As your new state representative, one of my top priorities has been to help find ways to improve the funding inequity that often exists between Greater Minnesota and the Metro Area.
We began this process recently with our transportation funding proposal, as the House approach would provide hundreds of millions of dollars for county, township, and local road and bridge needs and Greater Minnesota transit. It would also provide funding for small cities with fewer than 5,000 residents in order for them to make street improvements.
Now we have approved legislation that will prioritizes nursing homes and schools in the rural areas of the state. Our health and human services finance proposal provides real reform to care centers by implementing a statewide rate of reimbursement; improving the wages of care providers; and providing a permanent solution to statewide nursing home needs.
Local facilities would clearly benefit from this legislation if it becomes law, as the annual change in Medicaid and estimated private revenue for the 2016 rate year would provide them with the following increases:
Sandstone - Essentia Health – Sandstone: $1.3 million
Mora - Benedictine Living Community of Mora: $884,000
Pine City - Lakeside Medical Center: $341,000
You'll recall earlier this year I submitted legislation that would raise reimbursement rates for Pine and Kanabec County nursing homes in order to put them on a more level playing field with their counterparts from the Twin Cities and Duluth. The House majority has decided to go with a statewide, rather than regional, fix which is something I'm happy to support.
The K-12 Education Omnibus Finance bill spends more than $1 billion on education needs from the previous biennium, and it will assist Greater Minnesota schools by providing them with larger per-pupil funding increases ($193 per student) when compared to the Twin Cities. The proposal also gives more flexibility to local school districts, puts teaching before testing, and advances initiatives to attract talented teachers to the outstate.
Finally, I thought you might be interested in reading some of the results of my legislative survey. Hundreds of you responded, and 88 percent of those who make their voice heard said they do not support Governor Dayton's plan that would raise the cost of gas by 16-cents per gallon in order to fund transportation needs. 79 percent do not support funding the Northern Lights Express and Southwest Light Rail Line, and 83 percent do not support a court decision to prohibit the hunting of gray wolves.
My thanks to all who participated!