Members of the House Ethics Committee began hearing testimony Monday regarding a complaint leveled against Rep. Arlon Lindner (R-Corcoran), by four DFL representatives regarding comments he made on the House floor Feb. 23.

The complaining members -- Reps. Matt Entenza (St. Paul), Rob Leighton (Austin), Ann H. Rest (New Hope) and Wes Skoglund (Mpls) -- submitted a formal complaint to House Speaker Steve Sviggum (R-Kenyon) and the committee, alleging that Lindner violated House rules three times.

-- That he violated the norms of House behavior;

-- That he brought the House into dishonor;

-- That he suggested members of the House should be excluded from proceedings.

The complaint was submitted as a result of a debate regarding the permanent House rules about the opening prayer. Lindner, in response to a comment by Rep. Michael Paymar (DFL-St. Paul), referred to Paymar's views as pertaining to the "irreligious left."

The committee was set to reconvene after the House floor session, but a nearly 13-hour debate forced Rep. Elaine Harder (R-Jackson), committee chair, to reschedule the hearing to begin at 9:30 a.m. today.

DAILY FACT: Sales taxes accounted for 24 percent of the total revenue the state took in for fiscal year 1999. The general sales tax rate is 6.5 percent. The rate for liquor and beer sales is 9 percent, and it's 12.7 percent for motor vehicle rentals.

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