Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Here is an update with the latest news from the Capitol.
In this Issue:
- Budget Forecast
- Community Events
- Peppin's MinnTriv
Budget Forecast
This week, Minnesota Management and Budget released their November forecast which shows an updated picture of state revenues and spending for the 2018-2019 budget biennium. You can read their full report by clicking here.
Legislative leaders and the governor mostly agreed; the forecast was a mixed bag. The good news is our economy is extremely strong. Unemployment is at its lowest level in 17 years, and wages are rising for families. Despite strong indicators on the state and federal level, current projections show a $188 million budget deficit.
When you dig into the forecast report, it's clear we could see a very different and much-improved budget picture when MMB releases their next forecast in February 2018. If Congress follows through on the reauthorization of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) as they are expected to do, our projected deficit would drop from $188 million to just $10 million. If the U.S. economy continues growing in excess of 3% as we saw in the second and third quarter of this year, rather than the roughly 2% figure used in the forecast, revenues could be much higher than they are currently projected to be.
I expect we will see a much more positive outlook come February. Whether we face a deficit or a surplus, Republicans will continue to focus next session on reining in excessive and wasteful spending, bringing down the tax burden on families so you can keep more of your own money, and growing good-paying jobs so families can see improvements in their paychecks.?
Around the Community
Get Your Fill of Pancakes (and French Toast) on Sunday!
The Mary Queen of Peace Knights of Columbus are hosting a "Lumberjack Breakfast" on Sunday, December 10 from 8:30 a.m. to noon at Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church at 21304 Church Avenue in Rogers. Menu includes pancakes, french toast, sausage and eggs, applesauce, orange juice, milk and coffee. Free will offering with proceeds benefiting church, school and community.
The Dayton Lions will host a Pancake Breakfast with Santa on Sunday (December 10) from 8:00 a.m. to noon at Dayton Elementary School, 12000 South Diamond Lake Road. Enjoy pancakes, french toast, sausage, orange juice, coffee and milk. Free will offering with proceed benefiting Dayton Elementary and Champlin Park High School.
Peppin's MinnTriv
Thank you to everyone who participated in the last Peppin’s MinnTriv Question. The trivia question from last week was, "Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes. With over 10,000 lakes in our great state, it is no surprise that some share the same name. How many lakes in Minnesota are called Mud Lake?" The Department of Natural Resources lists 174 Mud Lakes in Minnesota; however, some sources claim there are over 200!
Congratulations to Curtis Medina from Golden Valley for this week's winning answer!
Here is this week’s question:
With the weather of the past week, outdoor enthusiasts are thrilled that it feels as though winter has officially arrived. Approximately how many miles of groomed snowmobile trails does MN have?
The third respondent with the correct answer will be featured in the next e-mail update!
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In order to best represent our communities, I need to hear from you, so please don’t hesitate to contact my office at any time. My direct line is 651-296-7806. My email address is rep.joyce.peppin@house.mn and my mailing address is Room 459 State Office Building, 100 Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard, St. Paul, MN 55155.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Sincerely,
Joyce
**Encourage your neighbors and friends to sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/34A