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House DFLers Unveil Minnesota Values Project; Will Hold Community Conversations Over Legislative Break

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Initiative engaged legislators, Minnesotans and communities in a conversation about the future of our state

St. Paul, Minnesota — Today, House DFLers unveiled the Minnesota Values Project, an initiative of the Minnesota House DFL to engage legislators, Minnesotans, and community groups in a conversation about the future of our state. Over the last nine months, House DFLers traveled the state to listen to Minnesotans and have conversations about our shared values. 

“We had deep conversations about our shared future, our hopes and dreams, and what is keeping people up at night,” said state Representative Liz Olson (DFL - Duluth). “Minnesotans aren’t thinking about specific policy or gridlock at the Capitol — they want us to remove barriers that stand between them and their families’ economic security and future.”

The Minnesota Values Project was a facilitated conversation led by legislators with a wide variety of participants in the local community. The legislators were there to listen and facilitate, not to guide the participants in any particular direction. Participants were broken into small groups after introductions and went through a series of questions. 

“Over the past several months, we asked Minnesotans to share their priorities with us,” said Leader Melissa Hortman (DFL - Brooklyn Park). “Their priorities are our priorities —make affordable health care a reality, ensure every child in every community has access to an excellent education, provide the education and job-training people need to get good-paying jobs, and ensure all Minnesotans have the opportunity to be safe, healthy, and successful. Republicans in charge of the Legislature have failed to prioritize the issues we’re hearing most about from Minnesotans.”

The Minnesota Values Project facilitated hundreds of deep, meaningful conversations with participants in Rochester, Duluth, St. Cloud, Grand Rapids, Apple Valley, Stillwater, Moorhead, Worthington, Mankato, and Minneapolis/St. Paul. In addition, the surveys were distributed electronically around the state. Over legislative break, House DFLers will continue to hold meetings with Minnesotans.

Despite these priorities being brought forward by Minnesotans, Republicans in charge of the Legislature have allowed many to miss committee deadlines this year. House DFLers will continue advocating for the Minnesota Values Project agenda now and into the future.