Friends,
We have about a month left in the 2014 legislative session. There is a lot left to complete before we close the doors of the House chamber for the last time this year.
We have a Bonding bill to work out. This is vitally important to District 11A. The House bill contains $4.5 million to allow the Big Lake Area Sanitary District to construct a pressure sewer system and force main to convey sewage to the Western Lake Superior Sanitary District connection in the city of Cloquet. The project has the potential to make a big impact on our lives.
And we have to put the finishing touches on the second tax bill we passed earlier this month, as well as the supplemental budget and the Women’s Economic Security Act. All of these bills are currently being worked out in conference committees.
But as I wait for those bills to make their way back to the House floor and finally to the governor’s desk, I thought I’d start compiling a list of the things we’ve already accomplished in my first term as your state representative.
I was a little surprised by the length of the list. But in view of the remarkable turnaround our state has undergone in the last 15 months, I really don’t think anyone should be. I’m calling it the new Minnesota Miracle.
So far, in no particular order, we have:
· Enacted policies that have allowed Minnesota to add more than 40,000 jobs. Minnesota has recovered all the jobs lost during the Great Recession, and the state unemployment rate of 4.6 percent is at its lowest level since June 2007.
· Repaid the $2.8 billion Republican borrowed from schools to “balance” previous state budgets.
· Enacted policies that helped create a $1.233 billion budget surplus for fiscal years 2014-15. The forecast shows a surplus of $2.59 billion in the FY 15-16 biennium. It represents – Minnesota’s first surplus for a current and following biennium in seven years.
· Provided $400 million in property tax relief for Minnesotans who were hurt when the Republican-led legislature eliminated the Homestead Credit in 2011.
· Decreased overall property taxes for the first time in 12 years. Statewide property taxes for homeowners are decreasing by $161 million or 4.9 percent.
· Reformed Local Government Aid and provided significant resources in need-based aid to cities and counties. This comes after years of cuts to local services, such as police and fire.
· Cut $346 million in taxes for small businesses – the largest business tax cut in state history – by reducing the rate employers pay to fund the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.
· Invested in proven tools and strategies to support job creation: the Minnesota Investment Fund, which encourages small businesses expansion, the Minnesota Trade Office, which helps Minnesota small businesses compete globally, and key workforce development investments, which helps address our state’s “job skills” gap.
· Passed legislation to close the gender pay gap, strengthen workplace protections and flexibility for pregnant mothers and expand employment opportunities for women in high-wage, high-demand professions.
· Funded all-day Kindergarten for every Minnesota child – saving families $2,500 each year.
· Froze tuition for all students at the University of Minnesota and MnSCU schools. We also made the largest investment in direct financial aid for college students in 25 years, which will help more 100,000 students be able to realize the dream of higher education.
· Promoted policies that have Minnesota ranked in the top 10 states to do business. The state jumped 12 spots on the strength of its economic outlook. With its good schools, low poverty rates and healthy populous, the state scores well on quality of life measurements (http://www.forbes.com/places/mn/).
· Invested $40 million in early learning scholarships aimed at closing the achievement gap.
· “Bought back” a 1.67 percent funding cut in funding passed by the 2011 GOP-controlled legislature for home health care workers and increased their funding by 1 percent in 2013 and by 5 percent in 2014 – a 7.67 percent increase over what they were set to receive under the Republicans’ budget.
· Passed marriage equality. After becoming the first state to vote down a discriminatory marriage restriction amendment, the DFL made marriage equality a reality for all Minnesotans.
· Created a health insurance exchange – MNsure – that has provided health security for hundreds of thousands of Minnesotans and given Minnesotans the lowest premiums in the nation.
· Provided $103 million in further tax cuts for Minnesota homeowners, farmers, renters and small businesses through a one-time increase in property tax refund.
· Acted quickly to appropriate $20 million from the state’s General Fund to ensure funding for the LIHEAP program, which helps Minnesotans pay to heat their homes. This winter’s propane shortage and frigid temperatures led to skyrocketing prices and increased applications for energy assistance.
· Passed a supplemental budget that makes critical investments to grow our economy in Greater Minnesota, through broadband infrastructure, economic development resources and farm-to-food shelf legislation.
· Made our schools safer for children who have been victims of bullies.
· Provided additional tax breaks for teachers who purchase their own supplies for their classrooms.
· Passed a bill increasing the state’s minimum wage for the first time in nine years and boosting the pay of more than 400,000 Minnesotans.
· Introduced an $850 million bonding bill that would upgrade state infrastructure, college campuses and environment and put even more Minnesotans.
Not bad for 15 months of work. And we still have about a month left to add to that list.
Have a great week,
Mike