Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Here is an update from the Capitol.
Flood Disaster Relief Bill Helps Washington County
On Monday, the House passed Senate File 1, a bill that provides $17 million for recovery efforts in the wake of last summer’s flooding, which was severe enough to elicit a federal disaster declaration. Three tribal government and 47 counties, including Washington County, submitted requests for relief and were included in the bill.
What’s more, a majority of the funding for the bill comes from previously enacted but unspent dollars from past natural disaster bills in 2011 and 2012, with only $2.2 million coming from new spending. Additionally, $5 million is provided through the recently created Minnesota natural disaster contingency fund. And because the damage was severe enough to be recognized by the U.S. government, money will be coming from both the state and federal government.
As a co-author of this bill, I am pleased that Washington County is receiving the monetary assistance they need to cover flood damage costs.
Governor Releases Budget for 2016-17
On Tuesday, Governor Dayton shared his vision for the 2016-17 budget which includes a nearly $7 billion increase in all-funds spending and more than $900 million in tax increases for the biennium.
I was pleased to see he focused on areas like education, but unfortunately there were still too many misplaced priorities like more money for the Senate Office Building and MNsure.
What Minnesotans should take away from this is that the governor’s budget recommendations increase overall state spending by $1244 for every single person in our state. I came to St. Paul looking for ways to make government more efficient and effective for Minnesotans, and I don’t believe this initial proposal from Governor Dayton does this.
At the end of next month, legislators will use the February forecast to formulate our budget for FY2016-17. Until then, we will be hearing testimony from state agency leaders who will share more about Dayton’s budget recommendations in House committee hearings.
Met Council Subcommittee Appointment
The new House Majority this week formed a Subcommittee on Metropolitan Council Accountability and Transparency, a committee on which I will be serving.
Living in Washington County, part of the seven-county metro area under the jurisdiction of the Met Council, I am looking forward to working on this important committee. From wastewater management to transportation, the unelected Met Council has a major financial and policy impact on our community, and the goal of the subcommittee is to ensure that they are accountable to the people they serve and are representing the needs of all people in the metro, both urban and suburban.
As this subcommittee gets underway, I will keep you informed about any important policies or initiatives being discussed during hearings.
As always, I am grateful and humbled to be your state representative, and will be fighting hard for the people and priorities of Woodbury this session. If I can be of any assistance to you or your family on a matter of state government, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I am here to serve you!
Sincerely,
Kelly
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