Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Hello! For those of you who don't know me, my name is Peggy Bennett, the new State Representative for District 27A which includes most of Freeborn County and parts of Faribault, Mower, Dodge, and Steele Counties. You may be receiving this email because you signed up for emails from former Representative Rich Murray, who represented our area from 2011-2013.
I'm excited to represent our great community in Saint Paul, and will be sending these updates about once a week to help you stay informed about what's going on at the Capitol. If you are not interested in receiving updates, you can find the unsubscribe button at the bottom of this email.
A little bit about me: I live in Albert Lea, and have been an elementary school teacher in the Albert Lea School District for more than 30 years. I'm passionate about education, and ensuring that students in classrooms across Minnesota have access to a great education that sets them up for success in the future.
This session, I will serve on the Education Finance Committee, and as the Vice Chair of the Education Innovation Policy Committee. I hope to put my teaching experience to good use as we work on policies to improve our education system for our students.
In addition to serving on both the Education Committees, I serve on the Agriculture Finance Committee, which will craft the state's agriculture budget for the 2016-2017 biennium. We have many farmers in our community, and I look forward to doing what I can to make lives easier for the people who put food on our table, fuel in our cars, and provide so much benefit to our area.
I was honored to participate in the swearing-in ceremony that took place at the Capitol in the House Chamber on Tuesday. All 134 members of the 89th legislature took the oath of office and officially began our terms. I was joined by my brother, Dick, as well as two constituents, Spencer and his dad Bob, for the ceremony.
My brother, Dick Bennett, and I before the swearing-in ceremony
I was also interviewed by the Rochester Post-Bulletin about my first day in Saint Paul. You can read that story here.
Please know that I am here to be your voice at the Capitol, and am eager to listen to your concerns, answer your questions, and work each and every day to make Minnesota a better place to live, work, and raise a family.
If you're visiting the Capitol and would like to schedule a time to meet, please contact my office at 651-296-8216 or send an email to rep.peggy.bennett@house.mn. My door is open. I'm here to serve you first and foremost. It's a responsibility I take seriously, and will remember each day as session continues.
Please stay safe on the roads this weekend. Strong winds and blowing snow from the storm yesterday are making driving conditions difficult. It took me more than three hours to make the trip from Saint Paul back home to Albert Lea yesterday!
Have a great weekend,
Peggy Bennett
State Representative, District 27A