Dear neighbors,
On Tuesday, the first day of the 2017 Legislative Session, I was sworn-in as the new State Representative for District 6A in the Minnesota House. I cannot emphasize enough how tremendous this honor is to represent the people of the Iron Range at the State Capitol. I take very seriously the trust you have placed in me, and every day when I walk into that beautiful building, you can count on me to be reminded of that.
Speaking of the State Capitol building, work just completed on a multiyear restoration project, and the end result is absolutely stunning. Originally opened in 1905, this restoration was sorely needed, as previously paint was chipping, lighting was inoperable, and cables were exposed, among other things. Now though, the artwork is more vibrant than ever, there are a greater number of public spaces, and technology, accessibility and safety upgrades have brought the building into the 21st century. The skilled tradespeople who did this work are to be commended for a phenomenal job. I would strongly encourage you to plan a visit in the near future and see it for yourself!
In the House retiring room on the first day of session with my daughter Grace, sons Jacob and Jonathan, and Husband Evan.
With the session now underway, work will pick up at a hectic pace rather quickly. There is a great deal of unfinished business from the previous session, as well as the urgent need to address spiking health insurance premiums for those in the private market. There is a bipartisan recognition that action is needed, and this should have been taken care of in a special session in 2016, but agreement could not be reached. To be certain, we should have discussions about how to best improve our health care system, but broad policy discussions can’t get in the way premium relief now. I agree with Governor Dayton that this is something to be taken care of the first week of session.
The unfinished business of the prior session includes a package of tax legislation, including some much needed help for middle-class Minnesotans toward things like child-care expenses, property taxes, and student loan debt. Additionally, no bonding bill was signed, leaving important infrastructure needs unmet. These projects in the area include the campus reconfiguration at Hibbing Community College, the Minnesota Correctional Facility in Togo, and gap funding for Highway 53, and others.
The Governor released his proposal for such a bill, and you can see a statewide map of the proposed projects here and a list of them here. With future interest rates in question, we shouldn’t wait to get these projects going, and better yet, these will provide a much needed infusion of good paying jobs. I hope we can come to a bipartisan consensus on a bonding bill soon.
Again, I want to thank you for the honor of serving down in St. Paul. I will send these electronic updates periodically throughout session about the important issues we are working on. If you know if anyone who may be interested in receiving these updates, they can subscribe on my webpage here.
I’d also encourage you to stay in touch with your feedback, questions, and ideas throughout the session and beyond. My phone number at my Capitol office is 651-296-0172, and you can always send me an email at rep.julie.sandstede@house.mn. Please contact me anytime if I can be of assistance; it’s an honor to serve.
Sincerely,
Julie Sandstede
State Representative