Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Voting Record Grid

2007 Minnesota House Voting Record
Your Minnesota State Representative's 2007 Record on Prosperity Issues

View by: Legislator's Name District Legislator's Party
Style: Tally Only Preferred Position

Symbol Key:
	Voted with the preferred position		Voted against the preferred position
Y	Voted YES	N	Voted NO
-	Did Not Vote	A	Absent

Minnesota Chamber Position:

Anzelc, Tom (DFL)
Minnesota House District 3A

Atkins, Joe (DFL)
Minnesota House District 39B

Benson, John (DFL)
Minnesota House District 43B

Bigham, Karla (DFL)
Minnesota House District 57A

Bly, David (DFL)
Minnesota House District 25B

Brown, Robin (DFL)
Minnesota House District 27A

Brynaert, Kathy (DFL)
Minnesota House District 23B

Bunn, Julie (DFL)
Minnesota House District 56A

Carlson, Lyndon (DFL)
Minnesota House District 45B

Clark, Karen (DFL)
Minnesota House District 61A

Davnie, Jim (DFL)
Minnesota House District 62A

Dill, David (DFL)
Minnesota House District 6A

Dittrich, Denise (DFL)
Minnesota House District 47A

Doty, Al (DFL)
Minnesota House District 12B

Minnesota Chamber Position:

Eken, Kent (DFL)
Minnesota House District 2A

Faust, Tim (DFL)
Minnesota House District 8B

Fritz, Patti (DFL)
Minnesota House District 26B

Gardner, Paul (DFL)
Minnesota House District 53A

Greiling, Mindy (DFL)
Minnesota House District 54A

Hansen, Rick (DFL)
Minnesota House District 39A

Hausman, Alice (DFL)
Minnesota House District 66B

Haws, Larry (DFL)
Minnesota House District 15B

Hilstrom, Debra (DFL)
Minnesota House District 46B

Hilty, Bill (DFL)
Minnesota House District 8A

Hornstein, Frank (DFL)
Minnesota House District 60B

Hortman, Melissa (DFL)
Minnesota House District 47B

Hosch, Larry (DFL)
Minnesota House District 14B

Huntley, Thomas (DFL)
Minnesota House District 7A

Johnson, Sheldon (DFL)
Minnesota House District 67B

Minnesota Chamber Position:

Juhnke, Al (DFL)
Minnesota House District 13B

Kahn, Phyllis (DFL)
Minnesota House District 59B

Kalin, Jeremy (DFL)
Minnesota House District 17B

Kelliher, Margaret (DFL)
Minnesota House District 60A

Knuth, Kate (DFL)
Minnesota House District 50B

Koenen, Lyle (DFL)
Minnesota House District 20B

Laine, Carolyn (DFL)
Minnesota House District 50A

Lenczewski, Ann (DFL)
Minnesota House District 40B

Lesch, John (DFL)
Minnesota House District 66A

Liebling, Tina (DFL)
Minnesota House District 30A

Lieder, Bernie (DFL)
Minnesota House District 1B

Lillie, Leon (DFL)
Minnesota House District 55A

Loeffler, Diane (DFL)
Minnesota House District 59A

Mahoney, Tim (DFL)
Minnesota House District 67A

Mariani, Carlos (DFL)
Minnesota House District 65B

Minnesota Chamber Position:

Marquart, Paul (DFL)
Minnesota House District 9B

Masin, Sandra (DFL)
Minnesota House District 38A

Morgan, Will (DFL)
Minnesota House District 40A

Morrow, Terry (DFL)
Minnesota House District 23A

Mullery, Joe (DFL)
Minnesota House District 58A

Murphy, Erin (DFL)
Minnesota House District 64A

Murphy, Mary (DFL)
Minnesota House District 6B

Nelson, Michael (DFL)
Minnesota House District 46A

Norton, Kim (DFL)
Minnesota House District 29B

Olin, Dave (DFL)
Minnesota House District 1A

Otremba, Mary Ellen (DFL)
Minnesota House District 11B

Paymar, Michael (DFL)
Minnesota House District 64B

Pelowski, Gene (DFL)
Minnesota House District 31A

Peterson, Sandra (DFL)
Minnesota House District 45A

Poppe, Jeanne (DFL)
Minnesota House District 27B

Minnesota Chamber Position:

Rukavina, Tom (DFL)
Minnesota House District 5A

Ruud, Maria (DFL)
Minnesota House District 42A

Sailer, Brita (DFL)
Minnesota House District 2B

Scalze, Bev (DFL)
Minnesota House District 54B

Sertich, Anthony (DFL)
Minnesota House District 5B

Simon, Steve (DFL)
Minnesota House District 44A

Slawik, Nora (DFL)
Minnesota House District 55B

Slocum, Linda (DFL)
Minnesota House District 63B

Solberg, Loren (DFL)
Minnesota House District 3B

Swails, Marsha (DFL)
Minnesota House District 56B

Thao, Cy (DFL)
Minnesota House District 65A

Thissen, Paul (DFL)
Minnesota House District 63A

Tillberry, Tom (DFL)
Minnesota House District 51B

Wagenius, Jean (DFL)
Minnesota House District 62B

Ward, John (DFL)
Minnesota House District 12A

Minnesota Chamber Position:

