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State Representative Sarah Anderson
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-5511
For more information contact: Jason Wenisch 651-296-2317
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Welcome to the 2012 Session
To the Editor:
The 2012 legislative session kicked off last week with an $876 million surplus. Just one year ago, Republican majorities took office in both the House and Senate with a historic $5.2 billion budget deficit to balance. We worked with Governor Dayton to resolve the budget shortfall and remove barriers to job growth. We accomplished balancing the budget without raising taxes and we began the process of reforming how your government operates.
This year, we are building on these transformations through our Reform 2.0 initiative. This plan includes phasing out the statewide business property tax on small businesses to help spur job growth. Other initiatives include placing a moratorium on state rulemaking and regulations. We need to review what is working and what is outdated. In addition, Reform 2.0 establishes a primary contact for new and expanding businesses so we have a one-stop shop for growing jobs in Minnesota.
For our schools, our Reform 2.0 package includes aggressive strategies to turn around the state's lowest achieving schools. Closing the achievement gap and having a well-educated work force is essential to fueling Minnesota's economic engine.
Looking inward, the Reform 2.0 initiative ensures you're getting a greater return on the hard-earned tax dollars the state spends. The reform package consolidates back office functions, streamlines fleet management, and evaluates real estate leases to reflect our current economy. The plan also equalizes government pay and benefits with the private sector. In addition, we are asking city and county governments to present budget and spending information in any easy to follow format. Transparency is key to citizen involvement.
There is a host of initiatives designed to bring your government into the 21st century. We cannot afford to continue to operate like its 1972. We heard this sentiment expressed time and again by citizens across the state, including residents at a listening session Representative Connie Doepke and I held in October.
My colleagues and I are looking forward to working with Governor Dayton to enact the Reform 2.0 initiatives. I encourage you to contact me with any of your ideas as we move through this legislative session. It is an honor to serve the people of Plymouth and Medicine Lake in the Minnesota House of Representatives. Together, we can establish a sustainable government that fosters job and economic growth.
Sincerely,
Sarah Anderson
State Representative – District 43A
Plymouth and Medicine Lake
News Items
- Letter to the Editor - (Posted: 2012-02-20 00:00:00)
- Welcome to the 2012 Session - (Posted: 2012-01-31 00:00:00)
- REDISTRICTING ORGANIZATION TO WITHHOLD MAP FROM PUBLIC SCRUTINY - (Posted: 2011-10-14 00:00:00)
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