Dear Neighbors,
Tuesday, Governor Tim Walz unveiled his “Budget for One Minnesota” covering the next two years. The proposal was put together with three main themes in mind: a high-quality education, quality health care for all Minnesotans at a price they can afford, and prosperity for every community.
I’m incredibly excited at the ideas within this budget to make Minnesota the “Education State.” I’m particularly pleased with his investments in full service community schools, early childhood programming, efforts to assist districts with special education uncompensated costs, and enhanced school safety. Without these investments, our world-class schools could be in dire risk of slipping in quality.
While there are a lot of details to dive into, on the surface, this budget proposal represents an excellent start to build “One Minnesota.”
MREA
Tuesday I had the opportunity to speak on a legislative panel at an event hosted by the Minnesota Rural Electric Association. I joined House Republican Minority Leader Kurt Daudt, Senate Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, and Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk to highlight each of our respective caucus’s priorities for the legislative session. We also discussed a variety of other issues before the Legislature including broadband, efforts to make homes and businesses more energy efficient, and a new renewable energy goal recently proposed.
This topic, a bill to move the state to a 100 percent renewable energy standard, received a great deal of attention. While the goal is laudable, strategies to address climate change have to both be meaningful toward our goal of mitigating its impacts while being realistic for regions like ours.
As we look to take advantage of more clean and renewable energy opportunities, we have to make sure our co-ops and smaller utility providers can keep up. Simply, one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to production. I look forward to partnering with our providers to help them deliver the energy we count on every single day, while also working to protect our environment.
MDI
I’d like to congratulate Minnesota Diversified Industries, Inc. for being named the 2019 Business of the Year by the Hibbing Chamber of Commerce. MDI, which recently opened a new facility in Hibbing, is a nonprofit organization producing corrugated standard and custom plastic packaging solutions, production assembly, and environmental services. They operate through an integrated-workforce approach, with nearly half of all employees being people with disabilities.
The House Jobs and Economic Development Committee this week considered HF 620, my bill to allocate $450,000 each of the next two years to MDI from the state Workforce Development Fund. This funding would help MDI keep up their terrific work delivering job experience and developing life skills.
Other Bill Hearings
I’ve been busy with my other legislative initiatives in House committees. The Government Operations Committee recently held public hearings on HF 608, to modernize the law concerning the St. Louis County Civil Service Commission, and HF 619, to update the law regulating the membership of the Central Iron Range Sanitary Sewer Board. The Early Childhood Committee heard HF 837, which would deliver a much-needed increase in the reimbursement amounts school districts receive for conducting early childhood development screenings
Please continue to contact me with your ideas, concerns, or if I can ever be of assistance. It’s an honor to represent you at the Capitol.
Sincerely,
Julie Sandstede
State Representative
Rep. Julie Sandstede
411 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
www.house.mn/06a
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Phone: 651-296-0172
E-mail: rep.julie.sandstede@house.mn
Legislative Assistant: Josh Kilgard, 651-296-3918