Dear Neighbor,
The governor has been taking action on bills we presented to him before adjourning a little over a week ago. A capital investment bill with $35 million for local projects is among them and today we received great news that the governor enacted that bill. It means $22.5 million for a Bemidji State University building project and another $12.5 million for a veterans home, two huge projects for our area.
It’s hard to put into words just how pleased this makes me to get the governor’s signature on this bill. I’m just happy for the people of Bemidji that this day finally came. Countless hours have been invested in pushing the BSU academic center and veterans home projects through the process and there were so many obstacles to overcome.
The legislative process is rigorous, but this proves that persistence and good old fashioned hard work pays off. I look forward to seeing shovels in the ground at BSU and now it’s just up to the federal government to take care of its end of the deal on the veterans home with an additional $25 million match, for a total of $60 million in construction projects for Bemidji.
On the other hand, the governor’s recent vetoes of tax conformity/school funding and supplemental budget bills are a bad deal for Minnesotans. His action blocks the first income tax cut in nearly two decades, and denies funding to help deputy registrars hurt by the MNLARS mess. It also eliminates money to help avoid a 7-percent cut for disability services, improve school safety and more.
In the final week of the legislative session, legislators addressed nearly 70 percent of the specific concerns outlined by the governor. We also provided up to $84 million in new funding for schools ($225 million in total when flexibility measures are added) while meeting the governor more than halfway on his key priorities and concerns.
It’s disappointing he would choose partisanship over doing the right thing for Minnesotans, but the silver lining is these vetoes can’t wipe away the major successes we had last year with the largest tax cut in nearly two decades, the largest investment in roads and bridges in state history without a gas tax increase, major funding for education and reforms to lower health care costs and boost health care choices for Minnesota families.
Sincerely,
Matt