Dear Friends and Neighbors, Monday, May 19, marked the last day of the regular legislative session. Since then, work continues in St. Paul in preparation for a special session. Special sessions aren’t unusual in Minnesota, especially when government control is divided, but I recognize the stress and uncertainty when the legislative work is extended. While there has been bipartisan progress including agreed-upon global budget targets from the House, Senate and Governor to pass a balanced budget, I want to share more background about last-minute tactics from colleagues across the aisle that contributed to the delay of final budget bills before we adjourned. Here is a press conference with colleagues where we discussed some of these challenges. I remain cautiously optimistic that we will return for a special session in the coming days and will deliver a fair and balanced budget for the people of Minnesota. I’ll keep you updated as we return to finish the job. K-12 Education Budget BillWe passed the K-12 Education budget bill off the House floor a few days before adjournment. It has since passed through the working group and is ready for a final vote from both chambers when we reconvene for a special session. Although some compromises were necessary impacting future funding, I am very happy the current bill continues to link the per pupil budget formula to inflation providing much needed stability and certainty to our school districts. Passing a sound K-12 education bill here in Minnesota is more important than ever for our public schools when we have a President who ordered the dismantling of the Department of Education. It’s no surprise that as a former school board member I have significant concerns about what this means for our students in our state, especially those who rely on services and protections from the federal government. Here I am on the House floor speaking in support of our K-12 education bill while calling for all members to join me in protecting our schools from federal funding cuts. Investment in TransportationAmtrak recently announced that ridership for the St. Paul-Chicago corridor is up a whopping 227% thanks to the new Borealis train line! This exciting news shows the strong demand in our region for fast, efficient, and reliable rail service. These numbers are especially impressive because the Borealis line isn’t even high-speed rail. Imagine the economic and societal benefits we’d achieve if we were to invest in faster rail line projects? As a member of the Transportation committee, it was disappointing to see colleagues push really hard to defund various rail projects, including the much-anticipated Northern Lights Express line to Duluth. Investing in transportation alternatives to airplanes and single occupancy vehicles to combat climate change needs to be a top priority.  Finding JoyJune brings warmer weather and some of my favorite community events. The Edina Art Fair from June 6-8 is always festive. Besides the many amazing vendors set up along the streets, our 50th and France local businesses will be open and ready for visitors.  To celebrate Pride Month, the 5th Annual Bloomington Pride will take place on Sunday, June 22 from 1-6pm on the East Lawn of the Bloomington Civic Center with lively music from Salsa del Soul and Minnesota Freedom Band.  Stay Connected
As always, I can be reached by email at rep.julie.greene@house.mn.gov or by phone at 651-296-4363 with any questions or thoughts you’d like to share. To receive my legislative updates on a regular basis, please subscribe here. I also invite you to follow my Facebook page here. Thank you for staying engaged. As always, it is an honor to represent you and our communities. Sincerely, Julie Greene, District 50A
5th Floor Centennial Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155 |