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Neighbors,
I hope the first week back to school has been a smooth transition for you and your family, and that you're making the most of our last summer days! Remember to be attentive on the roads and to look out for students going to and from school, especially in school zones! Here are some safety tips for drivers and pedestrians to be aware of.
Like so many other students and teachers in Minnesota, I also went back to school on Tuesday to my job as a Library Media Specialist!
In my last update, I highlighted the changes for K-12 students that resulted from the 2019 session, but they are not the only kiddos going back into the classroom! Students seeking a higher education are heading back as well.
Years of under-funding have led to skyrocketing tuition and student loan debt for Minnesotans looking for an education and brighter future. The Legislature needs to step up to deliver on college affordability and the jobs and skills training needed to succeed in today’s economy.
Our House DFL Minnesota Values Budget took strong steps to stabilize tuition at our public colleges and universities to improve college affordability and reduce the growth of student loan debt, but compromising with Republicans during final budget negotiations meant less investment than we advocated for.
Minnesota is a great state, but we’re ninth in the nation in student loan debt, and many recent graduates are delaying buying a house or starting a family due to their high student loan payments. Making college more affordable is good for students and good for our economic competitiveness as a community and state, and we have a lot of work left to do!
State Fair
Many thanks to those of you who stopped by the House of Representatives booth to visit and complete the annual legislative survey. Here's a breakdown of some of the poll results, which indicate that Minnesotans are in agreement with many of the things the House DFL is fighting for:
You can read more about the survey and how these findings compare to past results here.
Fun to hang out with family at the fair!
I hope you had a wonderful short week after celebrating those who do the work that is done at all levels of our society and the value of all that labor, on Labor Day! As always, let me know if you have any questions, thoughts or comments!
Sincerely,
Mary KP |