By Gene Pelowski
Each year as the summer storm season sweeps across Minnesota, we see the need for emergency assistance from state government.
In the last two years alone, we've seen nearly 50 counties, communities, and several tribal nations receive emergency assistance from Gov. Dayton. This year alone, numerous counties-including Winona, Freeborn, Kittson and many others-have and will receive aid. It's worth noting that the governor was only recently empowered with the ability to declare an emergency, bringing immediate relief to those devastated by natural disasters. Until a few years ago, the Minnesota House and Senate had to return to Saint Paul in a costly special session to approve relief for each and every disaster.
In a show of how government can and should operate, in 2014 I worked with Gov. Dayton to establish the Disaster Assistance Contingency Account. By creating the account and giving the governor the authority to act on his own, we ensured that when a disaster struck, our state would respond by quickly distributing funds without the need to call a special session, and it worked. For the last two years our state has responded to numerous disasters without wasting time and money on special sessions.
This all started back in 2008, after the massive flooding of southeast Minnesota, when my colleagues and I worked to develop a state "disaster playbook" to guide the 13 state agencies, governor's office, Legislature, cities, counties, school districts and townships impacted when a disaster occurs.
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In 2012, the nonpartisan Legislative Auditor released a report titled "Helping Communities Recover from Natural Disasters," with recommendations on how to improve Chapter 12A by creating Chapter 12B to address disasters that are not covered by a presidential declaration, the laws are known as the state "disaster playbook."
In 2014 I crafted a bill to continue the improvements made to Minnesota's disaster response with Chapter 12A by creating Chapter 12B. Chapter 12B implemented several changes recommended by the legislative auditor that increased coordination by the 13 state agencies and others involved in responding to disasters, and created the Disaster Assistance Account to fund their efforts.
Last summer, more than half a decade after we started this process, nearly 40 Minnesota counties and communities, and several Native American reservations, became eligible for disaster assistance. For the first time, as a result of the improvements made to the "disaster playbook," state and federal funds were distributed quickly and efficiently without the need for a special session.
A dedicated account for disasters guarantees accurate accounting and avoids problems associated with hurriedly passing bills in a special session, such as overpaying or underpaying.
This year we've already seen numerous counties and communities get immediate assistance from Governor Dayton through state agencies and local government partnerships. The Disaster Assistance Contingency Fund is working for Minnesotans. You shouldn't have to wait or consider how and when aid gets to you after a natural disaster and we made sure that's a reality. When we work together for good and efficient government, we serve the people of Minnesota the way they expect and deserve.
Rep. Gene Pelowski is a member of the DFL Party and is from Winona, Minn.