Welti, Andy (DFL)
Minnesota House District 30B

Winkler, Ryan (DFL)
Minnesota House District 44B

Abeler, Jim (R)
Minnesota House District 48B

Anderson, Bruce (R)
Minnesota House District 19A

Anderson, Sarah (R)
Minnesota House District 43A

Beard, Michael (R)
Minnesota House District 35A

Brod, Laura (R)
Minnesota House District 25A

Buesgens, Mark (R)
Minnesota House District 35B

Cornish, Tony (R)
Minnesota House District 24B

Dean, Matt (R)
Minnesota House District 52B

Demmer, Randy (R)
Minnesota House District 29A

Dettmer, Bob (R)
Minnesota House District 52A

Eastlund, Rob (R)
Minnesota House District 17A

Emmer, Tom (R)
Minnesota House District 19B

Garofalo, Pat (R)
Minnesota House District 36B

Minnesota Chamber Position:

Gottwalt, Steve (R)
Minnesota House District 15A

Gunther, Bob (R)
Minnesota House District 24A

Hackbarth, Tom (R)
Minnesota House District 48A

Hamilton, Rod (R)
Minnesota House District 22B

Holberg, Mary (R)
Minnesota House District 36A

Hoppe, Joe (R)
Minnesota House District 34B

Howes, Larry (R)
Minnesota House District 4B

Kohls, Paul (R)
Minnesota House District 34A

Lanning, Morrie (R)
Minnesota House District 9A

Magnus, Doug (R)
Minnesota House District 22A

McFarlane, Carol (R)
Minnesota House District 53B

McNamara, Denny (R)
Minnesota House District 57B

Nornes, Bud (R)
Minnesota House District 10A

Peppin, Joyce (R)
Minnesota House District 32A

Seifert, Marty (R)
Minnesota House District 21A

Minnesota Chamber Position:

Severson, Daniel (R)
Minnesota House District 14A

Shimanski, Ron (R)
Minnesota House District 18A

Smith, Steve (R)
Minnesota House District 33A

Urdahl, Dean (R)
Minnesota House District 18B

Westrom, Torrey (R)
Minnesota House District 11A

Zellers, Kurt (R)
Minnesota House District 32B

Symbol Key:
	Voted with the preferred position		Voted against the preferred position
Y	Voted YES	N	Voted NO
-	Did Not Vote	A	Absent

Key:

1	MN 2007: H.F 946: Transportation Funding - Metro Sales Tax, DeLaForest Amendment	TRANSPORTATION - H.F 946: Metro Sales Tax, DeLaForest Amendment - This amendment would have eliminated the half-cent metro area sales tax from the house transportation finance bill. The Chamber supported the amendment because the sales tax is a significant business tax. According to the Department of Revenue, businesses pay 45% of Minnesota�s sales tax. The amendment failed on a vote of 51 to 76.

2	MN 2007: H.F. 2294: Personal Income Tax, Final Passage	FISCAL - H.F. 2294: Personal Income Tax, Final Passage - This bill would have created a fourth income tax bracket at 9 percent. The Minnesota Chamber opposed the bill because the personal income tax is a small business tax. Small businesses (i.e. sole proprietors, partnerships, s-corporations and limited liability companies, etc.) flow their business income through a personal income tax return. The bill passed on a vote of 73 to 58.

3	MN 2007: H.F. 2362: Omnibus Tax Bill, Final Passage	FISCAL - H.F. 2362: Omnibus Tax Bill, Final Passage - The House omnibus tax bill created a new fourth income tax bracket at 9.0%, adopted worldwide unitary reporting for the corporate income tax, extended the phase-out of limited market value, and increased utility property classification rates. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce opposes the bill because the new fourth income tax bracket would have increased taxes on many small businesses; worldwide unitary reporting would have increased taxes and administrative burden on multinational corporations; limited market value shifts property tax burden on to business property; and increasing utility classification rates will result in increased electricity and natural gas prices for consumers. The bill passed on a vote of 74 to 59.

4	MN 2007: H.F. 946: Transportation Funding, Final Passage	TRANSPORTATION - H.F. 946: Finance Bill, Final Passage - The House transportation finance bill included: a 5-cent gas tax increase in 2008 and another 5-cent increase in 2009; increased license tab fees; granted authority in the seven-county metro area to impose a one-half cent sales tax for roads and transit; granted Greater Minnesota counties the ability to impose a one-half cent sales tax with a referendum; and granted all counties the authority to impose a $20 wheelage tax. The Minnesota Chamber opposed the bill, but actively supported a more moderate package that would have begun the process of building our way out of a long-term problem. It passed on a vote of 83 to 46.

