PUBLIC POLICY GUIDE 2017
A guide to the area’s political and legislative landscape and overview of The Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber’s public policy views and efforts.
A MESSAGE from the President On behalf of our more than 2,100 members and over 109,000 employees, The Chamber is honored to serve as the voice of business in the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo metropolitan region. As the largest local Chamber in both Minnesota and North Dakota, we are proud to represent our members in the public policy arena. In greater Minnesota, we are committed to protecting the funding mechanisms that allow border cities to remain competitive. We seek to support policies that lessen the regulatory burden on businesses who do business in both states. As a border city community, it is important that we evaluate and simplify code regulations where possible, including housing and business operations. In North Dakota, we are proud of the thriving communities we represent with Fargo and West Fargo. Our metropolitan region continues to be a strong and reliable economic engine for the state of North Dakota. We stand firm in our support of the Fargo Moorhead Diversion project and are proud of the milestones that have been reached thus far, but we know that permanent flood protection has not been reached and we will work tirelessly to reach that goal. The Chamber has outlined one of its top priorities to advocate for responsible and effective strategies to respond to the workforce shortage in our region. We understand that this issue is multi-faceted and affects many different areas. We are fortunate to live in such a thriving metropolitan community that offers a strong and robust economy, excellent school systems, and a high quality of life. We are committed to shining a light on the great things happening in our community and sharing the impressive opportunities available to those who are looking to live, work and do business in the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo metropolitan region. Thank you for your Chamber membership, and I invite you to please join us in our advocacy efforts.
Craig Whitney
President/CEO, The Chamber
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Energy and Natural Resources Regulatory
The Chamber supports certainty in energy markets and opposes burdensome, unnecessary regulations and mandates that increase costs for businesses and consumers. The Chamber supports responsible regulations driven by and in response to local conditions and needs.
Energy Infrastructure
The Chamber supports the development of essential energy infrastructure including transmission lines, power generation facilities and pipelines to produce and transport local energy to market. The Chamber encourages increasing refining capabilities to drive additional investment in local energy resources, strengthen the economy and increase the availability of a reliable supply of natural resources.
Energy Development Impact
The Chamber encourages the allocation of appropriate resources to communities affected by energy development to ensure access to adequate water, power, housing, infrastructure and workforce needs.
Comprehensive Energy Policy
The Chamber supports the efficient development of regional energy resources. Local access to a vast array of resources provides the link to comprehensive energy solutions and supports energy independence.
Environmental Stewardship
The Chamber values our spectacular natural environment and encourages responsible stewardship of state water, state trust lands, minerals, wildlife and other natural resources.
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Education, Training and Workforce Development Early Education Expansion
The Chamber supports public policies that increase the availability of affordable, quality, early childhood learning opportunities and career advancement opportunities of early childhood professionals to meet the burgeoning demand and critical importance of early childhood education.
Alignment of Education and Employment
The Chamber supports the strategic development of a skilled workforce that aligns with regional employment opportunities and encourages increased communication between employers and educators. The Chamber supports programs that provide internships, mentorships and on-the-job training opportunities.
21st Century Workforce Skills
The Chamber encourages a curriculum that emphasizes science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) as well as the acquisition of resources necessary to support the STEM disciplines. Additionally, The Chamber encourages the modernization of education to incorporate new technologies and cuttingedge teaching methods.
Education Finances
The Chamber supports the allocation of financial resources to support student success. Funding should leverage programs that increase retention and on-time graduation, attract and retain the most effective teachers and accurately reflect population growth. Regarding higher education, The Chamber supports increased programs that increase students’ understanding of postsecondary education including costs, employment prospects and earning potential in their chosen fields.
Diversity
The Chamber supports an educational and employment environment that embraces a diverse workforce and capitalizes on unique talents.
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Health Care Health Information Exchanges
The Chamber supports the confidential exchange of health information to facilitate access to and retrieval of clinical data regardless of the setting of treatment. This exchange of information will reduce the duplication of services, reduce costs and increase the quality and efficiency of care.
