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Greetings,
For those of you who missed last weekend’s Java with Jessup, I will be holding a town hall to discuss the outcomes of the 2017 Legislative Session on Thursday, June 15th from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at the Shoreview Library (4560 N. Victoria St) in the Community Program Room. I encourage anyone interested in discussing and learning more about the results of this year’s session to attend. We will be serving ice cream for attendees, so save room for dessert!
In case next Thursday does not work for you, I have broken down some of the highlights in this email of what was accomplished during the 2017 Legislative Session:
Break Down Of The Budget:
Taxes: The tax bill provides $650 million in tax relief over the next two years (2018-2019) and $790 million in 2020-2021; this is the largest tax relief package in almost 20 years!
- Nearly 284,000 senior citizens will receive tax reductions; 72,000 of those will no longer pay any state income tax on their social security benefits.
- A family of four making $50,000 a year will receive an additional $1,200 toward their child care expenses.
- 65,000 students will receive an average of a $414 reduction in their taxes through a new tax credit for student loan payments.
- Families planning for future higher education expenses will be able to receive a credit or deduction on their taxes for contributions made to a 529 College Savings Plan.
Transportation: The transportation budget responsibly prioritizes Minnesota’s need for road and bridge repairs and improvements by using existing auto-related revenue sources. In the next two years alone, an additional $300 million will be invested in the state’s transportation infrastructure, which will be the largest investment in state history in our roads and bridges without raising taxes. Funding was also included to replace the Rice Street/694 Bridge in southern Shoreview.
Education: The K12 education budget invests an additional $1.3 billion in our students over the next two years, which is almost a $5 million increase solely for Mounds View Schools! The education budget also makes some meaningful reforms:
- Ending the default "Last In, First Out" layoff policy to ensure schools can keep the best teachers in the classroom.
- Expanding pre-K scholarships.
- Overhauling the broken teacher licensure system in order to help schools address teacher shortages.
Capitol Grand Opening:
After an extensive 4 year restoration, the Capitol is ready to be officially reopened to the public. There will be celebrations held on August 11, 12, & 13; events include: fireworks, concerts, tours and more. Click here for more information! I highly recommend either attending these events or taking a tour of the Capitol this summer on your own time. Tour Information.
Contact Me:
For any questions, comments, or concerns regarding any issue related to state government, please feel free to contact me at either 651-296-0141 or rep.randy.jessup@house.mn.
Thank you for allowing me to represent you at the Capitol. I hope to see you next Thursday!
Sincerely,
