Hello from St. Paul,
Last week the House approved a bonding bill to support critical infrastructure projects in Minnesota. I worked to ensure that dire local projects were included in the bill that passed. $11.5 million of the proposal was appropriated for the Lincoln-Pipestone Rural Water treatment and storage to avoid residents from the need to buy bottled water. Nearly $4 million went towards the city of Tyler to fund their sanitary sewer project which will keep that thriving town growing. Another $1.3 million will go towards improving and expanding the Casey Jones State Trail. Of what was divided out for local projects, Southwestern Minnesota received a fraction of all that was available.
The bonding bill is now in the hands of the Senate for approval. I continue to work on these important projects to ensure they remain in the Senate’s final bill.
SOUTHWESTERN MINNESOTA WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM RECEIVES HEARING
Tonight, the Workforce Development committee will hear our district's proposal to establish a Southwestern Minnesota Workforce Development Scholarship Program. As a reminder, too often we hear about graduating seniors choosing to participate in the Build Dakota scholarship program. My bill will develop and grow our workforce here in southwestern Minnesotan, instead of losing more workers to South Dakota. I am grateful for the hearing and the opportunity to continue advancing this idea.
This plan was brought to me by local mayors to keep graduating seniors in their hometowns and create great opportunities for businesses to offer apprenticeships. Under this program, students would commit to three years of full-time employment after graduation with a participating local employer. Employers would receive tax incentives for offering apprenticeships.
I hope we can pass this bill so we can develop southwestern Minnesota’s workforce and ensure our region can continue to grow for generations to come.
Stay safe with another blizzard blowing through this week,
Joe