5	MN 2007: H.F. 946: Transportation Funding, Conference Committee Report	TRANSPORTATION - H.F. 946: Transportation Funding, Conference Committee Report - The conference committee report on the transportation finance bill contained a 5 cent gas tax increase, allowed for a 2.5 cent gas tax surcharge to finance the debt service of bonds, a license tab fee increase, authority to impose a one-half cent sales tax to be divided between roads and transit in the seven-county metro area, authority for greater Minnesota counties to impose a half-cent sales tax, and authority for all counties to impose a $5 or $10 wheelage tax. The Minnesota Chamber opposed the conference committee report because we continued to support a more moderate transportation funding package. It passed on a vote of 90 to 43.

6	MN 2007: H.F. 946: Transportation Funding, Veto Override	TRANSPORTATION - H.F. 946: Finance Bill, Veto Override - This is the veto override attempt on the conference committee report on the transportation funding bill. The Minnesota Chamber opposed the bill and thus the motion to override the Governor`s veto. (In the House, it takes 90 votes to override the Governor�s veto.) It failed on a vote of 83 to 50.

7	MN 2007: S.F. 145: Energy Omnibus Policy Bill, Seifert Amendment	ENERGY - S.F. 145: Energy Omnibus Policy Bill, Seifert Amendment - The omnibus energy policy bill included a provision that restricted new carbon-based electricity generation. The Seifert amendment would have removed this restriction. The Minnesota Chamber supported the amendment because we believe Minnesota needs additional base-load power sources and the omnibus energy policy bill would have needlessly restricted the state�s base-load options. The amendment failed by a vote of 50 to 78.

8	MN 2007: S.F. 1989: DREAM Act, Severson Amendment	EDUCATION - S.F. 1989: DREAM Act, Severson Amendment - The DREAM Act allowed any Minnesota high school graduate who attended a high school in the state for at least three years to be eligible for in-state tuition. In cases of students without lawful immigration status, to qualify for in-state tuition, they would be required to file an affidavit stating that they have begun to, or intend to, apply for legal status. Minnesota Chamber supported the DREAM Act because it is one way to address the shortage of educated workers and we believe students should be allowed to resolve their immigration status while pursuing a higher education. The Severson amendment would have eliminated the DREAM Act from the omnibus higher education bill. The Minnesota Chamber opposed the amendment. It failed on a vote of 61 to 71.

9	MN 2007: S.F. 2089: Workforce Development Tax, Buesgens Amendment	EDUCATION - S.F. 2089: Workforce Development Tax, Buesgens Amendment - The Workforce Development Fund is financed by a 0.10-percent payroll tax. In 2008, the payroll tax was scheduled to decrease to 0.085 percent; however, the House omnibus jobs bill eliminated the scheduled reduction of the tax. The Buesgens amendment would have maintained the scheduled reduction of the workforce development tax. The Minnesota Chamber supported the amendment because we believe the payroll tax should be eliminated and workforce development fund programs should be financed with general fund dollars. The amendment failed on a vote of 43-83.

10	MN 2007: S.F. 2096: Energy Omnibus Finance Bill, Peppin Amendment	ENERGY - S.F. 2096: Energy Omnibus Finance Bill, Peppin Amendment - Currently, Minnesota law prohibits utilities from developing new nuclear power plants The Peppin amendment would have removed Minnesota�s ban on new nuclear generation. The Minnesota Chamber supported the amendment because we believe utilities should be able to consider all types of base load power, including nuclear, for future development. The amendment failed by a vote of 54 to 79.

11	MN 2007: S.F. 2171: Health Exchange Employer Mandate, Peppin Amendment	HEALTH CARE - S.F. 2171: Health Exchange Employer Mandate, Peppin Amendment - The Chamber supports the concept of the Health Insurance Exchange, but opposes mandating that employers establish premium only section 125 plans. This would set a dangerous precedent by creating a mandatory role for the employer in delivering health benefits, and potentially opens employers up to additional liabilities that would make health care even more unaffordable. The Peppin amendment would have eliminated the mandatory nature of the Health Insurance Exchange. The Chamber supported the amendment. It failed on a vote of 40 to 92.

12	MN 2007: S.F. 2171: Healthcare - Interpreter Mandates, Peppin Amendment	HEALTH CARE - S.F. 2171: Interpreter Mandates, Peppin Amendment. The Chamber opposes a new health insurance mandate that would reimburse providers for the cost of furnishing language interpretation service. Currently, patients have access to interpreter services because health care providers are already required by federal law to provide this service. The proposed mandate required individuals and small businesses to pay for the cost of this service which would have increased health insurance premiums. The Peppin amendment would have eliminated the interpreter mandate. The Minnesota Chamber supported the amendment. It failed on a vote of 38 to 90.

We also found votes cast by the following former members of this chamber: