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Bonding and tax bills still alive in Minnesota special session

The chair of the Minnesota House Ag and Food, Finance and Policy Division says both a bonding bill and tax bill are still alive in the ongoing special session.

Representative Jeanne Poppe of Austin tells Brownfield the Department of Ag’s Lab, which provides data and analytics to help protect the state’s food supply, is part of the bonding bill.

“So that’s something important if we can get a bonding bill and get some support for that. And along with that, the tax bill (is still alive) which would have the Section 179 conformity.”

Farm groups throughout the state would like to see Minnesota conform with the federal expense cap of $1 million.  It’s currently capped at $25,000.

Poppe says she believes lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are motivated to find middle ground.

“Because perhaps the Senate Republicans want more of a tax bill, the House Democrats want more of a bonding bill. So those are two separate but important issues.”

Poppe calls this special session different from any other she’s been a part of and says it’s difficult to predict when it will end and what will come out of it.