When DFL majorities kicked off the 2013 Legislative Session over one year ago, we didn’t waste any time addressing the big challenges confronting our state.
Minnesota faced a $627 million budget shortfall and owed our schools over $800 million. A decade of disinvestment in our children’s education jeopardized our ability to build the kind of highly-educated workforce needed to compete in an increasingly global economy. And far too many families’ livelihoods were threatened by a lack of access to affordable housing, healthcare, transportation, and most important, good jobs.
After countless hours of talking with constituents, listening to public and expert testimony in committee hearings, and debating dozens of bills on the House floor, we wrapped up the 2013 Legislative Session on time and passed an honest state budget that sets Minnesota up for economic success.
The DFL budget moves our state forward by providing every child with access to all-day Kindergarten, expanding preschool scholarships for low-income families, freezing tuition and increasing financial aid for college students, investing in affordable housing, and increasing access to affordable health care.
Additionally, I authored legislation to re-dedicate a portion of the Taconite Production Tax to Iron Range Schools. The Range delegation championed the passage of this legislation, and as a result the fifteen school districts in our region will receive $38 million for capital improvements. That amount includes $7.9 million for Hibbing, $2.03 million for Chisholm, $1.5 million for Mountain Iron-Buhl and $1 million for Nashwauk-Keewatin. We also increased per pupil funding for Iron Range students through the Taconite Production Tax and passed $16 million worth of capital projects for Iron Range cities.
Fast forward to today and all signs show that our economy and educational opportunities for Minnesota students are on the right track.
Minnesota’s statewide unemployment rate stands at 4.6 percent (one of the lowest rates in the nation), we’ve recovered all the jobs lost during the Great Recession, the money borrowed from our schools by previous legislatures has been repaid in full, and we have a projected budget surplus of over $800 million.
The capital improvement projects at Iron Range schools have already begun, and schools are implementing every-day, all-day Kindergarten in order to ensure the best education for our kids. Kids across our region are one of our greatest assets, and investing in their education is one of the best investments we can make.
We have every reason to be optimistic about our future, but northeastern Minnesota still has a ways to go in our economic recovery. That’s why my top priority heading in to the 2014 Legislative Session is making sure all Minnesotans have access to a good job that allows them to support themselves and their families.
This legislative session I will pursue passage of several bonding projects for our region, including: Range Regional Airport, Hibbing Community College, and Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency and the Range Mental Health Center. Governor Dayton rightfully included these projects in his bonding recommendations, and passage will result in hundreds of construction jobs as well as important investments in our higher education institutions and the entities and organizations that support economic growth and opportunity in our region.
Please stay in touch with me about your legislative priorities as we gear up for the 2014 Session. You can reach me by phone at (651) 296-0172 or toll-free at 888-726-0711, by email at rep.carly.melin@house.mn, or by postal mail at 515 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.