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State Representative Jeanne Poppe
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4193
For more information contact: Joel Johnson 651-297-1934
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SUCCESS AT THE LEGISLATURE TAKES COOPERATION AND LOCAL INVOLVEMENT
This week was a good week for our area at the State Capitol. First, the Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Committee in the House approved $450,000 in funding for the Shooting Star Trail bike trail.
In support of the bonding request, Gerald Meier, of Adams, and Charlie Anderson, of LeRoy, came to St. Paul as representatives of Prairie Visions, the cooperative venture between communities along the trail. This group of extraordinary volunteers has provided leadership to preserve and enhance our area's natural and historic resources, and has worked diligently toward completing the Shooting Star Trail. Gerald was able to testify on behalf of the project on Tuesday. His presence was invaluable in communicating the significance of the project for our area, something I'm convinced played a big role in the project passing.
The committee also approved $2 million in flood relief for the city of Austin. The amount was included in a flood relief and mitigation bill authored by State Rep. Maxine Penas, of Roseau, and which I co-authored.
I'm sure many of you remember the horrific flooding in Roseau two summers ago. Representative Penas graciously agreed to include the Austin funding in her bill because she remembered what it was like for her community to recover from a devastating flood. This truly was a bipartisan and bi-region bonding request.
This bonding request was heard in committee on Wednesday. Our cause was most certainly helped by Austin city engineer Jon Erichson, who testified on behalf of our region in the flood mitigation project. Jon was also able to testify before the Jobs and Economic Opportunity Finance Committee for another bill I co-authored with State Representative Dan Dorman, of Albert Lea.
I came away from all of this learning two important lessons. The first is that success at the Capitol requires bipartisan cooperation. Both Rep. Penas and Rep. Dorman are Republicans, and their help in getting the bills heard was invaluable. We're going to need to hang on to that spirit of cooperation as the legislative session progresses. We still have some very difficult and challenging choices ahead of us, but I'm convinced that true bipartisan cooperation is possible.
The second important lesson I took away from this week is the importance of local involvement. Having Gerald, Charlie and Jon up here in St. Paul made my job a lot easier this week. They also provided a human face to the projects, which is so important.
That’s going to be true with every local issue at the Capitol this year. Whether it’s funding for new science classrooms at Riverland Community College or the level of funding area schools get or passage of reasonable reimbursement rates for local nursing homes, the issues that will get the most attention and the ones with the most likelihood to pass, will be the ones with human faces attached.
This week in addition to Gerald, Charlie and Jon making the trip to St Paul student representatives from Riverland Community College's Albert Lea and Austin campuses and county commissioners David Hillier, Garry Ellingson, Richard Cummings and county coordinator Craig Oscarson came up as constituents to discuss issues of importance.
Colin Clennon and his mom Marian also visited me this week for Homeschool Day at the Capitol. Colin entered a poster in a contest that was judged by the Secretary of State and earned 2nd Place honors. It is currently on display in the Secretary of State's office so stop by and see it if you're in St. Paul.
If you have ideas or concerns you want to share about state or local issues, please don't hesitate to call or write. I can be reached by phone at 1-888-682-3180 or 1-651-296-4193, by mail at 231 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155 or via e-mail at rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn.
News Items
- POPPE SELECTED AS AGRICULTURE POLICY COMMITTEE CHAIR - (Posted: 2012-11-16 00:00:00)
- Rep. Jeanne Poppe Encourages High School Juniors to Apply for Minnesota House of Representatives Page Program - Application Deadline is November 19th - (Posted: 2012-11-12 00:00:00)
- HORMEL INSTITUTE EXPANSION SIGNED INTO LAW - 2012 legislative session adjourns sine die - (Posted: 2012-05-11 00:00:00)
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