Hello from St. Paul,
Earlier this week, I held a news conference at the Hastings City Hall to announce several legislative options I’m authoring that could help Hastings pay for its water treatment needs.
Hastings residents are likely aware that the City has PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances) contaminants in its water supply. Years ago, 3M was charged with releasing chemicals into the groundwater and eventually reached a $760 million settlement with the state in 2018. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency eventually found a connection between Cottage Grove’s 3M facility and PFAS in a city well in Hastings, meaning the City can access funding to treat its water.
Residents have already seen their water rates jump by 10% to help pay for needed water treatment facilities. In response I have authored several bills that would utilize state funds to pay for these costs. They include:
- My “thinking outside the box” bill, which would utilize money from Minnesota’s Legacy funding to pay for Hastings’ treatment facility. Under language in our state’s constitution, a portion of sales tax dollars collected for Legacy purposes must be spent on clean drinking water initiatives. The MPCA has found Hastings drinking water is polluted, so Legacy funds should be a viable alternative to help with treatment needs.
- Securing $45.7 million from the 3M trust fund to help pay for the three treatment facilities.
- Securing $16.6 million in general fund revenue to pay for the first water treatment plan and associated water lines
- Securing $16.7 million in capital investment proceeds to help pay for the first water treatment plant and associated water lines
All of these alternatives are being presented so Hastings residents won’t have to foot the bill for a drinking water problem they did not cause.
My preference continues to be accessing available 3M settlement funding to pay for Hastings’ problem. Let’s remember: Priority #1 for this revenue was to help impacted communities with water filtration systems, and I don’t buy the argument that Hastings can’t access the 3M funding because it needs to be preserved for every other impacted community. Every other impacted community has had 7 years to take what it needs. Woodbury and its 82,000 residents apparently have $400 million of it. Why should it continue to take priority over Hastings, especially when Hastings only needs $46 million of it to finish the job?
Sorry, but I don’t think this is an unreasonable ask. Hastings is down river from the 3M plant and now has a chemical the company produced in the city’s drinking water. 3M has admitted responsibility and has a $760 million fund available for impacted communities to help make their water safe to drink. Hastings residents have worked at the plant for decades and have helped make millions of dollars for 3M. Hastings should be receiving its fair share of funding from this settlement fund like every other impacted city has. 3M should pay for the problem it caused – not taxpayers – and its money is available to make that happen.
That said, I want every possible funding avenue explored for Hastings if the 3M settlement funding doesn’t come through. This is why I have several alternatives available for House debate. I will continue to keep you updated on any progress being made at the State Capitol.
RESTORING ELECTRONIC PULL TABS
Local establishments that offer electronic pull tabs have noticed their popularity is on the decline. Interest in the gaming devices has dwindled since Governor Walz and a Democrat-led legislature banned popular features in the devices such as free plays, bonus games, and the “open-all feature.”
Decreased play means decreased revenue here at home, as money generated from electronic pull tabs is given back to groups in need throughout Cottage Grove and Hastings through charitable gambling proceeds. Those funds help food shelves, EMS groups, and youth sports and scouting organizations pay for items and programs they normally could not afford.
The popular gaming features were removed in January, and players have noticed. When comparing monthly numbers from January 2024 to January 2025, play has declined between 20% - 44% depending on the reporting organization.
Last year $386 million was generated in net revenue from electronic pull tabs. If you projected a 30% decrease in funding, that would result in a $115 million loss this year for charities statewide.
Because of this, I am co-authoring legislation that would return electronic pull tabs to its original form. Our service organizations play such an important role in our communities, and this bill will prevent them from facing devastating financial losses now and in the future.
Have a good weekend,
Tom