Dear neighbors,
We’ve entered the final stretch of the 2013 legislative session. Lawmakers are poised to make historic investments in education to help close our achievement gap and make sure every child reaches his or her full potential. This is an exciting time for Minnesota!
I want to thank everyone who attended my town hall meeting this past Sunday to learn more about what’s been going on at our state capitol. In case you were understandably enjoying the beautiful weather, here’s a quick update to get you up to speed.
Minnesota House Budget Prioritizes Education:
This year will go down in Minnesota history as the “Education Session.” For the first time in years, we’re making historic investments in our children’s education to create a brighter future for all Minnesotans.
The House budget is designed to create the world’s best workforce by closing Minnesota’s achievement gap, reaching a 100 percent high school graduation rate, 100 percent literacy by third grade, and 100 percent career and college readiness by graduation.
In order to meet those goals, we fully fund all-day Kindergarten, invest in early learning childhood scholarships for low-income families, and increase the basic funding formula for K-12 schools by over $315 million, or $209 per pupil.
I cannot overstate how important it is to close the achievement gap facing students in our District.
Investing in all-day kindergarten and early childhood education are proven tools that improve test scores, close achievement gaps, and prepare students for future academic success. It’s going to make a positive difference in the lives of countless children in our district and throughout Minnesota.
Serious Steps to Create Good Jobs:
Many people in our District are struggling to find work. Even before the recession hit, some of our communities already faced unacceptably high unemployment rates for years. We need to do more to put our neighbors back to work so they can provide for their families, but the job creation component of our budget is a positive step forward in the right direction.
The House budget takes serious steps to create good jobs such as investing about $46 million in new funding for programs like the Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF). This program provides low interest loans for businesses thinking of setting up shop in Minnesota and for in-state businesses thinking about expanding their operations. It also includes a substantial tax cut for employers by reducing the rate they pay on unemployment insurance taxes, saving the average employer about $150 per employee.
In addition to these initiatives to create jobs and help small businesses, the House recently passed a long-overdue increase to Minnesota’s minimum wage, which is currently set at $6.50.
The bill will raise the minimum wage for large employers to $8.00 in 2013, $9.00 in 2014 and $9.50 in 2015 and raise the minimum wage for small employers to $7.00 in 2013, $8.00 in 2014 and $8.50 in 2015. The minimum wage will automatically adjust to inflation starting in 2016, and will be capped at 2.5%.
I’ll continue working with my colleagues to do everything in my power to create jobs that pay good wages and provide benefits. It’s one of my top priorities and we must do more to put people back to work.
Same-Sex Marriage:
Tomorrow, House lawmakers will vote on a bill to extend the freedom to marry to same-sex couples in Minnesota. I will proudly vote in support of this historic legislation.
Now that we’ve passed a comprehensive budget that eliminates our deficit, pays back our schools, and invests in education and middle class property tax relief, we are in a good position to take up this bill while completing our work to balance the budget.
The marriage equality bill includes the strongest religious freedom protections of any state that has legalized same-sex marriage. It allows civil marriages for all Minnesotans, like the kind you get at City Hall, and ensures no religious congregation or clergy would be compelled to perform a marriage ceremony that conflicted with their beliefs.
I’m glad Minnesota is poised to join a growing number of states that are moving forward to make sure no one is prohibited from being with the person they love.
Ban the Box:
Today, House lawmakers will vote on a bill that would keep most employers from asking on job applications whether the person has ever been arrested or convicted of a crime.
The bill, which is better known as ‘Ban the Box,’ already passed the Senate with support from both sides of the aisle, and the hope is that the House bill has bipartisan support as well.
This issue comes down to making sure businesses consider applicants based on their skills and qualifications, not simply on their past. I’m looking forward to voting in support of the bill later today.
Get in Touch:
Please share your feedback and ask me any questions as the 2013 session winds down. I depend on your input to make well-informed decisions about the big issues facing our neighborhoods.
You can reach me by phone at (651) 296-8659, by email at rep.raymond.dehn@house.mn, or by postal mail at 423 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.
I also encourage you to ‘like’ my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter at @RaymondDehn to get the latest news and updates about what’s happening at the capitol.
Sincerely,
Raymond Dehn
State Representative, District 59B