Others’ Opinions: More storms, but no special session

Published 9:50 am Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Were it not for some foresighted lawmaking by the 2014 Legislature, Gov. Mark Dayton almost certainly would be calling a special session this month to authorize state spending to repair storm and flood damage inflicted in 39 Minnesota counties in June and July.

Before this year, spring and summer storms followed by fall special sessions for disaster relief had become Minnesota’s pattern. State government deserves credit for its bipartisan commitment to hastening recovery from nature’s worst blows. But as the Office of the Legislative Auditor pointed out in a 2012 report, the special-session pattern wasn’t optimal. It left to political whim and hasty judgments decisions that ought to be orderly, predictable and consistent from one episode to the next.

This year, legislators put a better approach into the statute books. Led by Rep. Gene Pelowski — a 14-term DFLer whose Winona district was socked with major flooding in August 2007 — they created a rubric that both affords Minnesotans more assurance of state help when trouble strikes and, in many cases, eliminates the need for a special session to start that help flowing. It created an emergency fund — initially $3 million — that can be tapped to supply the 25 percent local match required by federal aid via the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The new law also spells out when it may be used for disaster relief when FEMA plays no role.

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That fund is small, but the need for matching funds arises slowly as repairs are made and reimbursement is due for local government expenditures. State officials announced last week that while at least $10.2 million eventually will be required for the “nonfederal” match in the 37 counties receiving FEMA aid, $3 million will be sufficient to keep repair work on schedule between now and the start of the Legislature’s regular session in January. It’s also enough to start sending help to Morrison County, which did not qualify for federal help but meets the state’s threshold for assistance spelled out in the new law, and Dakota County, which is appealing FEMA’s refusal to include it among counties qualifying for federal aid.

Local governments have another new tool to manage repair costs. A 2013 change in law allows storm-battered local governments to receive an advance on their usual December allotment of state aid. State officials said that as of last week, 16 counties, 32 cities and 88 townships already had received advance payments totaling more than $70 million.

These sensible changes illustrate the kind of adaptations that Minnesotans should be making to a climate that scientists say is becoming increasingly harsh and unpredictable. Episodes of extreme weather, long a part of the Minnesota experience, are likely to become more frequent and intense. When the worst comes, it may be cold or wet comfort to know that Minnesota’s state and local governments are adept at storm recovery. But it’s comforting nevertheless.

—The Minneapolis Star Tribune

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