Dear Neighbor,
Thank you to everyone who took my 2018 Legislative Survey! I appreciate you sharing your thoughts with me on important issues moving through the Legislature this session.
Some of the highlights of the survey include an overwhelming number of correspondents support raising the tobacco purchasing age to 21 and revoking a license permanently after five DWIs. I am carrying bills on both those issues this session. Additionally, Edina residents would like to see taxpayers held harmless when we do tax conformity, and some of the top priorities of our community are protecting our environment, investing in education, improving our roads and bridges and eliminating wasteful government spending.
Below are the results of the survey:
Which of the following are your top priorities for state government? Choose up to three.
Enacting Tax Relief 22.85%
Eliminating Wasteful Government Spending 31.13%
Investing in Public Transit 19.87%
Protecting our Environment 48.68%
Improving our Transportation Infrastructure (Roads & Bridges) 38.74%
Investing in Education 55.96%
Addressing College Affordability 17.88%
Growing Good-Paying Jobs 25.50%
Other 36.42%
Edina recently raised the age to purchase tobacco products to 21. Do you think the age to purchase tobacco should be raised to 21 statewide?
Yes 74.09%
No 16.61%
Undecided 9.30%
Do you think a person with five or more DWIS should have their Minnesota-issued driver’s license permanently revoked?
Yes 82.12%
No 5.63%
Undecided 12.25%
Do you think the Legislature should work on legislation to help reduce salt use during the winter months to protect our lakes, rivers and streams?
Yes 66.89%
No 12.58%
Undecided 20.53%
Minnesota is a state that usually conforms to the federal tax code (tax conformity). As a result of the federal reform, tax conformity could result in the state collecting additional tax revenue in 2019. Should Minnesota:
Adjust our tax code so Minnesota taxpayers are held harmless 42.76%
Keep the additional revenue and put it toward government spending 12.76%
Adjust the tax code to reduce the impact of Minnesotan, but use the rest for government spending 30%
Other 14.48%
Last year, the Legislature increased funding for education and early education, and also passed a number of meaningful reforms to improve student learning. What are your top priorities for education? Choose up to three.
Increase funding for our students and public schools 53.33%
Support school choice to provide families with more education options and to help tackle Minnesota’s achievement gap 28.00%
Focus more education funding on expanding voluntary pre-kindergarten in our public schools 33.33%
Focus more early learning dollars on scholarships targeting families in need 24.67%
Enact reforms to improve student learning and keep the best teachers in the classroom 59.67%
Support additional tax credits to help families with education expenses and tuition 17.33%
Other 26.67%
In 2016, almost 400 Minnesotans lost their lives as a result of opioid abuse. How should legislators work to combat the opioid crisis? (Select all that apply)
Restrictions on length of each prescription 46.62%
Require doctors to use the Prescription Monitoring Program to crack down on doctor shopping 68.58%
Charge fees to pharmaceutical companies to pay for treatment and addiction services 52.36%
Expand the availability of naloxone, a drug that reverses the effects of an overdose, for first responders 64.53%
Other 19.59%
Thank you again to everyone who took the time to share your thoughts with me! Your input helps me better represent the people and priorities of Edina!
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Please know my office is available to you should you need assistance on a matter of state government. I welcome you to contact my office at any time to share your thoughts, concerns and ideas about what you would like to see happen at the Capitol. Your input is invaluable and helps me better represent the voices and priorities of our community. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4363 or by email at Rep.Dario.Anselmo@House.mn.
Sincerely,
Dario
PS: Share this e-mail update with your friends and neighbors, and let them know they can sign up here.