Dear Neighbor,
There’s been a lot of news out of the Capitol recently. I wanted to make sure that you saw these things:
Student Loan Refinancing
Student debt is an issues all too familiar to many Minnesota families. In fact, Minnesota ranks 5th in the in the country for student loan debt with the average student carrying more than $30,000 in student loan debt. This issue impact many Minnesotans, not just current college students and graduates, but parents and high school students looking to plan for post-secondary education.
A new resource is here, however, for a significant number of graduates carrying large debt loads. Thanks to legislation we passed in 2014, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education has unveiled a new state program that will help graduates refinance their debt. The program, known as
SELF REFI, is available to qualified borrowers, or those with qualified cosigners, who have at least $10,000 in student debt. The program doesn’t rely on any public dollars to refinance the loans, but up to $70,000 can be refinanced at rates currently running from 3.0% to 6.95% depending on the terms of length.
This new initiative can provide real debt relief for Minnesotans. For example, a college graduate with $40,000 in student loans at an 8 percent interest rate could save as much as $200 per month through the SELF Refi program. More information on the SELF Refi program, and how to refinance your student loans through this new initiative, is available at:
www.selfrefi.state.mn.us
From freezing tuition to working to make college more affordable, this is one of many initiatives we’re working on to ease the burden of student debt. Everyone deserves the opportunity for a quality and affordable education, and I’m going to continue working to make sure that’s a reality.
What do you want in the next Saint Paul Police Chief?
The City of Saint Paul is asking for your help in picking the next Police Chief. Tell them what characteristics and experiences you believe are most important for Saint Paul's next Police Chief here:
nextchief@ci.stpaul.mn.us
Your input will be shared with Police Chief Selection Committee Members, Mayor Chris Coleman and the City Council as they select Saint Paul's next Police Chief.
There will also be two forums where you’ll have a chance to ask questions of the top five finalists for Police Chief.
- Tuesday, March 29, 2016, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Central High School Auditorium, 275 Lexington Parkway N, Saint Paul
- Thursday, March 31, 2016, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Johnson High School Auditorium, 1349 Arcade Street, Saint Paul
As always, feel free to contact me with any thoughts of concerns you may have.
Sincerely,
Sheldon Johnson