Public Funding
The Chamber supports policies that address regional funding disparities for health care providers to ensure continued access to health care services, including mental health.
Long-Term Care
The Chamber supports policies that incentivize individuals for and saving for their long-term care needs while targeting limited public dollars toward those who can least afford their own care. Given the projected wave of seniors utilizing long-term care, The Chamber encourages greater participation in information sharing by employers and employees and supports innovation in the delivery of long-term care that promotes consumer choice and reduces costs.
Health Promotion
The Chamber supports investments in evidence-based worksite wellness programs that encourages a personal responsibility role in reducing the costs of health care.
Innovative Healthcare Strategies The Chamber recognizes the need for affordable health care and supports public policies that address the growing cost of care including: the promotion of wellness programs, the implementation of telehealth, tele-pharmacy and other innovations, the examination of medical liability laws and supporting payment methodologies that reward providers for quality, coordinated care and the management of chronic diseases.
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Regulatory, Economic Development and Tax Policy North Dakota Tax Relief
The Chamber supports the continued reduction of property taxes, business taxes, individual income tax and sales tax while recognizing the need to maintain local control. The Chamber strongly supports the examination of reducing the state income tax to zero as a means to attract workforce and reward personal and corporate success.
Border City Competitiveness
The Chamber will continue to support programs that allow Minnesota border cities to be competitive, including local government aid and the Disparity Reduction Credit. The Chamber will support efforts to eliminate businessto-business taxes as well as protect and create new border-city exemptions. As a border city community, it is important that we pursue definitions for housing code regulation pertaining to fire sprinkler requirements in twinhomes that allows for consistent application of regulatory standards.
Entrepreneurship
The Chamber supports ventures that foster the formation and advancement of business incubators to encourage start-ups, accelerate time to market and increase the rate of long-term success. The Chamber encourages the advancement of programs that provide access to capital or spur capital investment in the private sector to promote and support entrepreneurship.
Earned Income Credit
The Chamber supports the viability of tax incentives that support workforce participation.
Global Trade
The Chamber supports efforts to expand fair global trade opportunities for North Dakota and Minnesota businesses by removing trade sanctions and barriers and enforcing existing trade agreements. The Chamber recognizes that foreign trade distortions require a balanced trade policy.
Tort Reform and Legal Climate
The Chamber supports identifying opportunities to improve the legal climate to be fair and predictable for all parties and to discourage the practice of costly, frivolous lawsuits. 7
Flood Protection Permanent Flood Protection
The Chamber supports the FM Area Diversion project as the best solution to reduce the flood risk in the metropolitan area and provide protection of lives, property and economic opportunity.
Multiple Funding Sources
The Chamber supports the allocation of financial resources for the construction and maintenance of the diversion project from all available local, state and federal partners.
Impact Mitigation
The Chamber recognizes that achieving the necessary flood risk reduction will not come without a cost and encourages sponsors and stakeholders to make every effort to minimize the impact to affected landowners.
Quality of Life
The Chamber supports the integration of recreational opportunities into the development of the diversion project to contribute to a healthy, vibrant economy. 8
Planning, Transportation and Infrastructure Comprehensive Transportation Planning
The Chamber supports a quality, multi-modal transportation system that allows people and goods to move efficiently, conveniently and safely into and around the metropolitan area. The Chamber supports efforts to develop, integrate and maintain rail, air, bus and pedestrian services, including the expansion of services to new growth areas.
Strategic Development
The Chamber supports a strategic and synergetic approach toward community development. This includes implementation of proven economic tools to promote investments in downtown Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo. Additionally, The Chamber supports the study of construction and/or expansion of a multi-functional convention center to accommodate enhanced professional, educational and recreational opportunities.
Rail Safety and Efficiency
The Chamber supports minimizing risk of accidents by any means possible including replacing older tank cars, appropriate speed regulations, increased standards for track and equipment inspections. The Chamber also supports public outreach and first responder training to ensure officials are properly informed and trained to respond to potential situations.
