Dear Neighbors,
Tomorrow is the one-year anniversary of Governor Walz’s peacetime emergency declaration to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the last twelve months, one single person has been making decisions that impact the lives of every Minnesotan. Schools have closed, businesses shuttered, and millions of Minnesotans’ lives have been forever changed.
I have voted more than a dozen times to end the emergency powers, but until more members of the House Democrat majority join Republicans in our efforts, the state of emergency will continue.
Governor Walz continues to maintain a stranglehold on state government with no indication that he will relent any time soon.
It’s become more difficult for the Governor to justify his extraordinary powers with case counts dropping, hospitalization plummeting, and vaccinations ramping up.
The Governor’s Office recently announced that nearly 70% of senior citizens in Minnesota – the group most at risk from COVID-19 – have been vaccinated, which means vaccination eligibility has now expanded in the state and is another big step towards herd immunity.
Many like to note the existence of COVID-19 variants as an explanation for continued caution even though variants of COVID-19 have been circulating in Minnesota for more than six weeks and cases have continued to plummet.
States across the nation, blue and red alike, are beginning to reopen in the latest sign that the pandemic is winding down.
The “emergency” is over. Now, we should move into the management and recovery phase. To effectively do that, the legislature needs to be on equal footing with the Governor and the powers must end.
California Cars Update
The deadline to submit public comment on Gov. Walz's California Car Mandate is Monday, March 15, 2021 at 4:30pm.
The Governor is seeking to implement this policy through administrative rule rather than the legislature. If enacted, the California Car Mandate would raise the cost of all new vehicles for Minnesota families by $1,000 or more, reduce consumer choice, and make MN the only state in the Midwest to place burdensome regulations on auto dealerships.
Let your voice be heard on this very important issue. Submit your comments here: https://minnesotaoah.granicusideas.com/.../36416...
Staying in Touch
Please continue to reach out to me to share your questions, thoughts, or concerns. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4293 or via email at rep.john.poston@house.mn.
Have a great weekend,
John