Dear Friends and Neighbors, It is my honor to share that I began my 3rd term as your State Representative this week, having been sworn in on Tuesday the 14th. Thank you all for your trust in me to represent you here in St. Paul. It was special to me to have my wife, Libby, as my guest at the opening day ceremony. I couldn’t do this job without the support of my family, friends, and residents of District 7A. It has been a joy to get back to work here for you. Although this first week has been riddled with obstacles, I am so proud of the unity that I have experienced with my GOP colleagues. We can’t ignore the elephant in the room, that Democrats have yet to show up for work at the Capitol. Regardless, I am here in St. Paul and ready to work for you as is my duty to the office you elected me to. Every year, we begin session on the first day by taking the oath of office and officially assuming office. We also make nominations and vote for the  next Speaker of the House. I was honored to second the nomination of Rep. Lisa Demuth, who was subsequently elected Speaker. As we get to work, I am looking forward to being the Chair of the Housing Finance and Policy Committee this year, as well as serving on both the Energy Finance and Policy, and Ways and Means Committees. Now more than ever, we need to work to elevate the issues that all Minnesotans care about. That is why I am so fortunate to be on the committees that I am on and stand more resolute than ever to finding ways to give the people of our district and state a hand up when they need it most. On the Housing committee specifically, I am determined to make positive changes on the housing challenges Minnesotans are facing. This committee will have its first meeting on Tuesday, January 21st. We will kick off with a nonpartisan committee walkthrough, in which staff from the Research and Fiscal Analysis departments will share important information with members about the committee and its scope. I will be sure to include what is happening in this committee in these newsletters to you, as the session continues. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, I would love to hear from you. I am available by phone at 651-296-4936, email, or by mail to 2322 Centennial Office Building St. Paul, MN 55155. It’s an honor to represent the great people of district 7A!  |