Expanded Bandwidth Capacity
The Chamber supports a progressive approach to the advancement of investments to developing an advanced digital infrastructure system through investments in the fiber networks, resulting in the highest speed and bandwidth capacity available.
Transportation Infrastructure Investments
The Chamber supports investments in the National Highway System, Minnesota’s Interregional Corridors and the solvency of the Highway Trust Fund through the examination of the motor fuel tax to ensure adequate resources are available for transportation infrastructure needs.
Water Infrastructure
The Chamber understands the increase in residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural water use places a growing demand on existing water supplies that will be inadequate during periods of drought. The need to supplement the water supply to the Red River Valley has been clearly demonstrated; therefore, The Chamber supports the prioritization and advancement of the Red River Valley Water Supply Project to ensure the availability of a long-term, high-quality water supply.
Air Service
The Chamber supports the vitality of air service to ensure sustainable access for commerce.
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MINNESOTA
Constitutional Officers
Governor Mark Dayton Lieutenant Governor Tina Smith Attorney General Lori Swanson Mark Dayton
Secretary of State Steve Simon
Minnesota Supreme Court
Lorie Skjerven Gildea, Chief Justice Barry Anderson Christopher Dietzen David Stras Wilhelmina Wright David Lillehaug Natalie Hudson
In Minnesota, constitutional officers include the governor/lieutenant governor, attorney general, state auditor and secretary of state. Offices including the commissioner of education, commissioner of agriculture and commissioner of revenue are appointed positions.
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NORTH DAKOTA Constitutional Officers
Governor Doug Burgum
Lieutenant Governor Brent Sanford Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem
Doug Burgum
State Auditor Josh Gallion Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread Secretary of State Alvin A. Jaeger Tax Commissioner Ryan Rauschenberger State Treasurer Kelly Schmidt Superintendent of Public Schools Kirsten Baesler
Public Service Commission Julie Fedorchak, Chair Randy Christmann Brian Kalk
North Dakota Supreme Court
Gerald W. VandeWalle, Chief Justice Jerod Tufte Carol Ronning Kapsner Daniel J. Crothers Lisa Fair McEvers
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MINNESOTA
Congressional Delegation
Senator Amy Klobuchar
302 Hart Senator Office Building Washington, DC 20510 | 202.224.3244 121 Fourth Street South | Moorhead, MN 56560 218.287.2930 | klobuchar.senate.gov
Senator Al Franken Amy Klobuchar
309 Hart Senate Building Washington, DC 20510 | 202.224.5641 819 Center Avenue, Suite 2A | Moorhead, MN 56560 218.284.8721 | franken.senate.gov
Representative Collin Peterson 2204 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 | 202.225.2165 714 Lake Avenue, Suite 107 | Detroit Lakes, MN 56501 218.847.5056 | collinpeterson.house.gov
Minnesota State Legislature State Capitol Building 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Saint Paul, MN 55155 651.296.8338 | leg.state.mn.us District 4
Al Franken
Sen. Kent Eken 651.296.3205 sen.kent.eken@senate.mn
District 4A
Rep. Ben Lien 651.296.5515 rep.ben.lien@house.mn
District 4B
Rep. Paul Marquart 651.296.6829 rep.paul.marquart@house.mn
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Collin Peterson
NORTH DAKOTA Congressional Delegation Senator John Hoeven
338 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 | 202.224.2551 1802 32nd Avenue, Suite B | Fargo, ND 58103 701.239.5289 | hoeven.senate.gov
Senator Heidi Heitkamp
SH-110 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 | 202.224.2043 657 Second Avenue North | Fargo, ND 58102 701.232.8030 | heitkamp.senate.gov
John Hoeven
Kevin Cramer
1032 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 | 202.225.2611 3217 Fiechtner Drive, Suite D |Fargo, ND 58103 701.356.2216 | kevincramer.house.gov
North Dakota State Legislature
State Capitol Building | 600 East Boulevard Avenue Bismarck, ND 58505 Legislative Council | 701.328.2916 | legis.nd.gov District 11
