Dear neighbors,
This session the legislature finished on time, providing a balanced budget, improving education, job creation and enacting new reforms to make our state competitive into the future. I was proud to be a part of the bipartisan work at the Capitol this year, and want to thank those of you who kept in touch this session.
This session has been called the ‘education session’ for a reason: we are enacting sweeping reforms to our schools that update our curriculums and will help to ensure that our schools remain the best in the nation. Strong schools equal a strong economy, and our education budget looks to the future by making sure that our students are prepared for 21st century jobs and global opportunities.
We do this by providing optional, all-day kindergarten and early childhood learning scholarships. Early learning is proven to increase test scores and academic achievement later in life, and is a common sense way to make sure that all of our kids are getting a great start. We are replacing outdated high-stakes testing with a new assessment system that will challenge students based on their goals and skills towards career and college readiness. This will provide a much needed update to current school curriculums that track students towards outdated or low-demand careers.
To make college more affordable and reduce student debt, we will be freezing tuition at the U of M and MnSCU for two years for undergraduates. In addition, we adjust the current State Grant Program formula to better reflect all of the costs of a higher education and include part-time students. Between rising tuition and the costs of living associated with going to school, the current system is inadequate. The new grant formula recognizes that a large percentage of students are part-time, as our economy beckons a growing need for continuing education. These grants will help countless students and families achieve their educational goals.
This session, I was the chief author of a measure to continue the Southwest Corridor Light Rail project, which has been stalled in recent years due to legislative gridlock. I am pleased to tell you that this project will move forward to reduce traffic congestion in our community and support future job and economic growth.
I am sure you have heard a variety of things about the final tax bill, and I want to let you know that I did not support it. I heard from many concerned residents and would have preferred the bill included more balance and efficiencies. In addition, I voted against the Campaign Finance Bill, which raises spending limits for state candidates. I support campaign finance reform, but do not think that adding more money to our elections will make them better. In our area we see an excessive amount of negative campaign ads, and it will only increase these misleading attacks for all candidates of all parties.
Please contact me anytime with your questions, comments or concerns. I appreciate your input. There is more work to be done, but I want to assure you that I will continue to work on bipartisan, common sense legislation to create jobs, strengthen education and keep Minnesota competitive. Please contact me anytime I can be of assistance.
Sincerely,
Paul Rosenthal