03.31.25
Moorhead Area Leaders Champion Regional Priorities at the Capitol
By Tyler Fischbach, Vice President of Public Relations, The Chamber
Jon Riewer, President and CEO of Eventide Senior Living Communities, shares his perspective in a meeting with Minnesota legislators in St. Paul.
The Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber (The Chamber) recently led its fourth annual Moorhead Area Day at the Capitol, bringing together business and community leaders for two days of strategic advocacy in St. Paul. On March 4-5, our delegation engaged directly with key legislators and state officials on issues critical to our border community's future.
The visit began with a welcome from Chamber President and CEO Shannon Full and Vice President of Public Policy Cale Dunwoody, who prepared participants for productive discussions ahead. Throughout the two days, the delegation secured valuable face time with Governor Tim Walz, multiple legislators and department commissioners to advance Moorhead's regional priorities.
Business Climate and Regulatory Concerns
Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) Implementation Challenges: Multiple discussions highlighted significant concerns about PFML implementation timelines and administrative burdens. Representatives presented varying perspectives, from Rep. Pinto's firm stance against delays in rolling out the program to Rep. Baker's push for practical modifications through H.F. 11 (PFML Delay) and H.F. 1325 (Earned Sick and Safe Time Delay).
Kurt Zellers of the Minnesota Business Partnership articulated business frustrations, noting that state-mandated programs like PFML have "gotten in between us and our employees," limiting employer flexibility to address their employees’ needs directly.
Economic Competitiveness Warning: Minnesota Chamber President Doug Loon provided a comprehensive analysis warning that Minnesota is falling behind competitor states in several key economic metrics. He cautioned that new regulations could add to what he termed a "fiscal drag" on the economy based on experiences in other states, while questioning claims about PFML's effectiveness as a workforce attraction tool.
Rep. Dave Pinto addressing the Moorhead Area cohort in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Economic Development and Infrastructure Opportunities
Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Potential: Senator Rest characterized legislation relating to tax incentives to encourage the production of SAF as "one of the most important bills in the last 40 years." This bodes well for the city of Moorhead which has been selected as the location for the DG Fuels plant project. The Chamber has been an active supporter of these tax incentives and the benefits they will bring to our community.
Flood Mitigation Funding: The City of Moorhead and Clay County continue working diligently to secure support for the FM Flood Diversion project. This legislative session, local leaders are advancing a $60.4 million request to complete the project, with legislation already introduced (H.F. 2224).
City of Moorhead Infrastructure: Key legislation includes S.F. 1994, which advocates for an extension of Moorhead's Tax Incremental Financing designation to encourage downtown business development, and S.F. 1684, which requests a sales tax exemption on building materials for the city hall renovation as part of downtown's historic transformation.
Border Community Challenges
Tax Policy Disparities: Conversations with Senator Rest addressed the unique challenges facing border communities like Moorhead regarding tax policy and economic development incentives that must remain competitive with neighboring states.
Workforce Development Urgency: Attendees pushed back on the common Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) talking point that Paid Family and Medical Leave would serve as a workforce attractor. They asked, "where is the workforce going to come from?" and highlighted Moorhead's distinct labor market concerns as a border community.
Gov. Tim Walz takes questions from Moorhead Area leaders in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Health Care and Social Services
Elder Care Funding Concerns: Members of the Moorhead area delegation also raised critical questions about sustainable funding for elder care services, highlighting vulnerabilities created by potential budget cuts at both state and federal levels.
Child Care Tax Credits: Senator Rest described Minnesota's child care tax credit as "the best in the nation" while expressing opposition to potential modifications, underscoring the importance of this support for working families.
Regional Psychiatric Treatment Facility: Commissioner Jenny Mongeau spoke passionately to Governor Walz about the critical shortage of psychiatric services and the importance of H.F. 1380, which requests funding to support this crucial project.
Looking Ahead
The Moorhead Area Day at the Capitol reinforced the importance of direct engagement with state officials and legislators on issues that uniquely affect border communities. Key themes emerged across multiple meetings:
- The critical need to maintain economic competitiveness with neighboring states.
- Concerns about practical implementation of PFML, particularly for small businesses.
- Opportunities for economic development through SAF initiatives.
- Infrastructure priorities including flood mitigation and groundwater sustainability.
- Health care funding challenges, particularly for elder care services.
These advocacy efforts position Moorhead's priorities firmly within the legislative conversation and create pathways for ongoing dialogue throughout the legislative session.
By building relationships across the political spectrum, the delegation ensured that the unique challenges and opportunities facing our border community received appropriate attention from state decision-makers.
See photo album from Moorhead Area Day at the Capitol
Join The Chamber for its Washington D.C. Fly-In on May 19-21
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