District 21
District 44
Rep. Ron Guggisberg rguggisberg@nd.gov
Rep. Kathy Hogan khogan@nd.gov
Rep. Josh Boschee jboschee@nd.gov
Rep. Kris Wallman kwallman@nd.gov
Rep. Mary Schneider mschneider@nd.gov
Rep. Merrill Piepkorn
District 13
District 27
District 45
Rep. Kim Koppelman kkoppelman@nd.gov
Rep. Thomas Beadle tbeadle@nd.gov
Rep. Mary Johnson marycjohnson@nd.gov
Rep. Chris Olson cdolson@nd.gov
Rep. Randy Boehning rboehning@nd.gov
Rep. Tom Kading tkading@nd.gov
District 16
District 41
Sen. Kyle Davison kdavison@nd.gov
Sen. Jim Roers jroers@nd.gov
Rep. Andrew Marschall amarschall@nd.gov
Rep. Pamela Anderson pkanderson@nd.gov
Rep. Shannon Roers Jones
Rep. Ben Koppelman bkoppelman@nd.gov
Rep. Al Carlson acarlson@nd.gov
Rep. Jim Kasper jkasper@nd.gov
Sen. Tim Mathern tmathern@nd.gov
Sen. Judy Lee jlee@nd.gov
Sen. David Clemens
Sen. Carolyn Nelson cnelson@nd.gov
Sen. Jon Casper jcasper@nd.gov
Sen. Karla Rose Hanson
Heidi Heitkamp
Sen. Ronald Sorvaag rsorvaag@nd.gov
District 46
Kevin Cramer
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MINNESOTA
Local Leaders Moorhead City Council
218.299.5305 | ci.moorhead.mn.us
Mayor Del Rae Williams
Delrae.williams@ci.moorhead.mn.us First Ward
Mari Dailey | mari.dailey@ci.moorhead.mn.us Sara Watson Curry | email not available at time of print
Del Rae Williams
Second Ward
Heidi Durand | heidi.durand@ci.moorhead.mn.us Vacant at time of print
Third Ward
Brenda Elmer | brenda.elemer@ci.moorhead.mn.us Joel Paulson | email not available at time of print
Fourth Ward
Steve Gehrtz | steve.gehrtz@ci.moorhead.mn.us Chuck Hendrickson | chuck.hendrickson@ci.moorhead.mn.us
Dilworth City Council
218.287.2313 | dilworthcitymn.com
Mayor Chad Olson
chad.olson@ci.dilworth.mn.us Elected City Officials of Dilworth
Chad Olson
Jim Aasness | jim.aasness@ci.dilworth.mn.us Julie Nash | julie.nash@ci.dilworth.mn.us Jason Kakac | jason.kakac@ci.dilworth.mn.us Kevin Spaulding | kevin.spaulding@ci.dilworth.mn.us
Clay County Commission 218.299.5002 | co.clay.mn.us District 1
Jim Haney | jim.haney@co.clay.mn.us
District 2
Frank Gross | frank.gross@co.clay.mn.us
District 3
Jenny Mongeau | jenny.mongeau@co.clay.mn.us
District 4
Kevin Campbell | kevin.campbell@co.clay.mn.us
District 5
Grant Weyland | grant.weyland@co.clay.mn.us
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NORTH DAKOTA Local Leaders Fargo City Commission
701.241.1310 | cityoffargo.com
Mayor Tim Mahoney
tmahoney@cityoffargo.com Fargo City Commissioners
Tony Gehrig | tgehrig@cityoffargo.com Dave Piepkorn | dpiepkorn@cityoffargo.com Tony Grindberg | tgrindberg@cityoffargo.com John Strand | jstrand@cityoffargo.com
Tim Mahoney
West Fargo City Commission 701.433.5300 | westfargond.gov
Mayor Rich Mattern
rich.mattern@westfargond.gov West Fargo City Commisioners
Mark Wentz | mark.wentz@westfargond.gov Duane Hanson | duane.hanson@westfargond.gov Mark Simmons | mark.simmons@westfargond.gov Mike Thorstad | mike.thorstad@westfargond.gov
Cass County Commission
701.241.5720 | casscountynd.gov District 1
Chad Peterson | petersonc@casscountynd.gov
District 2
Rick Steen | sttenr@casscountynd.gov
District 3
Rich Mattern
Vern Bennett | vbennett@casscountynd.gov
District 4
Arland Rasmussen | rasmussena@casscountynd.gov
District 5
Mary Scherling | scherlingm@casscountynd.gov
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Legislator Contacts Contacting a Legislator in Minnesota Minnesota legislators are assigned offices and a legislative assistant to help coordinate their work and constituent requests. Staff members can be very helpful in ensuring legislators receive your communications. In addition, calling, writing letters to their physical address and emailing are all acceptable means of communication. While visiting the Minnesota Capitol, meetings with your legislator can be arranged through their legislative assistant. They can also advise you on how to call a legislator out of a committee meeting or off the House or Senate Floor. How to Locate Your Minnesota Legislator Visit house.leg.state.mn.us/members/hmem.asp or senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/index.php to find out who your Minnesota legislator is.
