Dear Friends and Neighbors,
We are fortunate to receive some typical winter weather this weekend, while I believe many of us were hoping for some of the snow that the east coast is receiving – it will be a great time to enjoy the fun winter activities that we have in our area! The outdoor skating loop in our Maple Grove Central Park is a must – free skating, under the lights, on a refrigerated trail! There are many exciting indoor events to attend this weekend as well in our great community.
Here are the highlights from our capitol this week:
- Veteran Service Location Opens in Maple Grove
- MCCL March for Life
- Bonding Bill
- Maple Grove Polar Plunge
Veteran Service Location Opens in Maple Grove
We thank all of the Veterans who have selflessly served our county. Now, Veterans and their families can receive help applying to the Veterans Administration for compensation, pension, long-term care, health care, and all of the other benefits for those who have served the United States– right here in Maple Grove! If you’re a Veteran, feel free to call and make an appointment at 612-348-3300.
MCCL March For Life
Today was the 42nd Annual March for Life at the Capitol hosted by Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life (MCCL). I marvel at this organization’s steadfast commitment to protect and advocate for human life at every stage. Last session we passed multiple pieces of legislation related to preserving life, and I expect we may see more proposals this year.
Bonding Bill
Typically, the second year of the biennium focuses on bonding for capital projects and I expect this year will be no different. Last week, Governor Dayton introduced his $1.4 billion bonding proposal for the 2016 legislative session. This is an enormous proposal and the amount of borrowing is alarming. Governor Dayton seems to think this amount of debt is manageable, but I’m not convinced.
The governor also purposely did not include roads and bridges anywhere except Minneapolis and St. Paul in his proposal, claiming that transportation improvements should be made with new and different taxes. I shouldn’t be surprised that the governor is excluding suburban and Greater Minnesota road and bridge funding from the bonding bill in an effort to grow government and take even more of hardworking taxpayers' money, but I am. Be sure to let me know what you think of this.
But don’t get me wrong; of course we need to fund capital projects, especially road and bridge projects that make it easier to get to work and get our goods to market. Our job in St. Paul is to measure the return and the value of these investments and prioritize the projects that make the most sense and benefit the most people.
As a member of the Capital Investment Committee, I’m looking forward to fighting for projects and proposals that benefit everyone. We have a thriving and growing community and we need to stay ahead of future needs, especially with roads and bridges. I welcome any input on this issue. The bonding bill will be a major part of the upcoming legislative session, and I appreciate hearing your suggestions and ideas.
Maple Grove Polar Plunge
It is time for the 9th Annual Polar Plunge! This year the event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 6th at the Fish Lake Regional Park. This event will warm your heart with proceeds going to the Special Olympics – sign up now at www.PlungeMN.org.
The legislative session is around the corner – it starts March 8th – please let me know if you have any thoughts or ideas on bills. It is my honor to represent our great community, and I want to continue to hear from you. I can be reached at Rep.Dennis.Smith@house.mn, by phone at (651) 296-5502, or US mail at 13570 Grove Drive, #370, Maple Grove, MN, 55311.
Have a great weekend!
Dennis