America has always been known as a land of opportunity, a country in which those who work hard and make smart decisions can get ahead.
Over the past several decades, rising income inequality posed a major challenge to that basic promise. The concentration of wealth into the hands of the few, unfettered and undisclosed spending in elections, skyrocketing health care costs and academic achievement gaps are some of the most significant barriers that prevented Americans from reaching their full potential.
A brighter future is possible by making sure our economy works for all of us. Since I first took office, I’ve advocated for what I call a ‘middle class economy’ built and maintained around the following five priorities:
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Health care for everyone
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Quality education for everyone
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A sustainable, affordable source of energy and supporting a clean environment
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A world-class transportation system
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Living wages for all working people
The Minnesota Legislature continues to take significant steps toward building the middle class economy we need to ensure a brighter future for all.
Here is a quick look at the progress we’ve made on each of the five priorities.
Health care for everyone:
America is in the midst of the most significant expansion of access to health care since the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965.
The Affordable Care Act ended the days of insurance company abuse like dropping coverage for people with pre-existing conditions, placing annual and lifetime limits on care and charging women higher premiums than men.
MNsure, Minnesota’s online health insurance marketplace, offers the lowest premium rates in the entire country and builds on our state’s nation-leading health care system. To date, over 200,000 people have signed up for coverage through MNsure, a significant milestone for ensuring high-quality care at an affordable price for all Minnesotans.
Quality education for everyone:
During the 2013 Session, the Legislature made historic investments in our children’s education, from our youngest learners all the way to students pursuing a post-secondary degree.
Preschool scholarships for low-income families, all-day Kindergarten for every child and more funding for every school reflect major progress in restoring our state’s historical commitment to educational excellence.
A two-year tuition freeze and new investments in state financial aid are reversing the trend of double-digit tuition hikes that hit college students over the past decade while helping to reduce the debt that hold students back from purchasing a car or home.
A sustainable source of energy:
Last year, the Legislature approved a solar energy standard requiring 1.5 percent of electricity to be solar-generated by 2020, a new tool that will help us reach existing renewable energy goals of 25 percent by 2025.
Diversifying our sources of energy is a smart strategy to protect consumers and businesses from the kind of fossil fuel price spikes we’ve seen at the gas pumps and most recently in the propane industry.
A world-class transportation system:
All Minnesotans agree we must address our state’s transportation needs. Strong and sturdy roads, bridges, highways and transit systems are the foundation of economic growth, allowing businesses to transport goods and people to get to and from their jobs.
The Legislature made progress by funding the ‘Corridors of Commerce’ initiative, and investments in the forthcoming bonding bill will make a positive difference as well, but we still have a long way to go to make up for a decade of disinvestment in our infrastructure.
Living wages for working people:
I was proud to support the recently approved minimum wage increase from $6.15 per hour to $9.50 per hour for large employers starting in 2016. By giving workers annual pay raises based on the rate of inflation beginning in 2018, hard-working Minnesotans will have more income to spend as the cost of living increases, pumping those dollars right back into our local economy.
While we have more work to do to build a middle class economy, the Minnesota Legislature continues to move our state in the right direction. Progress on priorities like health care, education, sustainable clean energy, transportation, and the minimum wage increase should give every Minnesotan good reason to feel optimistic about our future.