Neighbors,
This place takes some getting used to. There are 134 of us in the House, with 75 in our DFL caucus, 55 in the Republican caucus, and four member have formed their own New Republican caucus. All of us have our priorities and issues important to our constituents that we believe are crucial for the future of our state.
Education
I have been working hard to make sure our schools are fully funded in a sustainable way. Local school districts should not have to hold referendums and host fund raisers to pay for our kids' education. My bill would secure stable funding from the state, to make sure all schools get the funding they need. I'll provide more details when the bill is "jacketed" (as they say here). I hope that happens next week.
Committee Hearings
Listening to testimony in the education committees, I can't help but think "These are the best of times and the worst of times." The teachers working with our children are the best, but the pressures and demands they face are daunting. It's our job to find ways to reduce the impact of poverty and disadvantage, disabilities, mental illness, concerns about safety, and provide opportunities for all children, and their teachers, to succeed and flourish.
Meeting with constituents
I talked with constituents on Thursday about healthcare legislation. We agreed that healthcare needs to be accessible, affordable and comprehensive. Other groups have come by to talk about legislation on which we have differences. Whether or not we agree or not on a topic, all of those conversations are helpful. I hope you'll consider stopping by to say hello and to talk about the issues on your mind. Your ideas help me to be a better representative.
House Pages
One of the highlights of my week is meeting with the high school Pages. It's a great learning opportunity for these students to come to the Legislature for a week to learn more about our state government.
You don’t need a special reason to visit. I hope I’ll see more of you during the session.
Thank you.
Steve S