Accessibility menu
State Representative Patti Fritz
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-8237
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
NEWS COLUMN
FINAL OUTCOME OF 2005 LEGISLATIVE SESSION POSITIVE FOR OUR DISTRICT
Earlier this month, the Legislature completed work on the state budget for 2006-2007. This was a great legislative session for our area, beginning with the almost $95 million we received in the state bonding bill, an unprecedented amount for one district.
The Faribault prison project received almost $85 million, with South Central Technical College Applied Lab, which is shared by the Faribault campus, designated for over $5 million and the Minnesota State Academies Asset Preservation receiving $4.2 million. Mill Towns Trail was funded for $300,000 and our part of the state is eligible to share in $23 million in CREP funds.
This $945 million jobs bill is expected to create as many as 10,000 jobs statewide and will provide a big boost to our state and local economy.
Education funding was a top priority. Our schools are reeling from a $185 million cut in 2003 and previous years of flat funding; without an increase they would be facing more teacher lay-offs, larger classroom sizes and more program cuts. This was a non-negotiable issue for us. The Governor had proposed a 2% increase for each of the next two years-we were able to negotiate a 4% increase. There are also additional dollars for early childhood education programs and for our gifted and talented students. This amounts to an additional $3,662,809 for the Faribault School District over the next two years. This is the best funding for our schools in over two decades and will make a very significant difference.
Supporting a long-term solution of reforming health care by reducing waste and not people was a key issue. We worked very hard to keep thousands of Minnesotans on the state insurance program, MinnesotaCare. The Governor had proposed balancing the budget by cutting almost 30,000 working people from the only health care option that is available to them. These are working men and women who pay for this coverage-it is not welfare. In the final budget, not one Minnesotan will lose their MinnesotaCare coverage.
In addition, we eliminated the $5,000 benefit cap, which will allow those people with serious illnesses and injuries to get the medical care they need.
Instead of zero additional funding for Local Government Aid (LGA), our strong negotiations resulted in a one-third restoration of a previous cut. Out towns and cities will share in the additional $48 million, which will help pay for essential services such as the police and fire departments. In Faribault, this will amount to an additional $19,491 next year.
I'm very pleased that our nursing home workers will receive the first Cost of Living Adjustment in three years. These dedicated people do an excellent job of taking care of our loved ones and they deserve fair pay.
And, even though the Governor vetoed the comprehensive transportation bill that was passed with bipartisan support earlier in the session, we did pass a smaller ongoing funding bill for transportation and transit, with $6 million designated for rural transit. I am hopeful that next year we can address our growing need for new highways and bridges and safer roads.
We were also able to pass the first minimum wage increase in over eight years, our agricultural economy will be boosted and our environment will be improved by doubling the ethanol level in gasoline by 2012, and we passed tougher penalties for the worst sex offenders and methamphetamine manufacturers and users.
Since the end of session, I have been able to spend more time in the community. Last week, I enjoyed meeting and greeting many of you at the Rice County Fair. I would like to offer a warm congratulations to the Senior Citizens of the Year, it was great meeting you.
Thank you for all of your support throughout my first term. It is truly an honor to represent you and I am pleased to have played a role in the many great accomplishments of the session.
News Items
- STATE REP. PATTI FRITZ PARTICIPATES IN START OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION - (Posted: Jan 9 2013 3:32PM)
- Rep. Fritz: Homeowners, Farmers Need Property Tax Relief - (Posted: 2012-05-01 00:00:00)
- Rep. Fritz: Let’s Vote on a Bonding Bill that Benefits All - (Posted: 2012-04-19 00:00:00)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.