Dear Neighbors,
I hope you’re ready for a bit of a January warm-up this weekend and early next week. We’ll have perfect Minnesota weather to hit the local rink for some outdoor hockey, or head to our area lakes for a day of ice fishing. Before you go enjoy your weekend, I wanted to keep you up-to-date on what’s happening at the Capitol.
Tax Relief
You might remember from last week, but the House passed a $22 million tax relief bill to help 220,000 Minnesotans. I’m happy to announce the Senate also passed the legislation, and Governor Dayton signed it into law. I’m proud to vote for this bill, and can’t wait to support more tax relief proposals this session.
U.S. Bank Stadium Controversy
You probably saw this story on the news, but we learned the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority (MSFA) wasted $32,000 of public tax dollars on food at various U.S. Bank Stadium events. As a public entity, the MSFA shouldn’t be in the business of dolling out tickets to suites or free meals for friends and family. We held a hearing on this issue this week, and still the answers were vague at best. The public deserves to know if their tax dollars are being wasted on the friends and family of bureaucrats.
Met Council Reform
I recently introduced a bill to make changes to the Metropolitan Council. The Met Council is a group of 17 unelected officials appointment by the governor, and oversees almost a $1 billion budget for the metro area. My bill would create staggered, four-year terms for members instead of the current congruent four-year terms. The current system allows a new governor to wipe out the entire council and appoint 17 new faces who all agree with the governor.
My bill would ensure that in the event of a transfer of power, there are still dissenting voices to be a check on this powerful body. This is just one step in reforming the Met Council. When a body of unelected members can drastically change the entire metro area without any repercussion, there’s a significant problem that must be addressed.
Please Contact Me
Please continue to stay in touch to discuss your thoughts on the many critical pieces of legislation we discuss every day. You can schedule an appointment to visit me in St. Paul by calling my office at (651) 296-4282, or email me directly at rep.jim.nash@house.mn. I’d love to hear your ideas, questions or concerns, and hope you’ll reach out if you need anything.
Sincerely,
Jim