 2016 (continued) <br /> <br />McMillan concurred the City Council should see this item back at the next Council meeting. <br /> <br />McMillan noted under Item No. 2, third paragraph down, second sentence, it should state that the north <br />side of the road belongs to Orono and the south side belongs to Long Lake. On Page 4, the second <br />paragraph, the sentence should read, “the Council could look to add levy funds that result from an <br />increase in property values but did not want to increase the tax rate rather than the levy rate. <br /> <br />Levang moved, Printup seconded, to table the minutes from the Orono City Council Work Session <br />of April 25, 2016, with the proposed amendments. VOTE: Ayes 5, Nays 0. <br /> <br />PRESENTATION <br /> <br />4. SENATOR DAVID OSMEK <br /> <br />Senator Osmek reported the MN Legislature is in its final two weeks of session, with the session being <br />eight weeks long. Osmek noted this is one of the shortest sessions the MN Legislature has had in recent <br />years. <br /> <br />Osmek noted on Thursday the bonding bill failed by one vote in the MN State Senate. Osmek stated <br />there was a Republican alternative for $987,000, which he thought was too high, but if that was added to <br />the bonding from last year, that would have resulted in the state bonding for over a billion dollars. Osmek <br />stated he is committed to obtaining funding for Highway 12 and that it is still a top priority of his. Osmek <br />commented he is optimistic there will be a bonding bill approved prior to the session ending. <br /> <br />Osmek noted any bonding bill must originate in the house and that he just heard this afternoon that a <br />supplemental tax bill will be hitting the floor on Wednesday, with some possible amendments being <br />included relating to TIF modifications for the City of Wayzata. <br /> <br />Last year there was a $900 million surplus. The Republican minority in the senate proposed to take half <br />of that money and put it into road and bridges, including the MSA account, which would impact the City <br />of Orono. Osmek noted that proposal did not get approved. Osmek stated the problem is that the <br />Governor and the Senate DFL are insisting upon tax increases and that the latest proposal is a 12.5 cent <br />gas tax increase phased in over three years. Osmek stated in his view that will not get approved but there <br />may be an increase in the metropolitan sales tax to support bus transportation services. <br /> <br />Osmek reported on former Council Member Kristin Anderson’s bill. Osmek noted Anderson’s son died <br />and the family wanted digital access to his phone. Osmek indicated over the summer he worked with <br />Anderson on the bill but that the problem he was encountering was Federal law. Minnesota is not able to <br />preempt FCC legislation but that there are now steps being taken to allow someone to bequeath their <br />digital assets to their next of kin. Osmek stated while that will not help the Andersons, it may help future <br />parents. <br /> <br />Osmek noted the Republicans are the minority this legislative session and that they have not been able to <br />get very many things done. <br /> <br />Council Member Printup thanked Senator Osmek for his attention to Highway 12 and his quick response <br />to the citizens.