REGIONAL- Continuing to hash out the details of how the Minnesota House will operate in the upcoming session with a 67-67 split, DFL speaker-designate Melissa Hortman and Republican speaker-designate Lisa Demuth last week released their list of committee assignments, and second-term District 3A Rep. Roger Skraba has landed a spot as vice-chair of the Legacy Finance Committee.
Skraba told the Timberjay this week that he believes that assignment, along with assignments to the Capital Investment, Housing Finance and Policy, and Transportation Finance and Policy committees, will put him in a good position to advocate for the interests of the district and rural Minnesota.
Skraba said he believes that the power-sharing arrangement could be a good thing.
“It makes us work together and I think that’s good,” Skraba said. “Maybe the Democrats will see how poorly they’ve treated us the last two years. I hope that when we do work together, we can share each other’s values and get some good legislation. I’m happy we’re in a tie. It’s better than being in the minority. I think we can work together when you take the temptation of power away. We should have been working together before, but they had all the power and didn’t share it. They took everything and now here we are $5 billion short in two years, so we’ve got to work together to solve that problem.”
Skraba said he was disappointed that he wasn’t re-appointed to the Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy committee because of its close connection with North Country issues, but that he’ll be able to pursue most of his agenda through his other assignments.
Skraba was on the Legacy Finance committee in the last session and is looking forward to his elevated role as vice-chair this time around. The committee is responsible for overseeing funding that protects drinking water sources; protects, enhances, and restores wetlands, prairies, forests, and fish, game, and wildlife habitat; preserves arts and cultural heritage; supports parks and trails; and protects, enhances, and restores lakes, rivers, streams, and groundwater.
“The best part is that I don’t have to ask for any money for it,” Skraba said. “Three-eighths of a cent on all taxable sales is where the legacy money comes from, so our job is to spend the money. I think it’s going to be good – we have a good group on legacy.”
Skraba said there are a number of issues he’d like to see the transportation committee take on, and he spoke about one in particular affecting businesses, snowmobiling, and ATVs.
“I want to tackle trail connectors where snowmobile or ATV trails hit state highways that you can’t go down,” he said. “We’re going to find a way to change that statute so that if your restaurant is a quarter mile away from the trail that they’ll be able to use the right-of-way to get to your business. We’re going to work together to help that business rather than say that you’ve got to build two miles of trail around to get to it. People know where the cars are, and I don’t think they want to mingle with the traffic. If we could give them a corridor to go from where the trail hits the state highway to businesses, we could work together to get a safe trail. I think a club needs to request it. I’m happy I’m on transportation so I can help shepherd this through the process.”
Skraba also plans to be an outspoken advocate on the housing committee for resources to address serious shortages across the district.
“This is the one I think northern Minnesota needs the most help on,” Skraba said. “Last time I voted on a couple of bills with the promise that some of that money was going to come up north because it seems that the money always needs to stay south. If we’re going to get these jobs up here, we’re going to get Pulsar and we’re going to get copper-nickel mining and we’re going to increase iron mining, we need more housing. How do we get more money for housing up here in greater Minnesota? That’s going to be a challenge, but I’ll be a voice to remind people to spread some of this love throughout the state.”
Skraba said he would also like to see companies invest in housing for employees when they’re given large incentives to develop operations in the region.
Skraba and his Republican colleagues remain hopeful that two lawsuits contesting the elections of two DFL representatives will eventually lead to Republican control of the House, but if that happens Skraba doesn’t want it to be a contentious legislative session.
“If we’re in the majority, if the lawsuits work out, I hope that the members that want to retaliate for the way we’ve been treated the last two years don’t win out,” Skraba said. “No one wins when you get even. I would much rather just put our heads down and go to work. That’s the message I’m trying to get through to people – let’s just do what we’re supposed to do down here, period.”
Skraba encourages area residents to contact him if they have any legislative questions, concerns, or ideas. He can be reached by phone at 651-296-2190. He can also be contacted via email at rep.roger.skraba@house.mn.gov.