Dear Neighbors, Happy Halloween! If you have trick-or-treaters in your family heading out tonight, I hope they have a fun and safe evening, and acquire a ton of candy in the process. Women's Pheasant Hunt  This past Saturday I had an awesome time joining Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, fellow legislators, and Lauren Bennett McGinty, the executive director of Explore Minnesota Tourism, for a Women’s Pheasant Hunt. KAAL 6 was on hand to cover the event. Thank you to Ann Maxfield for letting us hunt your land and Teri Lorraine Woody and Kelly Straka for being our guides. We started the day with a review of gun safety. Whether you hunt birds or other game (the firearms deer opener is this coming weekend), a refresher is always a good idea. The Minnesota DNR has a variety of resources to open doors to our great outdoors, including Becoming an Outdoors Woman workshops. I’m committed to expanding opportunities for Minnesotans to take advantage of outdoor pursuits in our great state, including for communities who have too often been excluded. Bringing the State Capitol to Minnesotans  We have a vast state, diverse in geography and population, and it’s not always possible for everyone to visit the State Capitol to share their viewpoints with elected officials. Last night, the Legislative Commission on Pension and Retirements, which I’m honored to chair, held a public hearing in Duluth. I’m grateful to everyone who attended the meeting and offered input; it was a capacity crowd! All Minnesotans, including our hardworking public employees, deserve economic security in retirement, and I look forward to working on solutions to strengthen public pensions this coming legislative session.  I also serve on the Ensuring Police Excellence and Improving Community Relations Advisory Council, a panel created as part of legislation passed following the murder of George Floyd, which held a listening session in Duluth earlier this month. The council includes voices from crime victim advocates, mental health advocates, impacted communities, law enforcement, and legislators to advise the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board. After the listening session, we visited the memorial marking the spot where Elias Clayton, Elmer Jackson, and Isaac McGhie were lynched for a crime they did not commit. A mob of thousands dragged them from the jail, tried them, and hung these men from the light post. We must understand our history if we want to create a better future. Please take some time to learn about this awful chapter in our history from the Minnesota Historical Society. Investments in HousingYears of underinvestment in housing have led to one of the nation's most severe housing shortages, causing rising home ownership and rental costs. Over 325,000 metro area households spend over 30% of their income on housing. Starting October 1st, a transformational program to address our state’s housing crisis, funded by a ¼ cent metro-wide sales tax, is now in effect. For the first time, lawmakers dedicated significant resources to tackling our housing crisis, raising an estimated $150-200 million annually, surpassing the entire previous statewide housing budget. Our goal is to construct more homes and provide opportunities for families at risk of homelessness. These resources will be used to create affordable housing, including multi-family units and homes for ownership. Our housing budget aims to produce over 1,000 homes annually and fund 3,000 state-based housing vouchers to reduce family homelessness. While these resources won't solve the housing crisis entirely, we're committed to ensuring everyone has a safe and affordable place to live. Heating Assistance AvailableFrigid Minnesota temperatures have arrived and many of us have quickly switched from sweatshirts to winter coats. With winter here, many families struggle to afford home heating costs. No one deserves to be left in the cold, and help is available. Minnesota’s Energy Assistance Program can offer financial assistance with heat and electric bills, emergency fuel deliveries, and repair or replacement of broken heating systems. Grants are based on household size, income, and utility costs, averaging $500 and up to $1,400. Applications are available here. Also, the state’s Cold Weather Rule took effect on October 1. The Cold Weather Rule can prevent utility customers behind on their bills from having their electric or natural gas service shut off if they develop a payment plan with their service provider. More information about utility shut-off protection is available here. |