ST. PAUL -- Flood-damaged southeast Minnesota and other areas of the state hit by natural disasters this year were on the verge of receiving legislative approval for state aid Tuesday night, although a special session called to provide funds moved slowly.
Legislators spent more time waiting than working while their leaders tried to work out last-minute glitches.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty called the session to assist seven southeast Minnesota counties affected by August flooding, but the bill moving through the Legislature Tuesday evening also would send state money elsewhere. Those funds would help drought-stricken farmers, western and northwestern Minnesota communities hit by earlier floods and a northeastern area the forest fires burned.
Sen. Steve Murphy of Red Wing, along with fellow DFL Sens. Sharon Erickson Ropes of Winona and Ann Lynch of Rochester, said many in their districts no longer receive paychecks because businesses have closed.
Murphy said federal officials are not coming through with expected help.
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"We have folks who have lost everything and they (federal government) are paying for nothing," he said.
The flood relief bill would spend nearly $147 million in cash and state borrowing, with most of the funding headed to the southeast. There is money for debris cleanup, local road and bridge work, economic development projects and emergency housing.
"People need that in order to stand up and go again," said Rep. Steve Drazkowski, a newly elected lawmaker who represents several flooded towns.
Drazkowski, R-Wabasha, said the Legislature may need to provide more assistance in the future, but called the state aid package sufficient
"This'll take care of the bulk of the need," he said.
Communities suffering from the recent flood would receive most of the funding included in the disaster aid bill, but there also was aid for other disasters.
The western Minnesota town of Browns Valley, which experienced flooding in March, could receive $200,000 in local government aid. That funding was included in a tax bill the Legislature passed earlier this year but was vetoed by Pawlenty.
Rep. Paul Marquart, who represents Browns Valley, said the community has a small tax base so flood-related costs could cause a spike in property taxes.
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"Ultimately, it's money the city can use to help keep property taxes down," Marquart, DFL-Dilworth, said.
Crookston, which also has experienced flooding in recent years, would receive $400,000 in additional local government aid over the next two years.
An additional $1 million total over the next two years would be directed to Cook County for costs related to forest fires earlier this year.
The bill also included an estimated $3.7 million for agricultural disaster assistance, including loans and livestock and feed grants.
"I'm a farmer, so I understand that if you don't have feed for your livestock, what are you going to do?" said Rep. Doug Magnus, R-Slayton.
Magnus said the drought assistance included in the disaster package is not adequate, "but that's what they put in there."
Magnus said some of the funding could help farmers in his southwestern Minnesota legislative district.
The agriculture money is "for those folks who have basically lost everything," Murphy said.
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Pawlenty and lawmakers agreed the southeast Minnesota flood victims needed an unusually quick response from state government.
Legislators returned to St. Paul three months after Roseau floods in 2002 and four months following the 1997 Red River floods, but House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, said the timing of this year's floods means lawmakers needed to hurry.
"Seasons are changing in Minnesota," he said, and lawmakers must "make sure the rebuilding in southeast Minnesota occurs before the snow falls."
Southeast Minnesotans need help right away, Erickson Ropes said.
"We may be jobless, we may be homeless ... but we are not hopeless," Erickson Ropes said.
Pawlenty and lawmakers have said southeast Minnesota communities could need further state assistance from the 2008 Legislature.
"This will most likely get us to February," Sen. Keith Langseth, DFL-Glyndon, said of the disaster bill.
State Capitol Bureau reporter Don Davis contributed to this story.
