Friends and Neighbors,
Thank you for being so involved in the legislative process. We work for you at the Capitol, and I’m thankful for your input.
Commissioner Pay Raises
You may have heard a lot in the news this week about Governor Dayton and the 2013 DFL Legislature’s double-digit pay raises for commissioners, which took effect this year. In total, the pay raises will cost Minnesota taxpayers $1.4 million over the next two years – money that could have been better spent hiring teachers in our district to ensure that all of our children get a great education. I can assure you that we are doing everything we can in the legislature to get answers on this matter, and we have already introduced several bills to offset this dramatic increase in department spending, and prevent pay raises such as these from happening again in the future.
In Our Community
It was great to meet with constituents at the Osseo City Hall on Tuesday! I enjoyed hearing your thoughts and concerns on legislation we’ve introduced in the House, as well as hearing your ideas to make Minnesota work better for you and your family in the future. Your thoughts are so important to me as I consider the many pieces of legislation we’ve begun to debate in the House and their impact on Maple Grove and Osseo. I am looking forward to my next meeting in the district!
I attended and spoke at the Osseo City Council meeting on Monday. It was a pleasure to speak with our local elected officials to explore the ways that our state government can help our cities work more effectively. Thank you to those of you that attend our local government meetings!
Don’t Miss It
I was excited to join Al Travis on Between the Lines, a political talk show. He and I discussed my personal and political life and many of the hot topics in the House this week. The show will begin to air on local cable on Monday, or you can watch it online here after it airs on your local cable channel.
Congratulations
Congratulations to Osseo mayor Duane Poppe on being selected as the Minnesota Commercial Real Estate’s 2014 Broker of the Year! I’m thankful for Duane’s service to our city and his hard work as a broker. Our cities thrive because of people like Duane and their commitment to building a better future for our communities.
Additionally, congratulations to Osseo’s new police chief, Shane Mikkelson. Police Chief Mikkelson will serve the city well with his humility and vow to serve and protect the people of Osseo. I am excited for his future with our city.
Please stay in touch to discuss any issues that concern you and your family. You can schedule an appointment to meet with me in my office at the Capitol by calling me at (651) 296-5502, or by emailing me at Rep.Dennis.Smith@house.mn.
It is an honor to serve you.
Dennis