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Dear neighbors,
Happy New Year! I hope you and your family enjoyed the last days of 2019 and that your 2020 is off to a great start. I’m steadily gearing up for the start of the legislative session on February 11; it’ll be a busy month. Please keep in touch.
Community Conversation: Mississippi River Round-Up – THURSDAY
This is a reminder about our next Community Conversation, which will focus on an incredible resource in our community that we tend to take for granted. We’ll discuss how we impact the Mississippi, how it impacts us, and how we can protect it for future generations. Join us this Thursday, January 9 from 7:00 to 8:30pm at Gloria Dei. Learn more and RSVP here.
St. Paul Launches College Savings Accounts for Newborns
Getting every child off to a great start remains my top policy priority. Research shows that even a small amount of college savings can greatly increase a child’s likelihood to attend and graduate from college – for the benefit of us all. States and communities across the country have been launching programs to ensure that every child has those savings. I’m delighted to let you know that the City of St. Paul, with state support, is now joining them. Starting January 1, every St. Paul child will receive at birth a $50 investment in a college savings account. The city will examine the lessons of the program for eventual expansion statewide. Read more here.
On New Year’s Day, I visited Regions Hospital to celebrate the launch of the program and meet the first recipients in person. What a great way to start the year!
Help for Making Your Lawn Pollinator-Friendly
Pollinators play a critical role in our ecosystem and food supply, but they’re under threat. Legislation passed last year established a new program to help Minnesotans create pollinator-friendly habitats in their lawns. The program, Lawns to Legumes, provides resources including workshops, coaching, planting guides, and even cost-sharing funding. More information on the program is here, and more information on cost-sharing is here. Applications are due on Friday, February 28.
Work for the Census
The U.S. Census is looking for Minnesotans to serve as Field Representatives in our area. These positions are temporary, but they pay well and help ensure that we get a full, accurate count in 2020. This is extremely important because census data is used to determine how much federal funding our state receives for school lunches, Medicare, transportation, and other crucial services. Getting a complete count in Minnesota is also vital because we’re right on the bubble of losing a congressional seat to reapportionment.
More information about working for the Census is available here. Please pass it on to anyone who might be interested.
Please reach out on these or any other issues. Thank you for the opportunity to serve our community.
Dave Pinto
State Representative, District 64B
439 State Office Building
(651) 296-4199
www.house.leg.state.mn.us/64b
Subscribe to my email updates: www.house.leg.state.mn.us/64b
Follow my office on Facebook: facebook.com/repdavepinto
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