Dear Neighbors,
I hope you and your family are safe, healthy, and overall doing well in this uncertain time. I regret to inform folks that – for obvious reasons – our Community Conversation on Immigration planned for April 8 has been postponed. We hope to reschedule it for a future date once it’s safe for larger groups to congregate again.
This remains an important topic and there’s a great deal for all of us to learn from our scheduled panelists. To that end, I encourage community members to read both of the books we planned to discuss: From Seven Rivers to Ten Thousand Lakes by Preeti Mathur and From Somalia to Snow by Hudda Ibrahim.
COVID-19 Updates
Since my last update, in an effort to limit people from congregating, Governor Walz ordered the temporary closure of bars, restaurants, theaters, gyms, museums, and many other public places. This was a difficult decision and many Minnesotans – workers and business owners alike – are experiencing a deep and sudden financial hardship as a result of these closures. If your employment has been affected, I highly encourage you to look into unemployment insurance. You can learn more about the program and apply for benefits here. To help the many Minnesotans experiencing difficulty through no fault of their own, the Governor issued an executive order to provide for immediate payment of U.I. benefits.
As a result of another order from Governor Walz, businesses that have suspended or reduced services due to the COVID-19 situation will have a 30-day grace period to file their sales and use taxes. More information can be found here: https://www.revenue.state.mn.us/our-response-covid-19.
Here are links to a variety of resources for information and assistance:
School and child care questions: Call 651-297-1304 or 1-800-657-3504 (7am-7pm daily) Visit www.education.mn.gov *Childcare providers with questions should call 1-888-234-1268
Health questions: 651-201-3920 or 1-800-657-3903 (7am-7pm daily) https://www.health.state.mn.us
Questions from workers and employers: 651-259-7114 or 800-657-3858 Visit www.mn.gov/deed
For questions about unemployment insurance or to apply: https://www.uimn.org
Information for Minnesotans who use Metro Transit: http://metrotransit.org/health
For information in a variety of languages, please visit: https://www.health.state.mn.us/disea…/coronavirus/index.html
Legislators continue to work on measures to address the public health and economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. As the situation continues to evolve, please know that I’m available if I can be of assistance in any way. Feel free to email me at rep.kelly.moller@house.mn or call me at 651-296-0141. I will get back to you just as soon as I am able.
We’re all in these challenging times together and we all must all do our part to “flatten the curve.” This includes washing our hands, covering our cough with our sleeves, staying home when sick, and practicing social distancing. Please do what you can to keep yourselves and your families safe and healthy. For additional information, I am frequently providing updates about COVID-19 on my Facebook page.
It’s an honor to represent you at the Capitol.
Sincerely,
Kelly Moller
State Representative