Dear Neighbors:
With the 2016 legislative session just around the corner onMarch 8, I’d like to invite you to visit with me and share your priorities and opinions. Next Thursday, January 28 from 4:00– 6:00 p.m. at Amity Coffee, 4429 E Superior St, I’m hosting a “Coffee with Constituents.”
While the legislative session is going to be short, we will be discussing many substantive issues, so it’s important for me to hear about what’s important to you. I invite you to contact my legislative assistant, Gina Kunesh, at gina.kunesh@house.mnto set up a block of time so we can chat one on one. I look forward to seeing you!
A “Greater Minnesota for All” Agenda
Yesterday was the launch of the “Greater Minnesota For All” agenda, which is a package of proposals my DFL colleagues and I plan to advocate for this coming session to ensure Minnesotans from every corner of the state have a solid foundation for a strong economic future. The plan is focused on job creation, transportation, and property tax relief.
In 2015, we heard a great deal of rhetoric about the need to take care of greater Minnesota from the House Majority, but when the dust settled there was little in the way of results. Going into 2016 with a $1.2 billion surplus gives us the opportunity to make wise investments in these areas.
A major pillar to this proposal is the need to pass a comprehensive transportation bill in 2016, and make the needed investments in our neglected infrastructure. Too many roads, highways, and bridges have become structurally deficient and without a long-term mechanism to pay for these repairs. The longer we wait to take action, the more expensive this problem will be down the road. The proposal would also expand the “Corridors of Commerce” program, which targets dollars to projects important for regional and state economic growth.
Other important parts of this package include:
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Providing property taxes by bringing Local Government Aid and County Program Aid back up to the 2002 levels, with additional targeted property tax relief to farmers and seniors.
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Increased focus on career and technical education by doubling school reimbursement for these programs to help students get good paying jobs.
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Provide job certification rewards to schools for career and technical classes which lead to certificate in specific job class lacking in many greater Minnesota communities including EMT and certified nursing aide.
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An oil train safety package to ensure that rail companies pay their fair share to keep communities and neighborhoods safe. As trains get longer and more frequent, the risk to public safety has exponentially increased. It’s irresponsible to wait for a catastrophic situation before addressing this problem.
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A new respite care program which will make it easier for family members to provide care for loved ones with dementia. Many nursing homes in greater Minnesota are closing, and while our aging population grows, it’s important that we come up with creative solutions to ensure proper care is available.
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Tax credits for construction of workforce housing; many rural areas have businesses growing at a faster rate than which they are able to attract workers.
As always, I welcome your comments and questions about these, and any other issue important to you. If you aren’t able to join me next Thursday, please don’t hesitate to call me at651-296-2228 or email me at rep.jennifer.schultz@house.mn.
Warm regards,
Jennifer Schultz
State Representative