Dear neighbors,
This week the Minnesota House of Representatives unanimously passed its first bill of the legislative session–a bill to reduce taxes for Minnesota families.
The bill conforms Minnesota’s tax system to changes passed in the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012. As a result, an estimated 200,000 Minnesotans, including teachers, students, homeowners and seniors, will be able to file their state taxes with more convenience and with a greater tax benefit.
We also passed legislation that extends health care coverage to 40,000 currently uninsured low-income Minnesotans. By expanding Medicaid eligibility, we can also save the state hundreds of millions of dollars over the next five years.
In addition to these bills, I’ve authored four pieces of legislation that will help put people back to work, expand access to educational opportunities, invest in our infrastructure, and protect our democracy from unlimited corporate campaign contributions.
Here is a brief summary of each bill:
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HF286 secures nearly $2 million to build the Emerge Career and Technology Center, which would convert the former North Branch Library into a technology-focused workforce development center. With future jobs increasingly reliant on computer literacy skills, this project expects to serve 1,000 North Minneapolis youth and adults every year, providing computer skills training, career counseling, job readiness and placement services, financial services and STEM programming.
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HF480 secures $1 million to fund an environmental analysis and project development for the Bottineau Transit Way corridor, which would run from the Target Field station in downtown Minneapolis to northern Brooklyn Park. This project has the potential to create hundreds of jobs and provide residents with more affordable transportation options.
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HF276 requests Congress to propose a constitutional amendment that would reverse the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. We cannot allow corporations to continue spending unlimited amounts of money from undisclosed donors. Our democracy should remain in the hands of the people, not corporations.
I was also proud to recently visit with students from Banaadir Academy, a free K-8 charter school in North Minneap
olis that serves 300+ Somali students in our community. The school strives to enable each student to become a responsible, competent, and prepared life-long learner as well as a conscientious citizen. I’m looking forward to more meetings with students, teachers, and our community to discuss smart investments that ensure a bright future for our children.
As the legislative session continues, please send me your feedback, ideas, and comments about how we can provide our children with a great education, create jobs, and balance the budget in a way that is fair and responsible.
Sincerely,
Raymond Dehn
State Representative, District 59B