ST. PAUL – Governor Mark Dayton delivered his State of the State address to a joint convention of the Minnesota Legislature this evening. Governor Dayton emphasized the strong performance of Minnesota’s economy and reiterated his desire to see the $1.9 billion budget surplus used for strong investments in Minnesota’s schools, from universal pre-kindergarten programs to continuing the tuition freeze at state colleges and universities.
The Governor used examples of St. Paul residents who have benefitted from policies targeted at improving lives for struggling families as part of the St. Paul Promise Neighborhood. Governor Dayton invited special guests from the Promise Neighborhood who recently received rental assistance that has helped stabilize their home life and improve school attendance for their children. Rep. Rena Moran praised the Governor’s efforts to actively engage with issues facing her community.
“I’ve been proud to partner with Governor Dayton as he’s visited our community and gotten a chance to hear the stories of working families that are receiving help to pull themselves and their children out of poverty,” said Rep. Rena Moran. “I was also proud to hear him talk about expanding those initiatives to help more families in his speech tonight. The time to act is now. Families in my community know what they need to succeed –stable jobs with a living wage, affordable housing, affordable high quality childcare, and good schools. We need to act on these priorities.”
###