Dear Neighbor,
The 2020 legislative session began today and it’s good to be back at the Capitol working on behalf of District 13A residents and Minnesotans in general.
I look forward to building on what I learned last year by continuing to learn and serving the people of our district well. The start of the session means real work can begin to help address Greater Minnesota issues such as the workforce shortage and ever-growing lack of childcare. From a statewide perspective, the state’s $1.3 billion surplus presents us with a great opportunity to provide tax relief and reduce health care costs that have been crippling family budgets.
It was an honor to personally present a House resolution honoring the late Warrant Officer Candidate Kort M. Plantenberg, who was one of three members of the National Guard who died in a helicopter crash near Kimball last December. He was a resident of District 13A (Avon) and here is an image of the resolution:
And here is the transcript of the message I delivered in tribute to Warrant Office Candidate Plantenberg:
“The three lives that were tragically lost on December 5th marks a moment in time that will never be forgotten. Family, friends and coworkers will forever mark time as ‘before’ and ‘after.’
“I didn’t have an opportunity to personally meet Warrant Officer Candidate Plantenberg, but so many people spoke of his kind, gentle and generous heart. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, and he generously gave of his time and talents to help others.
“During the memorial service for Kort Plantenberg, the priest encouraged everyone in the years to come, to not only talk of memories of Kort, but to share how knowing him had changed their lives. He asked, ‘How we are better because of Kort’s example and influence to those around him?’ This is a question that we can all take to heart and learn from.
“One month ago today was the Unit Memorial Ceremony which gave the Soldiers of C Company 2-211th GSAB the opportunity to honor their fallen comrades. Stories and memories were shared, and near the end of the ceremony was the final roll call. The moments of silence that followed were deafening.
“It is our responsibility to honor the memory of Warrant Officer Candidate Kort M. Plantenberg, and to pray for his family and friends in the days and weeks to come as they navigate this most difficult loss.”
Special thanks to our friend, Paul Wagner, for sharing this photo he made of a memorial to the three National Guard members that was created at the helicopter crash site south of Marty.
It is an absolute pleasure to represent the people of District 13A at the Capitol and I look forward to a successful session on these and many other fronts. Look for more of my thoughts on the issues we face as the session unfolds.
As always, I welcome correspondence from constituents throughout the session, so please call my legislative office at (651) 296-4373 or email me at rep.lisa.demuth@house.mn to pass along your thoughts, ideas and concerns.
Sincerely,
Lisa