To the editor of the Sun ThisWeek:
State lawmakers kick off the 2014 Legislative Session on February 25. As we gear up for committee hearings and meetings with constituents, we have reason to be optimistic about the direction our state is heading.
Employers added over 45,000 jobs last year, lowering our unemployment rate to 4.6 percent – one of the lowest rates in the country. Thanks to our outstanding businesses and talented workforce, Minnesota faces a projected budget surplus of over $800 million. With Minnesota on sound fiscal footing for the first time in years, we need to build on our momentum in the year ahead to help families and businesses who haven’t felt the economic recovery.
That’s why one of my top priorities for the 2014 Legislative Session is working with my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to pass a strong capital investment bill.
With a two-thirds “supermajority” vote needed to pass any capital investment legislation, both DFL and Republican lawmakers will need to team up to approve a final bill. It’s a refreshing opportunity for both parties to put aside partisan differences and work together to repair and improve state assets like roads, bridges, and facilities at our public colleges and universities while at the same time creating good jobs.
The Republican-led legislature approved capital investment bills in 2011 and 2012, so I’m hopeful we can do the same under the DFL-led legislature in 2014.
In a way, capital investment bills are like repairing a leaky roof. When homeowners pay upfront costs to patch a leak or replace their roof, they prevent more costly damage from building up over time. Much like a homeowner’s roof, state assets need repairs from time to time as well. The result is better and stronger public infrastructure that our businesses and people can rely on into the future.
With added benefits like creating good jobs and saving taxpayer dollars in maintenance costs over the long run, a capital investment bill is a fiscally responsible way to build on the progress we made in 2013 and keep our economy on the right track in the year ahead.
Sincerely,
Will Morgan
State Representative, District 56B