Contacting a Legislator in North Dakota House and Senate leaders are the only members assigned an office and receive assistance from a legislative staff member. During a session, all legislators can be reached by leaving a message with the legislative telephone message center or by physical addresses listed on their biographies. North Dakota Legislative Telephone Message Center 1.888.NDLEGIS (635.3447) or 701.328.3373 North Dakota Legislator Email Addresses Legislators also have access to email and their addresses may be found at legis.nd.gov/contact-my-legislators.
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218.233.1100
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Select Legislative Terminology Biennium
The two-year period by which North Dakota and Minnesota budgets are set. Unless called into special session, lawmakers in North Dakota meet once during the biennium, while Minnesota lawmakers have a flexible schedule, which means by law, they are not required to meet annually but are authorized to do so.
Bill
A proposal calling for a new law, a change in current law, the repeal of current law, or a constitutional amendment is drafted into a bill for consideration by the legislative bodies.
Caucus
House and Senate members of the same political party or faction meet a “caucus� to elect leadership and discuss priorities.
Concurrence
When changes or amendments are made to a proposal, the original body can concur or not concur. Concurrence is an action in which one body approves or adopts a proposal or action taken by the other house.
Conference Committee
A group of members from the House and Senate appointed to resolve differences in a proposal passed by both chambers in different forms.
Consent Calendar
Typically non-controversial bills that are awaiting their second reading.
Companion Bills
In Minnesota, identical bills can be introduced in the House and the Senate. The bills can be passed out of both chambers into committees for further action. If both bills return to the House and Senate floor, a conference committee would be appointed to work out the differences. Companion bills are not used in North Dakota as typically a bill is introduced in the House or the Senate, is referred to a committee. Once it returns to the House or Senate floor it is voted on and if passed, sent to the second house. If the bill is amended by the second house, a conference committee ultimately is appointed to work out the differences.
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Fiscal Note
Fiscal notes are intended to be an objective assessment on the price tag on proposed legislation on the change in expenditures and revenues that will result from a bill.
Interim
The months between adjournment of one regular session and the next is referred to as the “interim.� When the legislature is not in session, committees continue to work on assigned studies and often produce legislation to introduce in the following session.
Journals
The official records of the House and Senate. Records are recorded and posted on their respective legislative websites.
Lobbyist
Lobbyists are individuals who are hired, or act on their own behalf to influence action in a particular manner. Information on how to register as a lobbyist, rules and reporting requirements can be accessed from each state’s Secretary of State office.
Referendum
Legislatures can refer law making proposals to the voters by passing a referendum. The referendum would be placed on the ballot for a vote.
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This guide was developed by the Public Affairs committee and adopted by the Board of Directors of the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce. Photography provided by 5foot20 design lounge, Explore Minnesota Tourism, and North Dakota Tourism/Clayton Wolt. 202 First Avenue North | Moorhead, Minnesota 56560 218.233.1100 | fmwfchamber.com