Dear neighbors, I don't know about you but I have been feeling the bite of our ongoing winter this week with the return of sub-zero temperatures and some snow. I hope you have been able to stay warm. This weather does excite me for our ice fishers in the area, but reminds me that we only have a few weeks left to have permanent ice huts out on the lake. I encourage you to soak up the last few weekends by finding a resort or bait shop and spending time on the ice while we can. We have been very busy here at the Capitol this week, with many bills being formally introduced and then moving in and out of committees. In Education Finance Committee, we've taken a close look at Governor Walz's and the administration's proposed budget. It is clear that we need a budget that reflects the needs of our students, teachers, and schools. Rather than continuing down the path with burdensome mandates and inadequate support for schools, I am hopeful that we can re-evaluate to craft both legislation and a budget that allows our schools to function best. I am also excited to share that I drafted a bill, HF570, to provide $5 million for capital improvements to the wastewater treatment facility in the city of Aitkin. I will share updates on this bill as they come. Just yesterday, I dropped a bill pertaining to school choice. This bill proposes a change to the MN Constitution which establishes the rights of a parent in deciding how their child will be educated. All parents deserve the right to choose whether or not to send their child to public school, and have the option to choose private, religious, or home school instead. I am proud to be carrying this bill in an effort to enshrine paternal rights of school choice into the constitution. Overall, there has been a lot of movement at the Capitol this week. We are working hard to get important legislation through committees to address the pressing issues we have heard from district residents. We will continue with bill introductions next week as we work to get our bills to the General Register and the House floor. I want to give a quick shoutout to the recently opened Lucy's Cafe in Little Falls. Congratulations to Louise and Adrian Kloss for their efforts to get the cafe open and the new dining option they have brought to the community. BTW: by the way, check out Eddy's Resort on Lake Mille Lacs as you enjoy ice fishing this weekend Please Contact MePlease don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or comments on a state legislative matter, by phone at 651-296-4247 or by email at rep.ron.kresha@house.mn.gov  |