Legislative Update - Join Us on Dec. 5 for a Town Hall on Lowering the Cost of Housing

Dear Granite City Neighbors,

We’re in the midst of the holiday season, and I hope you and yours are enjoying this wonderful time of the year. As the colder temperatures set in, it’s important to remember that it’s difficult for some to be “home for the holidays” as our state faces a housing crisis.

Young families are struggling to afford their starter homes. Seniors are struggling to keep up with the rising costs of property taxes. Too many people are living on the streets and in encampments. We’ve done an incredible amount of work at the legislature to address the issues we face in this area - including passing a historic $1 billion Housing Budget - but there’s more to be done. 

To that end, I hope you can join me on Tuesday, December 5, for a Town Hall on Lowering the Cost of Housing that I’m hosting. I’m excited to share that I’ll not only be joined by our Housing Chair Michael Howard, but also St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis and Hudda Ibrahim of Filsan Talent Partners.

We’ll be at the Great River Regional Library from 6-8pm (note the slight time change from my previous update). This event is free and open to all members of the community, and I hope I’ll see you there!

Besides getting ready for this event, here’s a quick update on some other things I’ve been up to in our community lately as we start the process of ramping up for the 2024 legislative session:

Pathways 4 Youth

In the vein of housing insecurity, a troubling statistic is that every night an average of 4,872 youth are homeless in Minnesota. That’s why I voted for the Youth Homeless Act to provide $41.5 million to St. Cloud’s Pathways 4 Youth and other organizations to support children, teens, and families experiencing homelessness.

I toured Pathways 4 Youth to see the incredible work they do, including providing basic necessities, housing, employment, and mental health support. It’s time to end youth homelessness in Minnesota!

Investing in the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center

This week, I hosted Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Erin Campbell for a tour of the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center to advocate for $12 million in improvements.

After 30 years of service, the refrigeration system is outdated and operating on thin ice. We can’t risk the refrigeration system dying and bringing hockey programs and community functions to a screeching halt.

We need to make these necessary investments to ensure this key facility remains a local icon for generations to come. This is one of several local projects I’ll be fighting for and utilizing my position as a member of the House’s Capital Investment Committee. 

Share Your Values

Almost seven years ago, the Minnesota House DFL started the Minnesota Values Project (also known as MVP), a partnership between Minnesotans, elected officials, and organizations to create a shared vision for the future of our state. Working together, we’ve strengthened our communities by improving education opportunities, making affordable health care a reality, and increasing economic prosperity for all Minnesotans.

Through this project, we have facilitated hundreds of meaningful conversations with people across Minnesota about their priorities. We’re continuing this work and want to engage with as many people as possible. Looking ahead to the 2024 legislative session, we’re looking to hear more perspectives and feedback from Minnesotans. As part of this effort, I’d appreciate it if you took part in the new Minnesota Values Project survey.  

You can take the survey by clicking this link.

The survey only takes a few minutes, and as we build a shared vision for our state, your input is crucial in this process. I look forward to hearing from you. 

Stay In Touch

As always, please stay in touch and let me know if you have any questions or feedback about anything mentioned in this email or elsewhere, and let me know if I can be of service to you in any way.

I really hope to see you at the Lowering the Cost of Housing Town Hall on Tuesday!

Sincerely,

Rep. Dan Wolgamott

Speaker Pro Tempore

District 14B