Dear Friends and Neighbors, I hope you are enjoying the best time of the year in Minnesota, when the heat of summer yields to the cooler temperatures of Indian Summer and harvest time is right around the corner. This newsletter will be an update on the effect of a recent supreme court decision and local governments' successful grant initiatives. Scroll to the bottom for helpfuls links to election information from the Secretary of State's office. | In May 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the government’s seizure of a property worth more than needed to satisfy a debt constitutes a taking. The original case concerned 94-year-old Minneapolis resident Geraldine Tyler, who failed to pay property taxes on her one-bedroom condo. Hennepin County seized the property and sold it at auction for $40,000. Tyler owed only $15,000 in past-due taxes, interest, and costs to the County (her original unpaid obligation was $2,300). Under Minnesota law, the County retained the surplus of $25,000 from the sale rather than refunding it to Tyler. So now that the Supreme Court has ruled, Counties across Minnesota will be required to pay back the excess they retained in the sale of the tax-forfeited property. In the last session, the Legislature softened the blow by giving state aid to counties to help them pay back the property owners. The counties and claimants are engaged in a class action lawsuit in Ramsey County in order to agree upon and arrange payment. To establish eligibility for compensation, a person must have owned or held an interest in a property that was forfeited in Minnesota for non-payment of taxes during the following time periods: --Property in Hennepin County forfeited between August 16, 2012 and December 31, 2023 --Property in Saint Louis County forfeited between June 2, 2016 and December 31, 2023 --Properties in all other Minnesota counties forfeited between June 23, 2016 and December 31, 2023. Upon approval of the settlement by the Court, successful claimants may receive up to 90% of the surplus value plus interest of the forfeited property minus taxes and associated charges. For more information, visit https://www.mntaxforfeituresettlement.com/ | State Funds Local Development in District 20 | The city of Red Wing was recently awarded a $1 Million grant to help get it on track for when the Nuclear Power plant at Prairie Island is retired. Currently, the city is dependent on the tax payments that Xcel provides, and when the plant is no longer operating, a huge chunk of its budget will disappear, potentially increasing the burden on property tax payers. Nuclear power plants have a lifespan with planned site decommissioning according to federal laws and rules. "The grant funds will support multi-year planning to create numerous transition planning documents, including an economic impact assessment, community engagement and support strategy, revenue diversification strategy, infrastructure enhancements, workforce development and retraining, and more" according to the announcement from the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). The city of Zumbrota was awarded $597,713.00 by DEED for rehabilitating 21 owner-occupied housing units. The grant is part of the Small Cities Development Program, which helps towns and small cities, especially in Greater Minnesota, improve their residential housing stock and main street businesses. Cities with fewer than 50,000 residents and townships and counties with fewer than 200,000 residents are eligible. DEED administers the grants that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds. | We are a couple of months from Election Day but voting has already begun! You can vote absentee by mail or in person. Many locations still have voting on Election Day at a local precinct but others now vote by mail only. Your local officials (city or township and county) decide whether to opt into mail-only voting. Many local governments switched to mail only during COVID-19, but a few have switched back to in-person voting because they want to have the trust that comes from casting your ballot with people they know, in their local community. How do you know what your voting arrangements are? t's a good idea to check to see if anything has changed so that you can plan ahead. Some helpful resources you'll find there: | I only send these out about once a month when the legislature in not in sessions (yes, we still have a part time legislature in Minnesota!) but please do contact me at any time to share any issues, concerns, or feedback you have to assist me in best representing you. The best way to reach me is by email at [email protected] or by phone at 651-296-5612. My legislative assistant is Margaret Martin, and her number is 651-296-4264. She will be happy to assist you, in or out of session. | Steve Drazkowski Minnesota Senate, District 20, Wabasha, Goodhue, Winona, Olmsted, and Dakota Counties. | 2411 Minnesota Senate Building 95 University Avenue W.
Minnesota Senate Bldg.
St. Paul, MN 55155 | |
