Dear Neighbors,
I’ve written a lot this session about opioids and opioid abuse. Reforms on this issue aren’t just a passion of mine, I view it as a matter of life and death. Recently, I joined with a bipartisan group of representatives and senators to send a letter to the Star Tribune about this important topic. If you’re interested, I’d encourage you to read it here.
I’m happy to report we’re making progress in a number of other areas at the Capitol, too. This week we released some of the large committee bills called omnibus bills, where we gather a large number of bills we heard through committee meetings to make better use of time on the House floor. We are entering the "mark-up" period and tweaking these large bills to make them better.
One of the most impactful of which is a $1.35 billion tax relief proposal. This is a bill targeted toward the middle class, and would assist farmers, senior citizens, small business owners, and working families.
We also unveiled our transportation plan for the state. This has been an important issue to me, and I’m pleased to see a $6 billion transportation proposal over the next 10 years. Our plan targets roads and bridges, and continues to help smaller cities under 5,000 residents. This would be a significant investment in roads and bridges, and I look forward to supporting our plan moving forward.
In the coming weeks, we’ll also be discussing proposals related to public safety, education, and health and human services. All of these bills are subject to change as all sides - the House, Senate, and Governor’s office - come together to negotiate. I’ll keep you updated as these bills move forward, and encourage you to contact me to share your thoughts and opinions.
This weekend I hope you can take in some community events such as:
- The Trailblazer Scout Expo Saturday, March 25th at the Kandi Mall 9am-2pm
- Tonight is the "Power of the Purse" fundraiser at the Willmar Conference Center. Sponsored by United Way and Empower. 5:30-9:30pm
- And of course fish fry’s abound at local churches and your favorite restaurants
Enjoy your weekend,
Dave