Senator Carla Nelson

Proudly serving Olmsted and Wabasha Counties

The Minnesota State Fair Public Opinon Poll Results are In!

This past weekend I had the honor of meeting with Minnesotans at the Senate booth at the Minnesota State Fair. Since this is a  redistricting year, the Senate booth was focused on helping Minnesotans find their new legislative districts. It is important to ensure that citizens understand the redistricting process and know how to find their new legislative districts in preparation for the November election. Have no fear, the Senate will have a public opinion poll next year.

While we in the Senate were providing help in identifying new candidates and new districts for Minnesotans, the House of Representatives took up the public opinion poll again this year (as you can see from the last question of the House poll). Today, the House released those results. The poll had quite a few interesting results. Certainly the poll will give something for each legislator to think about as we move toward the new legislative session in January.

Take a look at the results.

STATE PROVIDES $167 MILLION IN DISASTER AID IN ONE DAY SPECIAL SESSION

“This was an expedient and efficient meeting of the Legislature to help affected Minnesotans recover and get back to normal as soon as possible,” said Senator Nelson.

(ST. PAUL) – Senator Carla Nelson (R-Rochester) was one of the 60 votes in the Senate approving the disaster relief bill during the Senate’s one day special session last Friday.   Legislators passed a $167 million disaster relief package that will help cities, businesses, and citizens impacted by natural disasters recover and rebuild.

The recovery funds extend to 19 counties that faced destruction this summer from devastating flooding and storms. There was much media coverage about the destruction in Duluth, but other areas were impacted as well.  Federal Disaster Declaration

The Legislature was able to pass this needed aid because, for the first time in years, the state has money in its reserves to provide necessary funds for rebuilding, much of which is basic infrastructure.

Sen. Nelson said, “The disaster relief package is a well-crafted bill.  Not only does it do what government is supposed to do: provide relief to those affected by disasters but it also contains new safeguards to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used for their designated purposes. In addition, we protected the payback to schools and took advantage of available federal dollars in order to cover costs.”

Two new accountability measures are in place.  First, unused funds will now be returned to the State.  Second, relief money must be used for recovery/rebuilding efforts and cannot be applied to additional projects.

 “These provisions may seem like common sense, but they were not in MN law until today.  I am pleased these key safeguards are now in place. The state has both a duty to help with recovery efforts in the wake of natural disasters and the responsibility to be good stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars. 

  Disaster Aid Bill

Senator Carla Nelson is Vice Chair of the Senate Education Committee. She can be reached at 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Capitol Building, Room 111 St. Paul, MN 55155-1606 651.296.4848 sen.carla.nelson@senate.mn

Senator Carla Nelson Drafts Legislation to Address Accountability in State Disaster Aid

“Publicly funded disaster aid requires consistency and clarity,” said Senator Nelson

(ST. PAUL) – During the recent Special Session of the Minnesota Legislature to fund disaster aid, Senator Carla Nelson (R-Rochester) was the only senator to have additional legislation introduced.

In March 2012 the Minnesota Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) issued a program evaluation on our state’s efforts to help in natural disaster recovery.  The OLA made several recommendations for state recovery programs.  Some of these recommendations were included in the pre-agreed upon bill between the Governor and legislative leaders.  Some were not.

“I took to heart the report that our Legislative Auditor filed earlier this year. I was glad to see the recommendations that were included in the bill planned for introduction in the special session but was concerned about those that had been omitted.”

Sen. Nelson’s legislation addresses the need for clarity and consistency in determining whether the state should pay the full share of FEMA required matching funds for federal aid and the local share for flood- hazard mitigation grants.  Nelson’s bill also seeks clarity for when state recovery funding should be available for non-qualified FEMA disasters. The bill also calls for better use of existing federal, state and local reporting mechanisms to evaluate and improve recovery activities.

“We must have a better defined framework for state disaster-recovery funding so it is clear in what situations the state bears responsibility.  This will provide consistency and will allow cities, counties, and individuals to know what type of assistance and to what degree the state may help with recovery costs in the event of a disaster,” Nelson said.

“While we cannot predict the face of future disasters we can be sure they will occur and it is difficult to set clear criteria on state disaster-recovery funding in the middle of a disaster.  These types of policy discussions must occur before our next disaster strikes.  That is why I introduced SF3.  Defining the state’s role in disaster-relief funding is important not only for the local governments but it is also our responsibility to the taxpayer.  Over the last 15 years, Minnesota has appropriated more than $650 million in disaster aid,” Senator Nelson concluded.