LEGISLATORS URGE DNR TO APPROVE BDE MAKA SKA NAME CHANGE
This week I signed a letter with all 15 Minneapolis legislators in the House and Senate to request Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Tom Landwehr approve the name change of Lake Calhoun to its original Dakota Language name, Bde Maka Ska.
As we said in the letter, the name change represents a significant acknowledgement of our history as a city, county and state. Restoring the name Bde Maka Ska will start conversations and educational experiences about our history and the first Indigenous people of Minnesota. This action will grow a deeper appreciation for the vibrant Native American Indian communities that still exist in Minneapolis and throughout the state.
I know the name change will make this beautiful lake a more welcoming place to all. Bde Maka Ska will continue to be a treasure shared by all Minnesotans, and now will offer a deeper appreciation for our shared history.
STATE REVENUE
State general fund revenue for November and December 2017 was $219 million more than the amount projected in the November forecast.
The latest Minnesota Management & Budget information compares actual receipts for November and December 2017 to receipts forecasted by the November 2017 general fund forecast.
The net $219 million positive variance is the sum of the variances in several areas. The chart below reflects the forecasted amount, actual revenue and the difference (dollars are in millions).
Forecast Actual Difference
Individual income tax $1,797 $1,940 $143
Sales tax 900 901 1
Corporate income tax 218 261 43
Other revenues 804 836 32
Total $3,719 $3,938 $219
In the other revenues area estate collections payments were up $47 million. Cigarette and tobacco tax revenue was down $15 million.
The complete Minnesota Management & Budget’s Economic Update is on its web site at:
https://mn.gov/mmb-stat/000/az/forecast/2018/revenue-and-economic-update/revenue-and-economic-update-2018-01-final.pdf
MMB will be releasing a new state budget forecast at the end of February.
LCCMR SEEKING PROPOSALS FOR $59 MILLION IN PROJECT FUNDING FROM MINNNESOTA’S ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TRUST FUND
The Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) has issued its 2019 Request for Proposals (RFP) for funding from Minnesota’s Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. Approximately $59 million is available for projects that will provide multiple ecological and other public benefits. New this year is a focus on proposals for projects under $200,000, especially from local units of government and non- profits, that aim to quickly and efficiently provide environment and natural resource benefits in Minnesota.
The LCCMR is requesting proposals in the following categories:
1. Foundational Natural Resource Data and Information
2. Water Resources
3. Environmental Education
4. Aquatic and Terrestrial Invasive Species
5. Air Quality, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy
6. Methods to Protect or Restore Land, Water, and Habitat
7. Land Acquisition, Habitat, and Recreation
The 2019 RFP contains detailed instructions for submitting a proposal to the LCCMR as well as additional explanation of the LCCMR’s proposal and funding process. Anyone with a project idea consistent with the RFP may submit a proposal for consideration by the LCCMR. LCCMR staff are available to assist in proposal development and to review proposal drafts. Lobbying or professional grant-writing experience is not necessary for success.
Issuance of this RFP begins the competitive, multi-step process through which the LCCMR selects projects to recommend to the Minnesota Legislature for funding from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund. Proposals responding to the 2019 RFP are due Wednesday, April 11, 2018. In June 2018, the LCCMR will consider all proposals received and make final selection of projects to include in its recommendations to the legislature for the 2019 session. Funded projects can begin July 1, 2019.
For more information on the 2019 RFP and the LCCMR funding process, please visit http://www.lccmr.leg.mn.
ADVOCACY FAIR – JANUARY 21
It has been one year since the Women’s March in St. Paul, and I still hear from many of you who are looking for ways to get more involved and make positive policy change. On the one year anniversary of the march, several of my colleagues have put together an Advocacy Fair, to connect Minnesotans with over 25 advocacy organizations that could use your help.
January 21, 2018
2 PM – 5 PM
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
700 Snelling Ave. S.
St. Paul, Minnesota, 55116
Click here to see a flyer, and click here to see the Facebook event page.
MINNEAPOLIS MANUFACTURING CAREER AND TRAINING EXPO – JANUARY 30
The City of Minneapolis Employment and Training, partnering with the Sundance Family Foundation, MnAMP, Hennepin County, and the north Minneapolis Workforce Center, invites you to attend a unique Minneapolis Manufacturing Career and Training Expo.
January 30, 2018
2 PM – 7 PM
North Minneapolis Workforce Center
800 West Broadway
Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55411
Prepare to attend the expo:
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Dress professionally
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Visit the North Minneapolis Workforce Center to prepare your resume in advance
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Bring multiple resume copies to the expo
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Arrive early and plan to spend several hours
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Ask questions and network with employers
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Follow up with companies after the expo
Contact: Marie Larson, City of Minneapolis, (612) 673-5292 or marie.larson@minneapolismn.gov
I encourage you to contact me with any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas on any legislative topic. Also, I am available during select hours on Monday and Friday mornings most weeks for in-district meetings, if Northside residents aren’t able to make it to the Capitol. If you would like to send me a message or set up an in-district meeting, you can reach me by phone at 651-296-4262 or by email at rep.fue.lee@house.mn. I look forward to hearing from you!