Dear Granite City Neighbors,
Our second winter is coming just as we’re finalizing our budget proposals here in the Minnesota House. Ahead of next week’s Easter and Passover break, we’ve been crafting financial legislation in committees, combining bills that we’ve heard throughout session into what are often referred to as omnibus bills. Here’s a quick update on our budget and other work in St. Paul.
Tuition Freeze
As we’re finishing our committee work in the House Higher Education Committee, I wanted to share a component of our budget bill with you that I’m particularly excited about. We’re working to make college more affordable, reduce debt, and improve the health and safety on campus, and we’ve also proposed a freeze in tuition for Minnesota students at all of the state’s two and four-year public colleges and universities.
Northstar
There have been some exciting updates for the #FinishNorthstar movement! The House Transportation committee, which I serve on, has included my Northstar legislation in its omnibus bill. This is yet another step in the right direction, but there’s still more to be done. The House will vote on, and likely pass, our Omnibus Transportation bill in the coming weeks, but then we’ll start negotiating with our colleagues in the Senate, who I’m disappointed to learn haven’t invested any funds into bringing Northstar to St. Cloud. Businesses, the faith community, labor, students, and Central Minnesotans all understand that Northstar would make our community more economically competitive. I’m deeply frustrated by this Senate setback, but I won’t give up until we get something done.
Another piece of legislation from a committee I serve on is the House Capital Investment Committee’s bonding bill. Bonding bills are used to fund projects throughout the state, and I’m happy to say the House’s version this year contains not only funding to begin the process of finishing Northstar, but several other projects for St. Cloud and the surrounding communities that you can read more about here. The bonding bill may face significant challenges this session, especially since the Senate’s Capital Investment committee hasn’t event met this session, but that won’t stop me from working through any recourse to find a way to fight for our community.
I want to thank the tireless advocates in our community who have worked so hard on this issue. I’m fighting to make sure Northstar stays on the right track in the final weeks of session, and with your support, we’re going to make out voices heard.
State of the State
Governor Walz held his first State of the State Address last week, using his speech to tell the stories of exceptional Minnesotans from all over the state. The point that Gov. Walz really drove home was the need for all of us at the State Capitol to come together to build a stronger Minnesota, and I remain committed to doing just that. You can watch the Governor’s State of the State Address below: |
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My first bill!
In the spirit of Governor Walz’s message of cooperation, I was thrilled to see my see my first bill on the House floor pass unanimously! Though I shouldn’t be too surprised, this is a good bill that works to create more transparency in real estate agent marketing. As a realtor myself, I was very proud of this bill and grateful to the MN Association of Realtors and my colleagues for their support.
Save the Date!
Majority Leader Ryan Winkler and I will be holding a Town Hall in St. Cloud on Saturday, April 27, from 2:30-3:30pm, location TBD. I'll be sure to update you when we have more information, but this will be a very exciting opportunity for our community to discuss the issues we care about. Stay tuned!
Education in St. Paul and St. Cloud
I want to thank everyone who came out for our Education Town Hall in St. Cloud the other week. We had a great, robust discussion about the needs of our community when it comes to improving our education system for our students. Speaking of students, I had some amazing visitors this week in St. Paul. Shout out to the SCSU students who showed up for Social Work Day at the Capitol, and to the 6th graders from Sauk Rapids Rice who came to learn more about state government.
  
Stay In Touch
The legislature will not be meeting to conduct work next week due to the Easter and Passover break. When we return on April 22, we’ll be hitting the ground running as we enter the last few weeks of session. These final weeks are crucial, and as we finish our work for this year’s session I want to hear from you. Please feel free to call me at (651) 296-6612, or email me at rep.dan.wolgamott@house.mn. I look forward to hearing from you.
Go Huskies!
Rep. Dan Wolgamott |
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