Dear Neighbors,
On Monday, the Minnesota Senate unveiled their $1.5 billion capital investment package, also referred to as their bonding bill. I was pleased to see two bills of mine were included in the senate version in the bill.
The bills authored by Senator Hayden and I appropriate a one-time sum of $1.03 million for the repair and preservation of the historic Pioneers and Soldiers Cemetery and $5 million for the Norway House on Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis for construction, renovation, furnishing and land acquisition. Additionally, the Senate bill appropriates a portion of the housing commitments I have strongly supported: $70 million in affordable housing infrastructure and $20 million for preservation of public housing. It did not, however, include the $40 million for senior housing, which I have also strongly supported.
The House Republicans have yet to finalize any sort of bonding proposal and with less than three weeks remaining in the legislative session, time is running short!
Vast differences between the Senate Democrats and House Republicans have widened the gap between the Senate Democrats and House Republicans’ on transportation funding and a final tax bill.
The question arises: Are we going to invest in our real basic needs now and in our future, with the current state budget surplus? Or are we going to squander it away on tax breaks that mostly benefit the wealthy?
Note: I also have not given up on passing urban agriculture funding, childhood lead poisoning and toxic crumb rubber legislation this session.
Please feel free to contact me at 651-296-0294 or by email at rep.karen.clark@house.mn.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Karen Clark
State Representative