The sixty-seventh Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 5, 1971. The 67 members of the Minnesota Senate and the 134 members of the Minnesota House of Representatives were elected during the general election of November 3, 1970. The session is considered notable for the passage of the "Minnesota Miracle",[1] a legislative package aimed at lowering local property taxes and eliminating wide fiscal disparities between school districts and local governments caused by differences in property wealth. This was achieved by raising state income, business, and sales taxes by $580 million (not inflation adjusted), while the share of school operating costs covered by the state increased from 43% to 65%.[2] The laws earned Minnesota's Governor a spot on the cover of Time Magazine,[3] while also serving as the start to a broader period of statewide reform and DFL dominance of state politics in the 1970s.[4]
Sessions
The legislature met in a regular session from January 5, 1971, to May 24, 1971. After the DFL Governor and Republican legislature failed to reach an agreement on a tax bill, a special session was called. It was held from May 25 to October 30 of 1971 and is still the longest in Minnesota history.[5]
Major legislation
Party summary
- Resignations and new members are discussed in the "Membership changes" section, below.
Senate
|
|
Party[9] (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total
|
Vacant
|
|
|
|
| R
|
DFL
|
| End of previous Legislature
|
45
|
22
|
67
|
0
|
|
|
| Begin
|
34
|
33
|
67
|
0
|
| Latest voting share
|
51%
|
49%
|
|
|
| Beginning of the next Legislature
|
30
|
37
|
67
|
0
|
House of Representatives
|
|
Party[9] (Shading indicates majority caucus)
|
Total
|
Vacant
|
|
|
|
| R
|
DFL
|
| End of previous Legislature
|
85
|
50
|
134
|
0
|
|
|
| Begin
|
70
|
65
|
134
|
0
|
| Latest voting share
|
52%
|
49%
|
|
|
| Beginning of the next Legislature
|
57
|
77
|
134
|
0
|
Leadership
Senate
House of Representatives
Members
Senate
House of Representatives
See also
References
- ^ Haynes, John E. (July 18, 2016). "Wendell Anderson and the Minnesota Miracle". StarTribune. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ Dornfeld, Steven (2007). "The Minnesota Miracle" (PDF). Minnesota History. 60 (8). Minnesota Historical Society: 13.
- ^ "Time Magazine Vault". Time Magazine.
- ^ Kenney, Dave; Saylor, Thomas (2013). Minnesota in the '70s. Minnesota Historical Society Press. pp. 22–23. ISBN 978-0-87351-893-2.
- ^ "Sessions of the Minnesota State Legislature and the Minnesota Territorial Legislature, 1849–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
- ^ Myron, Orfeld; Wallace, Nicholas (2007). "The Minnesota Fiscal Disparities Act of 1971: The Twin Cities Struggle and Blueprint for Regional Cooperation". University of Minnesota Press.
- ^ Hayes, John E. (July 18, 2016). "Wendell Anderson and the Minnesota Miracle". StarTribune.
- ^ Dornfeld, Steven (2008). "The Minnesota Miracle" (PDF). Minnesota History. 60 (8). Minnesota Historical Society.
- ^ a b "Party Control of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1951–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "President and President Pro Tempore of the Minnesota Senate, 1849–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ a b "Majority and Minority Leaders of the Minnesota Senate, 1933–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ "Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1849–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
- ^ a b "Majority and Minority Leaders of the Minnesota House of Representatives, 1901–present". Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved January 31, 2024.