Dear Friends,
I want to thank everyone who took the time to attend last Tuesday's town hall meeting. It was helpful for members of the Property Tax committee to hear your stories about how property taxes impact your lives, and your ideas about what we can do in Saint Paul to lower that burden. Rising property taxes affect families across the state, and there is an urgent need to get property taxes under control.
If you weren't able to attend but would like to send along comments or questions, please email me at rep.roz.peterson@house.mn or call 651-296-5387.
First Committee Hearing for HF258
My bipartisan bill to encourage research and investment in Minnesota received its first committee hearing in the Tax Committee last week. Companies and small businesses who make investments in research here in our state have the potential to create hundreds of new jobs.
We want those jobs to be created and stay here in Minnesota, rather than in other states, and this bill would give companies an incentive to do so. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus tax bill, where several smaller bills are rolled into one and passed together.
The companion bill is chief authored in the Senate by Sen. Ann Rest (DFL-New Hope).
Testifying in favor of HF258 in front of the tax committee. Photo by House Photography
Disaster Relief Bill Passes
Last week the House unanimously passed a bill to provide disaster relief funding to more than 40 counties, including here in Dakota County. Counties all across the state had to deal with millions in cleanup costs following severe flooding last summer.
The bill is primarily paid for by canceling previous unspent disaster relief funds, a creative way to utilize existing money rather than asking for all new money. The federal government, as a part of the disaster declaration, will now be able to provide their part of the relief funding, and counties will be able to finish cleanup work this spring.
I hope we can use this bill as an example to follow as session continues; we should be looking at spending the money we have effectively before we go and ask taxpayers for even more.
My door is always open, and I hope you'll reach out to me with your ideas, questions, and comments. If you'd like to schedule a meeting, please call my office at 651-296-5387 or email rep.roz.peterson@house.mn.
It's an honor to represent you in Saint Paul.
Have a great week,
Roz Peterson
State Representative, District 56B