Dear Neighbor,
We now have about eight weeks left in this year’s legislative session. We have lots of ideas on the table that will go into making budgeting decisions that set the course for the next two years of state agency operations.
This week we are in final-assembly mode with our budget bills. Each major state agency has a separate finance bill, with the smaller agencies budgets included. These are complicated bills that collectively will authorize about $45 billion in state agency spending over the next two years. We anticipate the first of these bills will be on the House floor for a vote later this week.
Upon passage the House bills are sent to the Senate for comparison. If our and their bills are not exactly alike (they rarely are), then we go to a conference committee where the differences are worked out.
We are also at a point in the process where the governor and his staff are taking a much more active role in the details. That is critical to getting things done in Saint Paul. Regardless of what the Legislature passes, it does not become law unless the governor signs it.
To date, I have received a huge number of emails, letters, phone calls and personal visits from constituents with wonderful advice on how best to proceed. That is priceless counsel and I thank each of you for providing that.
In order to broaden the opportunity for input I am commissioning an online survey. The survey only takes a few minutes and touches on issues of both statewide and local concern.
Your feedback is extremely helpful as I continue to work hard on representing the people of our district. Please click here to reach the survey link.
Again thank you for providing your ideas on how we can make our part of Minnesota a better place for our children and grandchildren. Keep that advice coming!
Sincerely,
Dale