MN News

MINNESOTA BUDGET        Minn. lawmakers start examination of Dayton plan        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Republicans on Minnesota’s influential House Ways and Means Committee say some of what appeared to be cuts in Gov. Mark Dayton’s budget blueprint are actually reallocated spending.        The committee that’s charged with piecing together the legislative budget met Monday for its first detailed look at Dayton’s $38 billion, two-year tax and spending proposal.        GOP members were wary of major sales and income tax changes and the possible effect on the state’s business climate. Several Minneapolis DFLers suggested including a liquor tax increase to accompany Dayton’s proposed 94-cent-a pack hike in the state cigarette tax.        GOP Rep. Denny McNamara of Hastings noted that what initially looked like $225 million in cuts is actually both cuts and some reallocated spending within agencies, including the DNR. Dayton’s budget chief, Jim Schowalter, confirmed that.

MINNESOTA BUDGET-TAX SPILLDOWN        Sales tax plan would be boon to some Minn. cities        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – About two dozen Minnesota cities and counties would see a gusher of unexpected money if Gov. Mark Dayton’s proposed sales tax expansion to more items and services prevails.        That’s because the local governments piggyback on the state’s sales tax with levies of their own.        Most of the local add-on taxes are dedicated to specific purposes, which could mean quicker repayment of public debt on building projects. For those cities, it means their local sales taxes would blink off sooner.        Other cities have more flexibility in spending dollars from local taxes that either never expire or won’t for decades.        Early estimates by the Minnesota Department of Revenue show that cities and counties with their own sales tax could expect to see 60 percent more than they take in now.

GUN LEGISLATION        Minn. House panel plans 3 days of gun hearings        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – A Minnesota House committee is gearing up for three days of hearings next week to take testimony on proposed changes to the state’s gun laws.        Committee Chairman Michael Paymar says he anticipates as many as 10 bills to either restrict or expand the presence of guns will be heard.        Paymar supports tightening the state’s gun laws. He says votes will come later in the session on a comprehensive gun bill. Some possible components are mandatory background checks for purchases of pistols and semi-automatic guns no matter where a gun is sold and limits on the size of bullet clips. The panel will also hear a bill allowing teachers to arm themselves in schools.

LEFT IN CAR-MINNESOTA        Police: Aunt left 2 kids in cold car in Hopkins        (Information in the following story is from: WCCO-TV, http://www.wcco.com)        HOPKINS, Minn. (AP) – A 55-year-old woman has been arrested after Hopkins police say she left two children alone inside a cold car while she drank at a bar.        Police were called Sunday night to a bar and restaurant on a child welfare check. A restaurant patron had found the two children – ages 2 and 3 – in a locked, unattended car in the parking lot.  The car was not running.        WCCO-TV reports the children’s aunt was supposed to be caring for them but was inside the bar. Police say she later left in a taxi.        The children’s parents were at work and were notified immediately. They told police to turn the children over to another relative.        The aunt later returned to the bar and was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment.

OVERFISHING ANGLER        Minn. angler accused of catching too many fish        (Information in the following story is from: St. Cloud Times, http://www.sctimes.com)        FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (AP) – A Minnesota fisherman is accused of catching hundreds of fish over the legal limit.        A St. Cloud Times report says the angler was fishing recently at West Spitzer Lake in Otter Tail County. A conservation officer approached and asked him how the fishing was. The 69-year-old Carlo man said it hadn’t been great.        The officer asked him if he had any fish at home and the man said he wasn’t sure. The man allowed the officer to follow him home and inspect his freezer.        The officer says he found cardboard containers and plastic bags filled with fish. He counted 228 bluegills, seven bass and six northern pike over the legal limit.        The suspect could face a year in jail, $3,000 in fines and $1,560 in restitution.

DEER SEASON        Minnesota deer harvest declines 4 percent        ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) – Minnesota’s deer harvest declined in 2012 but officials say it was a safe season for people who took to the woods.        Final numbers released Monday show that Minnesota hunters killed nearly 185,000 deer, down 4 percent from 2011.        Leslie McInenly, the big game program leader at the Department of Natural Resources, says the decline was expected because the DNR issued fewer permits to take antlerless deer in a move to build up the deer population.        The archery harvest was up 5 percent and the muzzleloader harvest increased 1 percent, but the firearms harvest was down 5 percent from last year.        The DNR says only one hunter fatality and 19 injuries were reported. Capt. Mike Hammer credits the state’s hunter education program, in which 4,300 volunteers taught 23,000 students last year.

DEPUTY-INVOLVED SHOOTING-ROCKVILLE        Prosecutor: Minn. deputy justified in shooting        ST. CLOUD, Minn. (AP) – A Stearns County sheriff’s deputy won’t face charges for shooting and wounding a homicide suspect last fall.        The Stearns County Attorney’s office said Monday that Deputy Chad Meemken’s use of force was justified.        According to the findings, Meemken shot and wounded Marcus Michael Barshaw after Barshaw started to point a gun at him.        A review of the case found that Meemken was justified in protecting himself and other officers and in preventing Barshaw from escaping.        Barshaw was found in a nearby apartment building several hours after 30-year-old Jeffrey Schutz of Rockville was fatally shot on Oct. 21.        A grand jury later indicted Barshaw for first-degree murder. His trial is pending.        The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigated.

 

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