Dear Lakeville Neighbors and Friends,
Summer greetings, I hope you and your family are managing, while we continue to adjust to life with COVID-19. Please continue to check on each other’s needs physically and emotionally. Our community has done so much to support each other in so many ways, let’s keep it up.
On July 12th, the governor again extended his emergency powers, so the legislature is back in special session this week. Session began Monday and is anticipated to run at least a week, with negotiations taking place between the House and Senate and a handful of issues like bonding for state investments, tax reform, police accountability, I talked about these issues in the last Koznick Connection.
Emergency Powers
While these issues are all important, the primary purpose for special session was to provide the legislature an opportunity to restore the legislative authority and end the emergency powers of the executive branch.
I believe the time of crisis and the need for one person, the Governor, to have unprecedented power over the state has long passed. We need to have voices from across the state involved in the management and decision making on the state’s response to COVID-19. I, along with a bipartisan majority in the Senate, support ending the emergency powers. However, the Democrat majority in the House would not even allow a vote on ending Walz unchecked powers. To that end, we unsuccessfully voted to suspend the rules to take up a resolution to carefully end the emergency powers and work with the Governor on managing the COVID issues.
Small Business Security and Assistance
Another issue that I and a small workgroup have been studying since the end of May is a commonsense approach to assist businesses that were damaged during riots and looting in Minneapolis and St. Paul, through no fault of their own.
Primary to that, is reestablishing safety and security in the impacted business corridors. This is different then “bailing out” Minneapolis and St. Paul. I do not support, and so far have successfully fought the DFL plans to raise taxes and establish new agencies and bureaucracies on Minnesotans and Dakota County residents for the lack of action in response to protests that turned into riots. Hopefully, we can offer our plan to instill confidence for community and commerce next week.
Click the photo below to watch a WCCO news clip where I discuss safety and security.
We do recognize however, that the Twin Cities has a significant economic impact on our entire state. Many Lakeville residents do business or work downtown, enjoy a game, the arts, parks or dinner and own a business or property around Minneapolis. It is the center of an economic region that covers 16 counties (including 2 in WI) and 3.6 million people. Before the COVID-19 pandemic and riots that followed the tragic death of George Floyd, this region provided more than 2 million jobs.
Lakeville resident, Mark Hotzler, spoke with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to discuss damage and looting at a property he owns.
Now, over a thousand businesses have been damaged or destroyed, taking away jobs from thousands of Minnesotans. A number of them, first or second-generation Americans.
I have always supported those willing to take risks, follow the American Dream, start a business and provide for themselves. Helping small businesses that were affected by riots and providing immediate relief and security will allow them to reopen, while we add safety measures which will bring confidence back into the area. My colleagues and I, have personally toured the areas impacted by the riots, met with numerous business owners, and met with several of the local economic development centers and councils. The best program we can provide is a job and opportunity.
Pictured is a small business owner discussing the challenges she is facing after the riots with GOP House members of a tour I helped organize.
While Democrats have focused their efforts on a plan that would force all Minnesotans to pay more in taxes to rebuild, and create a new non-elected redevelopment corporation with tax and borrowing authority, I believe that a plan that utilizes existing revenues from these areas, is a much more prudent approach. These businesses, many of them family-owned, were destroyed through no fault of their own. We can do this in a way that ensures we get aid to those that need it without creating layers of bureaucracy and without asking Minnesotans to pay more in taxes.
Limited Official Communication
Because of a 60-day post-session rule, I cannot send out any additional Koznick Connections until November at the earliest. If you want to stay updated on the latest information about legislative sessions, I would encourage you to check out my official Facebook page.
Although I won’t be sending out newsletters for the foreseeable future, you can still call or email my office if you need anything. You can reach me via email at rep.jon.koznick@house.mn.
Have a great summer,
Jon Koznick
Assistant Minority Leader
State Representative, Lakeville, 58A