Dear Neighbors,
Last night on the House Floor we came together in a broad, bipartisan fashion to approve legislation with $25 million worth of investments in ALS research and caregiver supports. Our Senator David Tomassoni became afflicted with ALS last year. No matter the impact the disease has had on him physically, he’s remained committed to being a vocal champion for solutions getting us closer to a cure. This important bill could reach the Governor’s desk as soon as next week.
Additionally, the House unanimously voted to approve legislation divesting Minnesota’s state pensions of Russian assets, and codifying Governor Walz’s Executive Order barring Minnesota from contracting with Russian companies. The ongoing atrocities Putin and his regime are committing are unacceptable, and this action shows Minnesota stands with democracies across the world rejecting this senseless, unprovoked violence.
Honoring Our Veterans
This week, my bill to offer service bonuses to post-9/11-era veterans and Gold Star families received a House committee hearing. Historically, Minnesota has recognized Veterans’ service in major wars—including World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, and the Persian Gulf War. In each of these five major wars, recognition has primarily been in the form of a monetary bonus to qualifying individuals. My bill invests $40 million in service bonuses for the veterans who served between September 11, 2001 and the conclusion of combat operations in the Global War on Terror in August of 2021. There would be more than 48,000 eligible veterans, over half of whom deployed to participate in combat operations. Gold Star families who lost loved ones in combat would be eligible too.
We can never fully thank our veterans for their service to our country, but bonus amounts like those under this bill can sure help demonstrate our appreciation for their service and sacrifice. Minnesota has offered service bonuses for those who served during previous combat missions, and now – especially with a historic budget surplus – it’s time to offer them to veterans who served in the post-9/11 era. Thanks to KBRJ News for covering the bill here.
Ratepayer Relief for Hibbing
Last February, municipal utility customers, including members of Hibbing Public Utilities, suddenly faced exorbitantly higher energy bills as a result of a polar vortex in the southern United States and the subsequent spike in wholesale natural gas prices. Over just five days last February, residents and businesses saw their energy costs spike 5,000 percent. One business saw a $40,000 increase in its monthly gas bill. Many constituents had to go on payment plans. With businesses and families already struggling due to COVID, this price hike couldn’t have come at a worse time.
This House Climate and Energy Committee this week approved my bill to offer $35 million worth of rebates to municipal utilities as well as tax credits for ratepayers who faced excessive energy costs during that five-day period. With a $9.25 billion surplus, and with fuel prices still high, it makes perfect sense to use a portion of these dollars to help municipal energy consumers who were unfairly socked with sky-high energy bills. I’m fully committed to delivering the relief our community, and others with municipal utilities, deserve.
Measures to Support Our School Districts and Counties
With declining pupil enrollment in some communities, school districts are often forced to have a difficult discussion about whether it makes sense to consolidate. Recognizing the up-front cost that comes with this process, in 1989 the legislature created a voluntary cooperation and combination program that includes financial aid to districts. This week, the House Education Finance Committee considered my bill to increase consolidation allowances for school districts by $400 per pupil. Since 1989, more than 200 school districts have voluntarily consolidated. The bill is retroactive and would therefore cover the merger of Virginia and Eveleth-Gilbert. Thanks to Dr. Noel Schmidt, superintendent of Rock Ridge Schools, for joining me to present the bill.
I also presented a bill this week to the House Property Taxes Committee to increase County Program Aid. County Program Aid is the state’s primary general purpose state aid distributed to counties to support the essential programs and services provided by county governments as part of the state-local partnerships that help make Minnesota communities safe, vibrant and resilient. Although we’ve seen occasional increases the last two decades, it is clear that County Aid appropriations have not kept pace with inflation and general purpose County Program aid is at about same the level today as it was twenty years ago. As a result, counties have had to more frequently rely on property tax levies to deliver services.
Minnesota counties provide essential services including public safety, health, access to mental health and social services, transportation, parks and trails, environmental regulation and so much more. Using a portion of the surplus to increase this aid will help ensure that all counties have the resources they need to keep delivering those services while also helping to keep property tax levels in check.
Keep in Touch
Please continue to contact me with your input, ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance. You can contact me by phone at 651-296-0172 or email at rep.julie.sandstede@house.mn. You can also follow me on Facebook. It’s an honor to represent you.
Together,
Julie Sandstede
State Representative