Dear Neighbors,
We’re closing in on the last few days of the legislative session, and there’s lots of dominoes that still have to fall. I’ll continue to work for our area, and for our state. It’s an exciting time, and I look forward to the bills we can pass before the Legislature adjourns.
Road and Bridge Funding
The top priority before the end of session is to come to an agreement on a long-term, sustainable plan to fund roads and bridges. Today, I joined many of my House Republican colleagues to urge the governor to drop his plan for a gas tax increase.
I’ve heard from numerous residents how we have a $900 million surplus and don’t need to raise taxes in order to pay for road and bridge improvements. The majority of Minnesotans are against raising this tax, and I agree. Governor Dayton will release his transportation offer on Monday, and I hope he listens to the thousands of Minnesotans who don’t want to pay more every time they fill up the car. We have the ability to fund roads and bridges, and don’t need to raise taxes to do so.
Sunday Sales
Yesterday marked another chance for our state to get rid of one of its outdated, antiquated laws. We took a vote to allow municipalities to decide if they wanted to sell liquor on Sundays. Despite my vote in favor of the provision, the amendment failed.
To me, this issue is about freedom, freedom to shop for products on any day of the week. We’re currently lacking this freedom because of a compromise struck 80 years ago. This seems like common sense to me, but we still can’t seem to get this right. I’m passionate about this issue, and spoke on the House floor in favor of Sunday sales. Feel free to watch the clip here.
Please Contact Me
As always, feel free to contact me if you are in need of assistance or have a suggestion to improve our state. We have just a few days left of session, and I hope you’ll continue to reach out with any questions or advice. You can reach me at (651) 296-4212 or rep.drew.christensen@house.mn.
Have a great weekend!
Drew