AARON VEHLING JESSICA HARPER AARON VEHLING
Family Leisure to move into Lakeville 2A More retail slated for Lockheed Martin 2A Lakeville economic development on the rise 6A
DATE ##, 2009 FEBRUARY 16, 2012
VOLUME 30, NUMBER # VOLUME 32, NUMBER 51
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Tree business trimmed by city rules
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INSIDE BIZ FORUM
Sens. Gerlach, Downey push for occupation regulation reform by T.W. Budig ECM CAPITOL REPORTER
Two lawmakers are hoping oping to lighten what they perceive ve as heavy-handed treatment of people eople pursuing occupations. “Individuals have a fundamenmental right to work — to take care of themselves,” said Senate Commmerce and Consumer Protec-tion Committee Chairman Chris Gerlach, R-Apple Valley, who along with Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina, is sponsoring the legislation. The lawmakers are lookingg for state government to place the least restrictive occupational regulations tions as possible on occupations, someomething, they argue, that does not ot always happen. “Licensing may be appropriate,” iate,” Gerlach said. But licensing is on the upper end of the occupational regulagulation hierarchy the lawmakerss are advocating. Lesser standards could include inspection, bonding, registration or something else. n the The legislation places on hat a state the burden of proving that tion. given occupation needs regulation. wney “This is a great bill,” Downey said. ons Calls for placing restrictions on occupations, Gerlach said, often come from those engaged in opthe field – industry insiders hoprs or ing to “fence” out competitors otherwise create monopolies. Professor Morris Kleiner of the University of Minnesota Humphrey Institute believes unnecessary occupational licensing reduces state employment levels by 15,000 jobs. Further, it serves to hurt the poor by creating monopolies and increasing the costs charged by licensees by 15 percent without any real benefits to consumers, he argues. The reduction in the number of
DANE SMITH
Some Minnesota school districts are showing the rest of the state how to collaborate and improve special programs. 2A
FORUM
Photo by T.W. T Budig
JJim im Dolphy of Inver Grove Heights, a former tree trimmer, appeared on behalf of the Republicans’ legislation at a Capitol press conference Feb. 13. Dolphy argued that he was eessentially forced out of business by senseless local government occupational occu requirements.
Minnesota’s Senate Republicans are focused on creating jobs with a series of reforms this legislative session. DAVE 4A SENJEM NEWS
A new nonprof it group in Burnsville aims to provide a place where women can f ind a retreat and unwind. THE 23A GARDEN DAKOTA ARTS
service providers resulting from excessive occupational licensing costs Minnesota consumers an additional $3.6 billion a year with little evidence of improved protection, Kleiner believes. He spoke of a “reverse Robin Hood” effect. “The licensing law is ridiculous,” said Jim Dolphy, a former tree trimmer from Inver Grove Heights. Dolphy, speaking at a CapiPhoto by T.W. Budig tol press conference with Kleiner Sen. Chris Gerlach, R-Apple Valley, (left) and Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina, are authoring legislation to lighten perceived government See Regulation, Page 23A overreach in terms of occupations.
OLE AND LENA
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Ole and Lena bring their Norwegian antics to the Lakeville Area Arts Center this weekend. 24A
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Ecolab to expand its Eagan campus New 51,000-square-foot facility will house additional research space, training center Ecolab Inc. of St. Paul will be constructing a new building on its Schuman Campus in Eagan, the company announced Feb. 14. The 51,000-square-foot facility will house a state-ofthe-art training center for the
company’s institutional business, which provides cleaning and sanitation products, programs and services to customers in food service, hospitality and health care industries, according to a press release from the company.
The facility also will provide additional space for research facilities expansion. “Our new training center will help ensure that we continue to maintain the industry’s best-trained sales and See Ecolab, Page 23A
Graphic submitted
An artist’s rendering of the new Ecolab expansion in Eagan.