 Dear Neighbors and Friends, As we reach the midpoint of our legislative session, the halls of the Capitol are bustling with activity. Committee deadlines are approaching rapidly, and my DFL colleagues and I are working diligently to present and defend policies that Minnesotans have fought hard to establish. As the Legislature moves forward in crafting a new state budget, I’m fighting to make sure our tax dollars work for us - not billionaires and large corporations. The reality of our tied Minnesota House of Representatives means one thing is clear: we must work together to accomplish anything meaningful. This includes our biggest priority—enacting a balanced two-year state budget. The House budget targets represent a genuine compromise between Democrats and Republicans – because we certainly fought for revenues raisers from the 1% to make sure the state could cover essential services like public health and education. While we've seen numerous GOP attempts to repeal policies that Minnesotans fought hard for, now is the time to move beyond partisan goals. We must work collaboratively to ensure no community is left behind. My commitment remains steadfast: to create a Minnesota where opportunity is accessible to all, regardless of zip code or background.  Take for example earlier this week, the GOP introduced legislation to gut the Universal School Meals program. Kids can't learn when they're hungry. It's a false choice that we have to pay for teachers instead of paying for meals. We can choose to raise revenues from billionaires and corporations that made record profits during the pandemic.
But instead of funding our schools and other essential services by raising revenues from large corporations, the GOP has decided it wants to take food from our kids. I was disappointed I even had to point out that HF 2201's plan to take food from our kids would barely dent the disinvestment that our schools have seen in the last 20 years.
Watch my committee comments here. Small Business Impact Survey Amid additional federal tariffs announced this week, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development is gathering information from affected small businesses in Minnesota. In this period of uncertainty, there may be a lag in data, so this survey is a way for our North Minneapolis business owners to communicate directly with the department now. The survey takes less than five minutes to complete. By collaborating with Minnesota's locally owned small businesses, which face significant challenges, we can proactively plan for the state's future needs. Stay ConnectedAs a reminder, House members are currently working in the Centennial Office Building this biennium. I deeply value your partnership in building a better future. Please continue to share your perspectives on the issues that impact our community. To share your input or ideas, or if I can ever be of assistance, please feel free to reach out here. For meetings: Please email my legislative assistant, Boon Xiong, at Boon.Xiong@house.mn.gov or call 651-296-2585. If you were forwarded this email and would like to subscribe, click here. If you have a friend or neighbor who would be interested in receiving these updates, please feel free to forward this email and encourage them to subscribe. You can also stay up-to-date with the latest by following my Facebook page and Twitter. Zoo siab, Rep. Liz Lee District (67A) Minnesota House of Representatives |