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Jeremy Kalin and Rick Olseen, this region's first term state legislators, shared some impressions of their experiences so far in the state legislature, and updated many of their supporters attending events held last weekend throughout their legislative district.

Kalin, DFL-first term in the Minnesota House, said lawmakers are aiming to finish by May 21 and avoid the 'special session" syndrome that's plagued previous sessions.

Kalin added "It's been a wild ride," in St. Paul, citing the number of bills already acted on. He feels House Leader Kelliher has been doing "an excellent job" despite a "stubborn" governor.

Kalin says the state's "urgent needs" have been getting attention. In his view these are: the state's role in the nursing home fiscal crisis, responding to the governor's budget and school funding.

Chisago County nursing home employees are included in a bill that grants rate hikes for their pay, more comparable to metro pay rates. Kalin called the budget presented by Governor Pawlenty that raises property tax, "totally unacceptable." He also mentioned he was meeting with North Branch School District administration and staff Monday this week, in North Branch, to hear more about the district's fiscal needs.

Talking about up and coming issues -- Rep. Kalin is very excited about a bill that would have Chisago County as one of three counties that would cooperate with an institute at the University of Minnesota on cellulosic fuels study. So, far, Kalin said the study has been included with five other projects in the state for funds, and he said he heard very complimentary things about the county presentation in St. Paul on this bill.

Kalin said the representative job is "high pressure" but he is "loving it immensely." He thanked everyone for attending Saturday's event at the Cornerstone in Wyoming, and stressed that it was only through the help of active citizens that he defeated Republican incumbent Pete Nelson in the last election.

On major issues such as a possible flat tax and health care-- Kalin mentioned that the leadership has already advised legislators that 2008 is going to be the year for healthcare reforms. "We're being told to spend this summer, as soon as we adjourn, getting organized and learning about our district's healthcare needs and issues," Kalin said Saturday. He promised healthcare reforms are not going to go on the backs of property tax and reform is not simply going to be a "shifting of costs."

On the flat tax issue he said DFLers are approaching this as a need to "restore fairness to the system." He added, "I think there's a way to balance a flat tax and make it fair. We have to figure out how to do it." Lawmakers will need good data on actual taxes/fees paid in all categories and by whom before a flat tax can even begin to be developed.

Kalin's also actively working on energy initiatives. He said it will "...take a lot of dialogue to change business attitudes" however. The hurdle is balancing near term costs for energy conservation initiatives, versus long term costs if the status quo isn't shifted.

Senator Rick Olseen spoke about the differences in school funding needs across the state and how difficult it is to be fair to districts across-the-board. He said he visited Cloquet and Two Harbors where student populations have declined substantially from years ago-- and said their issues are quite different from a growing districts' needs.

Olseen is hoping to get involved in the conference committees that meet and reconcile the House and Senate actions. "As a freshman I have been told I'll be lucky to get on anything, Olseen noted."

Sen. Olseen agreed with Kalin the legislature is just not ready to grapple healthcare reforms this session. "I'm not hearing there's a big appetite in the senate for the next major step," Olseen observed.

He noted the state healthcare program MnCare has been expanded to allow enrollment of some 50,000 Minnesotans, mostly children, who have lost coverage in the last couple years. The state is trying mostly to address gaps in children's healthcare now, he added.

The first term senator was able to get Taylors Falls interstate park services funding put permanently into a regular appropriations which should address that city's long time complaints. Olseen, said this funding method frees up the $37,000 the county was kicking into the city budget through Payment In Lieu of Taxes, creating "tax relief" on the county end.

Olseen said he'll be on the floor of the senate every day, all this week, with the pace picking up on the senate side. He added, "People ask me how can you have 2,200 new laws? There's always something out there that people bring to the legislature that needs a response," he explained.

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