Dear neighbors,
In a show of bipartisan cooperation, on Monday the newly elected House members threw a reception for the rest of the returning Representatives. I was proud to co-chair the event and to encourage relationship-building across party lines.
On Thursday morning, I joined over 75 St. Louis Park residents at the State of the City Address. You can view a recap here. We heard from both Mayor Jeff Jacobs and City Manager Tom Harmening on all the redevelopment projects, city services and community outreach programs the city worked on in 2014. Mayor Jacobs also announced his retirement, and there was a standing ovation thanking him for his years of public service.
Friday I had the pleasure to meet with the St. Louis Park city manager and the rest of the department heads to discuss legislative issues facing the city. Round two will involve getting a tour of the city-owned and operated facilities.
Committee Work
Tuesday in Government Operations and Elections I was proud to support a bill that continues the State’s portion of insurance coverage for prison employees and State hospital employees that are permanently disabled in the line of duty. And on Wednesday we acted on the Lessard Sams Council’s recommendations for funding. There were also informational hearings on two bills to change the legislative process around constitutional amendments and one on how public funds are used in ballot initiatives.
Rep. Ryan Winkler’s bill to address campaign disclosure laws deserves a hearing, yet it is still not on the committee hearing schedule. Unfortunately, the committee is slated to only meet three days a week and currently has had one of those days taken up by a subcommittee regarding the structure of the Met Council. I am concerned that there will not be enough time to hear important policy provisions, like Rep. Winkler’s bill, before the first policy deadline- which is just over a month away.
In the Property Taxes & Local Government Committee we had an overview regarding the fiscal disparities program in the seven-county metro region. We also heard HF140, which would give homeowners relief if their property tax increases more than 10% in one year. Currently the level is set at 12%. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Property Tax bill.
Meeting with Constituents
Last week I had a chance to meet with constituents from many different organizations: St. Louis Park and Hopkins firefighters, constituents supporting Clean Energy& Jobs, a group of CPA’s, constituents from both U of M Extension and Howling for Wolves. I also had the pleasure of meeting with a Hopkins resident to talk about legislation regarding transgender issues.
Upcoming Events
Please join me for my first Saturday morning “Coffee& Conversation” on Saturday, Feb. 28 from 10:00-11:30 at the Hopkins Depot Coffeehouse. This is an open house format and intended to be less formal than a Town Hall Meeting. Feel free to stop by anytime between 10 a.m. and noon, grab a cup of coffee and have a quick conversation. I will be hosting these periodically in both Hopkins and St. Louis Park so stay tuned for future dates.
I was happy to meet with local firefighters from our community at my office last week!
Have a Great Week!
Cheryl Youakim
State Representative (46B)