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Minnesota House of Representatives

State Representative Phyllis Kahn

365 State Office BuildingState Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4257

For more information contact: Ted Modrich 651-296-5809

Posted: 2011-02-10 00:00:00
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HOUSE BRIEFS

Moving forward or looking backward

Dear friends,

Yesterday, Governor Dayton delivered his State of the State Address, laying out his vision for creating a better and stronger Minnesota. The governor’s speech was honest about the challenges we face, but also expressed hope and laid out what we need to do to move Minnesota forward.

As Governor Dayton said, “To progress, we must invest." We have to invest in education, in more jobs, in the health of our people, communities and environment, in transportation and in the transformation of state government to deliver services more effectively. I believe as well that a strong investment now will provide huge returns in the future.

Better roads, bridges and public transit will move people, goods and services more effectively. New education buildings at our public colleges and universities will make Minnesota an innovation leader in industries for decades to come. And transforming state government will serve the people of our state better, while reducing costs.

I also found the Republican reaction to a section of the speech very telling. When Governor Dayton said that we should work together and never reach the point of a government shutdown, DFL legislators immediately rose to their feet and cheered, while Republicans stayed, for the most part, in their seats.

We should never have a government shutdown, is certainly not in the best interest of Minnesotans and any Republican attempt would only be made out of political posturing and an desire to score cheap political points. We were sent here to work for the people of Minnesota and create solutions to our problems. Governor Dayton and DFLers stand ready to do just that.

Governor Dayton has laid out a strong, forward-looking vision for Minnesota, and I look forward to working with him and other legislators to make it a reality.

Now contrast the governor’s vision to move our state forward with the passage of the Republican’s “Phase 1” budget cuts bill. Rather than examine new ideas or new reforms, the Republican’s first budget bill is a return to the same failed Pawlenty policies of the last eight years. Their bill, HF 130, cuts millions in local government aid, which in turn would raise property taxes by over $300 million, especially hurting Minneapolis and the people in my district.

HF 130 also cuts millions in higher education, driving up the cost of attending the University of Minnesota, and hammering the thousands of already cash-strapped students who live in my district. The GOP budget bill also cuts millions in child care and forces the governor to cut millions in funding for veteran services and public safety.

We’re facing some serious problems in Minnesota and we can either follow the same tired path worn by failed Pawlenty policies, or we can embrace Governor Dayton’s vision for creating a better Minnesota. I’ll be working with the governor to move Minnesota forward.

As always, please feel free to send me your comments, concerns and suggestions. You can reach me by phone at 651-296-4257 or email at rep.phyllis.kahn@house.mn. You can also send mail to my office, room 353 in the State Office Building.

Phyllis Kahn
State Representative
District 59B

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