Happy Earth Day!

Dear Neighbors, 

Happy Earth Day! Today serves as a great reminder of the needed work to take care of our planet and ensure we leave a cleaner and greener Minnesota for generations to come. As a member of the House Climate Action Caucus, I’m committed to legislative efforts that ensure we can all breathe clean air, drink clean water, and enjoy Minnesota’s great outdoors!

In our Climate & Energy Committee Bill that we’ll be passing off the House floor next week, we’re investing $175 million in initiatives that address the climate crisis and lower energy costs while creating jobs and economic growth. As one of the fastest warming states in the country, Minnesota is already experiencing the impacts of climate change. The plan we’re putting forward invests in renewable energy and other initiatives that will lower energy costs and create good-paying jobs while lowering greenhouse gas emissions. It will help make our state a clean energy leader.

You can read more about this proposal here. 

Outside of our efforts in the legislature, there are plenty of local initiatives that you can take part in to do your part in making our community more sustainable, like ReACT Eden Prairie, an online tool you can use to learn about your rooftop solar options. My family recently installed solar panels at our home!

You can also take the Mayor’s water challenge and pledge to conserve water, energy and other natural resources on behalf of our city. Additionally, Eden Prairie is offering an up-to-$50 rebate to residents who take advantage of the organics recycling service. 

Lastly, while the weather might not be the best for outdoor activities, state parks are free tomorrow. Here’s hoping for more enjoyable weather next Saturday, April 30, for the Arbor Day Walk and Green Fair at Round Lake Park. 

Lowering Costs for Minnesotans

In addition to our Climate & Energy Bill, our schedule next week will be full of important committee bills on the House floor, many of which are focused on utilizing our historic surplus to lower costs for Minnesotans. 

Whether it’s targeted tax cuts for the Minnesotans that need support, investments in housing, addressing the rising costs of medication, or providing a helping hand with child care, we need to support the Minnesotans who are driving our state’s economic recovery. You can see a breakdown of how some of these proposals can help a family below:

You can read more about these proposals here. 

The Great Start Child Care Tax Credit

I’m proud to share that a key provision in our efforts to lower costs for Minnesotans is my legislation to establish a Great Start Child Care Tax Credit (as illustrated above), which would provide families with up to $3,000 for each child under five years of age, with a cap of $7,500. 

Young families are struggling in this economy, with childcare often being one of their largest costs. This tax credit better ensures our youngest Minnesotans can get the care they need without their families breaking the bank. Now is the time to capitalize on this moment and invest in the future of Minnesota, simultaneously helping working families pay for childcare, boosting child development outcomes, and allowing parents to return to work.

You can watch me speak to the importance of this proposal here, and you can read more about our efforts to invest in our youngest Minnesotans here. 

What’s Next

Governor Walz will be delivering his 4th State of the State Address on Sunday, which you’ll be able to watch live at 6pm here. There’s a lot of work left to do in the final month of session, which I’m sure the Governor will highlight. 

In addition to the proposals I’ve already highlighted in this email, we’ll be passing bills in the areas of housing, agriculture, workforce, commerce, education, public safety, health and human services, and more! It’s the culmination of much of our committee work this year and the next step will be negotiations with our counterparts in the Senate. 

In many key proposals, the difference between the House and Senate is huge. The Star Tribune published this piece on the differences in the Tax Bill alone - but there is always common ground. As always, I’m committed to finding ways we can all work together to lift up all Minnesotans as our economy rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Stay Connected

The final weeks of session will be busy ones, so please continue to reach out with your questions, comments, and ideas as we start the process of negotiating our final bills of the year. The best way to contact me is at rep.carlie.kotyza-witthuhn@house.mn or 651-296-7449, and you can “like” and follow along on my Facebook page.

All my best, 

Carlie Kotyza-Witthuhn
State Representative