SD 63 Town Hall on Wednesday

Dear Neighbors,

On Wednesday, December 15, Senator Torres Ray, Representative Greenman, and I are hosting a virtual town hall meeting at 6:00 p.m. for our South Minneapolis community. We will deliver a legislative update and then will open it up for questions. We want to hear what’s on your mind, how things have been going for you and your family, and what you think we ought to invest in with the recent positive budget balance. Please feel free to submit your questions in advance by replying to this email.

President Biden’s visit to Minnesota 

Earlier this month, President Biden toured the Heavy-Duty Truck Technology area at Dakota County Technical College (DCTC) in Rosemount, Minnesota to talk about the bipartisan federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and to learn more about how the program contributes to infrastructure development.

Minnesota will benefit from the new infrastructure law with:

• $4.5 billion for highways
• $302 million for bridges
• $100 million for broadband internet
• $68 million for electric vehicle charging stations
• $818 million for public transportation
• $680 million for clean water

Minnesota’s Positive Budget Balance

Minnesota also received more good news last week with Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB)’s budget forecast, showing a projected positive fund balance of $7.7 billion. This estimate is based off of the “extraordinary growth” in income, consumer spending, and corporate profits. Of the $7.7 billion projected surplus, $3.1 billion is one time money, $4.3 billion is projected as ongoing. The people of Minnesota built this surplus through perseverance through this pandemic. They should be the ones who benefit from what they built.

Supporting workers, families, and small businesses and investing in our infrastructure is the right thing to do. You can read more about our budget forecast here.  

Redistricting Update

The process of redistricting new legislative and congressional lines is underway! Legislators serving on the Redistricting Committee have used the latest and full Census data to draw new maps that reflect how the population in Minnesota has changed- that means, fair and reflective of the geographic, racial, ethnic, and economic diversity of our state. You can find the proposal on the committee’s website here.

Minneapolis Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Project

In the spring of 2022, the city of Minneapolis will launch a new Guaranteed Basic Income Pilot Program to assist 200 Minneapolis families in need through 2024. If you or anyone you know might be interested in applying, you can learn more and check out the eligibility requirements for enrollment here. Applications are due on December 31, 2021.

Keep in Touch

Please continue to reach out anytime at rep.jim.davnie@house.mn or 651-296-0173 with questions or input. Don’t hesitate to let me know how I can be of assistance.

Thank you for the honor of representing our South Minneapolis families in the Minnesota House.

Sincerely,

Jim Davnie

State Representative