Dear Neighbors,
On Tuesday, LeadMN, the student association for Minnesota’s two-year colleges, held their advocacy day. It was good to visit with students from my alma mater, Mesabi Range College, about how we can work together to improve paths to a degree for Minnesotans. Namely tuition, textbook costs, and difficulties with credit transfers can present some roadblocks. All Minnesotans deserve the shot at a college degree, career, or technical training without breaking the bank or going into massive debt. |
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Tuesday and Wednesday were Duluth and St. Louis County Days at the Capitol. This is a longtime tradition which allows those from our region to visit the Capitol and share priorities. It was good to see so many folks representing businesses, schools, and local governments make the trip down.
Governor’s Budget
This week Governor Walz unveiled his proposed “Budget for One Minnesota” for the next two years. It’s clear the budget was crafted with key values in mind like great schools, affordable health care, and the chance for every person, no matter where they may live, to have a true opportunity for success.
It’s important to note the proposal is just a starting point and as I dig in the details, (and there are many details, all of which you can read about here), I’m sure I won’t agree with everything. Nevertheless, I thank the Governor for putting together a robust, responsible budget that reflects our key values to keep our state – the whole state – strong and prosperous.
Local Government Aid
I was proud to join legislators of both parties as well as local elected officials to push for a much-needed increase in Local Government Aid. Minnesotans deserve critical local services, like public safety, without too heavy of a reliance on property taxes. Local Government Aid is key to making this a reality. During the early 2000s, we saw LGA amounts decimated and we still haven’t caught back up. When I was mayor, this forced us to make some very tough choices. I’m thankful for Governor Walz including this key funding in his budget proposal which would help maintain a strong quality of life for communities like ours.
Public hearings continue to take place daily considering bills. On Tuesday, the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division considered HF 320, my bill to deliver $950,000 of funding to St. Louis County for the Quad Cities ATV Club trail construction. On Monday, the Property and Local Tax Division will hear HF 667, which will approve the local option sales tax for Virginia to raise money for the Miner's Memorial project.
Please continue to contact me with any feedback, ideas, or if I can be of assistance. It’s an honor to serve you at the State Capitol.
Sincerely,
Dave Lislegard
State Representative |
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