Dear Neighbor,
Merry Christmas and happy New Year from the Urdahl family to you and yours. I hope you are able to spend extra time in the company of friends and family as we take time to reflect on our blessings.
On a side note, I want to pass along one other quick holiday message: Please remember the holiday season can be a difficult time for many people who feel an extra strain in a number of ways. Please do what you can to help. This could include anything from making charitable donations to shoveling for someone who may not be able to handle that task (whenever we get snow again). This also is a good time to check in with friends and family who may appreciate a quick visit or phone call during the holidays. Those simple gestures can really brighten someone’s day.
At the Capitol, we are nearing the Jan. 8 start of the 2019 session. While the full committee roster is in the process of being finalized, I have accepted an appointment to serve as the Republican lead on the House’s Capital Investment Committee. I have chaired that committee the last two years.
Serving as the ranking Republican on Capital Investment brings a mix of responsibilities and opportunities that maybe aren’t afforded to minority leads on other committees. Bonding bills require a three-fifths super majority to pass the Legislature, meaning bipartisanship will be required to gain approval. My position will allow me to work with members from both sides of the aisle to bridge the gap and find the sweet spot where we can fund priority projects while also remaining responsible to the taxpayers.
Asset preservation and supporting infrastructure such as roads and bridges were top priorities of the committee while we drafted bonding bills the last two years. I will continue to operate from the position that we need to take care of what we, the taxpayers. I am pleased to be serving in this role and look forward to the challenge.
I will pass along more as the new session begins and, until then, merry Christmas and happy New Year.
Sincerely,
Dean