Dear Neighbors,
Despite the colder weather, I hope you’re ready for a joyful Easter weekend. We have lots to celebrate this time of year, and I wish you and your loved ones a Happy Easter!
Committee Deadlines
The legislative session is flying by. April 1 marks the first of three committee deadlines of 2016. I’m pleased with our progress so far, and expect our remaining weeks to be hectic and productive, too. As we approach session deadlines, it’s even more important for you to contact me and share your opinion on any legislative issue. I look forward to hearing from you!
Bills Moving Forward
Recently, the Government Operations and Elections Policy Committee heard a bill to switch Minnesota to a presidential primary from our current caucus system. The bill doesn’t abolish caucuses, but it means caucuses would most likely be held on a different date to set the party agenda, vote on positions, and congregate with our neighbors. A presidential primary would be more like a regular election, you would head to your usual polling place to cast your vote. This process is shorter, more convenient, and allows for a greater number of citizens to participate.
There’s also a bill to eliminate the unfair structure of the child support formula. This is an issue we’ve worked on for some time, and I’m happy to see we’re making progress. Similarly, the Civil Law and Data Practices Committee plans to hear a bill on spousal maintenance reform to address abuse of this system. These aren’t always the bills that create headlines in the newspaper, but they’re important to helping countless Minnesotans.
IRRRB OLA Report
The Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) released a report detailing a mismanagement of funds by the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB). The IRRRB’s focus is to create jobs and economic growth on the Iron Range through grants and loans. This report showed how the IRRRB can’t reliably track which grants and loans actually create jobs. This means the IRRRB can spend almost $100 million without even knowing if that money creates jobs and economic expansion. It’s simply irresponsible to continue throwing taxpayer dollars at initiatives where there is no way to measure the return on investment.
Happy Easter!
I’m sure I’ll see many of you this Sunday as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection. It’s truly a joyous time of year, and I can’t wait to celebrate this weekend. Whether you’re hosting a celebration, traveling to see family or friends, or just watching your kids search for Easter eggs and baskets, I wish you a very Blessed Easter.
Have a great weekend,
Peggy