Dear neighbor,
Today, a special session of the legislature convened to provide disaster relief for the counties affected by the storms in June. I’m proud we were able to come together in a bipartisan way to offer assistance to those adversely affected by the storms.
However, I’m disappointed the special session didn’t address repealing the business-to-business taxes that Democrats imposed during the 2013 legislative session. During the last hours of the regular session, Democrats slipped in three taxes that affect labor costs for repair and maintenance of equipment, the purchase of telecommunications equipment, and a warehousing and storage tax to take effect in April 2014. There is bipartisan agreement that these taxes should be repealed but Democrats decided to delay addressing them, if at all, until the 2014 legislative session. Unfortunately, many of our families and small businesses can’t afford wait that long.
I-94 EXPANSION
Last week, I attended a meeting sponsored by the I-94 West Corridor Coalition and the I-94 West Chamber of Commerce with Transportation Commissioner Charles Zelle. I’m concerned that the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) doesn’t have the right priorities when it comes to funding roads and infrastructure since the commissioner appears to believe adding more lanes isn’t the solution for I-94. I’ll continue to push MNDOT to make the expansion of I-94 a priority.
USS MINNESOTA
Over the weekend, I had the privilege of attending the commissioning of the USS Minnesota. It was truly an historic event. I’m proud of the members of our military who risk their lives to keep us safe. It was an extraordinary opportunity and I was honored to be there to see it in person. I want to personally thank Brian Skon, a resident of St. Michael, who is the President of the Navy League of the United States, Twin Cities Council, for all of his work he did as a member of the USS Minnesota Commissioning Committee.
As your voice in St. Paul, I am interested in your feedback. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail at Rep.David.FitzSimmons@House.MN or contact my office at 651-296-1534. You can also send me mail to my office address: 227 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155. Please feel free to share this e-mail with your family, friends, and neighbors so they can sign up and stay in touch.
Sincerely,
David