Dear neighbors,
I hope you are doing well as we approach the holiday season and the New Year. I am honored to serve the people of district 51A for 2 more years and I encourage you to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have before the legislative session begins.
I am hosting a joint town hall with Senator Jim Carlson. The event is free and open to the public. Sen. Carlson and I will go over what to expect for the next legislative session and will take questions from participants at the end. Here are the details:
Where: Wescott Library, 1340 Wescott Rd, Eagan, MN 55123
When: Saturday, Dec. 17th from 10:00 AM -11:45 AM
Last Friday, the Office of Minnesota Management & Budget announced a state budget surplus of $1.4 billion for fiscal years 2018-19. By law, $334 million is put into state reserve accounts, also known as the “rainy day fund.”
Minnesota’s growing budget surplus confirms what we’ve been seeing since 2013 – that Minnesota’s statewide economy is stable and continues to grow and recover. However, there are clear areas where we have more work to do. The current rising costs of health insurance rates for individuals in the private market need immediate attention from the legislature. We also must come together to raise incomes and expand job opportunities for Minnesotans and to make sure our economy is working for everyone, not just the wealthy.
Although the 2017 legislative session begins on January 3rd, legislative leaders and Governor Dayton are meeting to discuss holding a special session this year. I am not sure if it will materialize, but my focus in a special session or the regular session will be on passing a balanced bonding bill, advocating for middle-class and property tax relief for homeowners as well as small businesses, investing in education and public infrastructure.
Sincerely,
Sandra Masin
State Representative