Dear Neighbors,
Friday was the final committee deadline and I have been busy with committees, floor sessions and many visitors from our district. One of the groups that visited last week were Muslims. We are a state that must support the premise of religious freedom, tolerance and inclusiveness. I am happy to stand with the Muslim community.
Other groups that have recently visited my office are Constituents for Equity Alliance MN, Wood Fiber Council, St. Paul Kids, Pro-Choice Minnesota, AFSCME, MN AIDS Project, Education Minnesota, MN Association of Early Educators and Asian American Leaders, to name a few. Thank you all for your advocacy!
Here’s an update from the Capitol. There are several opportunities to get involved in the next week:
New Americans Listening Session - Wednesday
This week between floor sessions a diverse group of legislators is providing an opportunity for members of our communities to gather and have their voices heard on some of the issues facing new Americans. There will be a variety of legislators joining the event to learn more from the issues you bring. The event will be Wednesday, April 5, from 4:00-6:00 pm in Minnesota Senate Building Room 1200. Call 651-296-5285 for more information.
Advocacy Fair - April 8
In the last few months, I've heard from many constituents asking how they can get involved to work for policy change. In response, Rep. Dave Pinto, Sen Foung Hawj and I have put together an Advocacy Fair, to connect community members with organizations advocating for change in our community and state. I hope you will attend and learn how you can be a part of something bigger than yourself and help bring the change you want to see. The Fair will be held on Saturday, April 8, 1:00pm to 5:00pm, at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (700 Snelling Ave. S.) in St. Paul and will feature nearly 20 advocacy organizations. Click here to see a flyer, and click here to see the Facebook event page.
House Omnibus Bills
The House took up the Omnibus Tax and Environment bills on Thursday and we took up the Omnibus Education and Transportation bills Friday. Every two years the majority party usually groups each part of the state budgets overseen by individual committees together and pass them as omnibus bills. If you would like to read more about omnibus bills you can click here.
Omnibus bills often include provisions that have negative impacts on the issues important to our community, even though they often have some provisions that would be helpful. I voted against the first Republican omnibus bills on Transportation, Taxes, Education, and Environment last week. They may come back to the House in better shape.
Tax Bill
Last Thursday, the House took up the Omnibus Tax bill. Unfortunately, House Republicans are prioritizing big tax cuts for businesses and a few hundred millionaire estates each year, instead of most Minnesotans. It includes a $161.7 million estate tax cut for the wealthiest Minnesotans. The bill also includes property tax cuts for corporations and businesses instead of homeowners and renters. More than a billion dollars in tax cuts are paid for by taking $600 million from areas of the budget that fund nursing homes, public health programs, and schools.
Environment Bill
Despite a budget surplus, The Omnibus Environment bill cuts millions from funding that protects Minnesota’s air, water and outdoor spaces. Minnesota is lucky to have abundant natural resources, but we can’t take them for granted. Instead, we should be investing to maintain our environmental resources for the next generation of Minnesotans and investing in keeping our urban environment clean.
Transportation Bill
Last Friday the House voted on the Omnibus Transportation bill. The proposal harms transit options in the Twin Cities for low income Minnesotans by proposing a 40% bus service cut which will cause fares to go up. It fails to invest in Minnesota’s transportation needs now and into the future. It does not fully fund light rail and bus lines. The bill pits the Metro against Greater Minnesota, failing to take a “One Minnesota” approach to invest in transportation statewide. Neglecting Minnesota’s transportation needs is unsafe and will cost Minnesotans more money in the long run. I support a long-term, sustainable solution that improves Minnesota’s roads, bridges and transit and invests in all Minnesotans.
Education Bill
The Omnibus Education bill also passed on Friday. The education bill underfunds our schools, and it will result in cuts to teachers, increased class sizes and fewer resources for our kids, especially from low income families. The bill also eliminates the voluntary pre-K program and thus reduces quality pre-k opportunities for our most at risk and homeless students. It erodes funding for ELL students (paid for with compensatory funding), cuts counseling and social work services, reduces individualized math and reading instruction for students, all which are funded by compensatory dollars that are delinked in their bill. This does nothing to help close the opportunity gap in St.Paul schools.
I believe our top priority should be providing a quality education for all Minnesota kids, but unfortunately, this bill will make it harder for them to succeed. Education has made Minnesota a leader, but we won’t continue to lead with cuts to our kids’ futures.
Please contact me if you have questions about these topics, or any other legislative issue. You can reach me at rep.rena.moran@house.mn or 651-296-5158.
Together, we are stronger!
Sincerely,
Rena Moran
Deputy Minority Leader
State Representative