Capitol View for November 8

Good morning, and welcome to the start of another work week.

All four of Minnesota’s Republican members of the U.S. House voted against the bipartisan infrastructure bill even though it is expected to bring billions of dollars to the state. The bill includes $4.5 billion for highways over five years, $820 million for public transportation, $302 million for bridge repairs and replacement, as well as about $100 million for broadband internet and more for electric car charging, water projects and airports, according to the White House. Republican Congressman Pete Stauber released a statement after the bill passed late Friday night, “No one wants an infrastructure bill more than me,” Stauber’s statement started, and added, “Regrettably, Nancy Pelosi and other Democrat leaders made it abundantly clear that the $1.2 trillion Senate infrastructure bill is inextricably linked to their bloated multi-trillion-dollar tax-and-spend package. I will not be complicit in paving a destructive and irreversible path towards socialism.” Rep. Ilhan Omar was one of only six Democrats to oppose the bill and the only Democrat from Minnesota to vote no. She said in a release that the measure wasn’t tied closely enough to the larger social spending plan. “From the beginning, I have been clear that I would not be able to support the infrastructure bill without a vote on the Build Back Better Act,” Omar said. “Passing the infrastructure bill without passing the Build Back Better Act first risks leaving behind childcare, paid leave, health care, climate action, housing, education, and a roadmap to citizenship.”

At least 18 more Minnesota schools are expected to offer COVID-19 vaccines to their students this week, MPR’s Catharine Richert and Evan Frost report. The effort comes after federal officials last week approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for kids 5 to 11 years old — an age group in which a lot of new cases of the virus have emerged as children headed back to school this fall. The schools working with the state Department of Health to offer vaccinations this week include locations in Duluth, Minneapolis and Mankato. Other districts, including St. Paul Public Schools, will be hosting vaccine clinics in partnership with local public health offices. "This is not like the beginning with the adult vaccinations, where there just wasn't enough supply. It's just going to get easier and easier as more and more sites have the vaccine," State Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm said Sunday outside a kids' COVID vaccine clinic taking place at the Minnesota Children's Museum in downtown St. Paul. Speaking alongside Malcolm, Gov. Tim Walz said community vaccination clinics are another way to get the COVID vaccine to everyone who wants one. "We want the barriers to be as low as possible. We want them to be as comfortable as possible. And we want them to be as convenient as possible," Walz said. "Parents work during the week. So being able to do it on the weekend ... in such an inviting space is critically important." Parents can get their kids vaccinated at pharmacies and health care clinics as well.

The U.S. lifted restrictions Monday on travel from a long list of countries including Mexico, Canada and most of Europe , providing a boost for the airline and tourism industries decimated by the pandemic. MPR’s Mark Zdechlik reports that while the easing of border restrictions is welcome news to many, leaders in some border communities in northern Minnesota say it's not likely to be an immediate boon for their economies. International Falls Mayor Harley Droba predicted Canada's testing requirement for re-entry will keep many of its citizens at home. "For snowbirds, that's going to be a huge advantage for some of the southern states like our Arizona and Florida, where our Canadian neighbors go to winter,” Droba said. “But as for just coming over for a day trip and utilizing just the south half of our border, we just don't see until that rapid test is removed as a requirement to get back into Canada, a lot of commerce changing in the border community." The border has been closed for non-essential travel since March of last year.

The search for a new Minnesota legislative auditor has wound up with an internal finalist, Brian Bakst reports. The Legislative Audit Commission made up of senators and House members from both parties meets Tuesday to consider Judy Randall’s appointment as auditor. She’d succeed Jim Nobles, who retired after 38 years in the job. Randall would lead a key accountability office for state government -- one that evaluates whether money is being used as lawmakers intended and if policies are being properly carried out. DFL Rep. Rick Hansen helped lead the search process and says Randall stood out. She has worked in the office more than 20 years, including as deputy auditor since 2015. “Every person in any job makes an impact on the job. Mr. Nobles has obviously been there for a very long time,” Hansen said. “But Ms. Randall is very accomplished and very skillful.” She was one of two people interviewed for the job after a recruitment and application process that began in September.

State transportation officials are posting 12 highway signs in northeastern Minnesota to mark the boundaries of a treaty signed in 1854 by the U.S. government and three Ojibwe bands: the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, and Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa. Dan Kraker reports the Minnesota Department of Transportation installed the first sign on Nov. 1 on southbound Highway 61, just south of the Canadian border and near the entrance to Grand Portage State Park. “It is something that was long overdue,” said Grand Portage Chairman Robert Deschampe. “When people enter the 1854 Treaty area they will know where they are and, hopefully, educate themselves about treaties.” Former Grand Portage Chairman Norman Deschampe first asked for signs recognizing the treaty boundaries 11 years ago, said Levi Brown, director of tribal affairs for MnDOT. The Bois Forte and Fond du Lac bands followed with their own formal requests.

And Gov. Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan are set to hold a summit with tribal leaders and Native American community members from across the state today.

Voters' decision to limit rent increase in St. Paul to 3 percent per year is causing some developers to put the brakes on big projects in the Capitol city. The Star Tribune had the story : Unlike most cities with rent control, St. Paul will not exempt new construction, which opponents argue will force lenders and developers to look outside the city for spots where they feel more confident that they will recoup investments and earn profits. "We, like everybody else, are re-evaluating what — if any — future business activity we'll be doing in St. Paul," said Jim Stolpestad, who has worked on developments in St. Paul for 30 years as founder of Exeter, the company behind major projects like Grand Avenue's revamped retail corridor and new luxury apartments in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood. It's a sobering prospect as major redevelopments, including the Hillcrest Golf Club and Boys Totem Town sites, enter critical planning stages. At the Highland Bridge site, where construction is well underway, Ryan Companies was scheduled to submit three building plans to the city this week — but Tony Barranco, Ryan's north region president, said Wednesday those reviews have been postponed indefinitely in light of the referendum's outcome.