Dear Neighbors,
With fewer than three weeks until adjournment, we’re finishing up supplemental budget bills. As we’ve seen in recent years, the House Majority decided to bundle various budget topics together, some of which are unrelated, for mega omnibus bills. An example is the Transportation and Health and Human Services bill, which passed yesterday. This week, the House has also passed the Taxes, K-12 and Higher Education, Legacy and Public Safety bills.
Funding gaps within each budget area or ‘target’ are consistently evident within the bills, especially in the K-12 and Higher Education bill.
Across Minnesota, modest funding has not kept pace with the rising cost of ensuring the excellent education every Minnesota student deserves. We’re seeing this right now in 26 school districts across the metro facing immediate budget deficits in the coming year, including Edina and Hopkins. Deficits lead to cuts, which result in hundreds of teacher and support staff layoffs, along with significant cuts to school programs. A recent New York Times article illustrates how teachers across the nation have had to find their own ways to provide basic resources to students and classrooms in times of cuts. Fortunately, we haven’t had to resort to these measures, but we need to prioritize investments in our students, schools, teachers and support staff so we don’t fall behind. Minnesota students and families deserve better.
The House Majority bill also significantly underfunds Minnesota universities and colleges, which will lead to higher tuition costs and student loan debt.
We expect the next generation of Minnesotans to have the opportunity to succeed and provide a better future for their families. Now more than ever, we need to deliver on college affordability and the jobs and skills training needed to get a good-paying job. Unfortunately, the House Majority is not adequately investing in our higher education students.
I will continue to advocate for a compromise bill with the Senate and Governor that increases more investments in E-12 and higher education.
35W/494 Interchange Funding Approved
This week, the Minnesota Department of Transportation announced that the first phase of construction to the I-35W and 494 interchange project has been awarded funding through its Corridors of Commerce program. Projects must meet specific eligibility requirements identified in law in order to receive this program’s funding. You can read more about this criteria and the Corridors of Commerce programhere.
As the chief bill sponsor of this funding project over the past three years, I’m glad drivers not only in our community, but across the state will finally see much deserved and overdue congestion relief.
The improvement project, which will add a directional ramp for northbound I-35W to westbound I-494 traffic, is slated to begin over the next four years.
National Small Business Week
This week marks National Small Business Week. The United States has celebrated Small Business Week since 1963, which commemorates the contributions of entrepreneurs and small business owners. Minnesota has more than 503,000 small businesses, which employ approximately 1.2 million people. Overall, small businesses employ approximately 47 percent of Minnesota’s workforce.
To learn more about the tools and resources available to entrepreneurs interested in starting a business in Minnesota,click here.
Congrats, Edina Girls Hockey Team!
On Monday, my House colleagues and I congratulated the Edina Girls Hockey Team on winning the 2017 and 2018 State High School Class AA Girls’ hockey championship. I’m proud to represent such an ambitious, dedicated group of athletes and students. Congrats, Hornets!
Please continue to reach out with your feedback, comments and questions. Your input is important as we approach the final weeks of session.
Sincerely,
Paul