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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Kelly Fenton (R)

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Legislative Update and Coffee with Kelly Scheduled

Friday, February 13, 2015

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Here is an update from the Capitol.

Pay Raises for Commissioners

The legislature was recently informed that Governor Dayton increased his commissioners’ salaries in January, raising their six-figure salaries by an additional 19-58 percent. This was done without public input and the authority to raise these salaries was given to him by the 2013 DFL-led legislature.

Costing taxpayers as much as $1.6 million over the next two years, these salary increases do not reflect the realities or priorities of average Minnesotans.

Moreover, some state agencies have come back to the legislature asking for more money, claiming they will run out before the end of the fiscal year in June. Government spending already jumped nearly 12 percent between FY2012-13 to FY2014-15, and now their agency heads are receiving tens of thousands in pay increases? These factors have to be considered in any deficiency funding bill passed by the House, closely examining how your tax dollars are being spent.  

Coffee with Kelly

On Saturday, February 28th I will be at the Woodbury Kowalski’s from 9:00-11:00 AM for Coffee with Kelly, a chance for constituents to come in and chat with me about any ideas, concerns or input they have about state government. As your new state representative, I want to ensure that I am available in the district, and that I have a chance to hear from you directly about your priorities for the legislative session.

I hope you can join me!

What: Coffee with Kelly

When: Saturday, February 28th

Where: Woodbury Kowalski’s in the upstairs café by the Starbucks

Time: 9:00-11:00 AM

Legislation for Education

This session, I have introduced two bills that can help improve our schools and education system here in Minnesota.

The first bill, HF 589, is bipartisan legislation that will amend alternative teacher licensure and license reciprocity in Minnesota, making it easier to bring the most effective educators into our classrooms.

As a former educator who came to Minnesota with an out-of-state license, I know the burdensome hoops good teachers have to jump through to get licensed here. This commonsense bill will streamline the process and make a clear pathway for educators who want to teach in our state to get licensed.

The second bill I introduced is HF 643, another bipartisan initiative that modifies the Principals’ Leadership Academy provision and appropriates money, making this great program available to more principals throughout Minnesota. 

As leaders of our schools, principals see firsthand every day what goes on in the classroom, what research-based methods are making the most effective educators and what can be done at the ground level to run a first-class school. The Principal Leadership Academy is a great tool for principals and can help them raise student achievement, understand ways to meet the critical challenges of educating students and improve the schools they serve.

Polar Plunge

Tomorrow, I will be doing the Polar Plunge in Woodbury in support of the Madison Claire Foundation. It’s going to be a cold day for a good cause, and I hope to see you there!

 

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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