Friends and neighbors, Last week was incredibly busy on the House Floor. I was fortunate to have several bills I authored included in various bills, a testament to a session full of hard work and collaboration with members of our community. To all who met with me to bring your passions and ideas forward, thank you. On Wednesday, the House passed our Transportation, Labor, and Housing budget bill - including my bill to ensure publicly-financed projects require prevailing wage protections. TIF, LIHTC, and state sales tax exemptions can be powerful tools to promote housing construction and economic development, but our public dollars should not subsidize worker abuse and exploitation. Minnesotans deserve to know their public dollars aren’t subsidizing abuse and exploitation of workers. When used well, TIF, LIHTC, and sales tax exemptions can be powerful ways of generating development and redevelopment where they are most needed. Through these, Minnesota has the tools to increase the amount of affordable housing available and encourage economic development, but it’s our responsibility to ensure those needs aren’t met at the cost of workers’ lives and livelihoods. On Friday, we took up the 2024 tax bill - including the stuff below, and my Lodging Tax Fairness bill, which ensures that online travel companies will pay local lodging taxes in Bloomington, Baudette, and Blue Earth just like they do in Minneapolis and St Paul.  Then, later on Friday night, just before the stroke of midnight, we passed our House Elections budget bill with bipartisan support. This bill supports our local partners and brings greater transparency to our elections. One of the ways it does that is through my bill to require that PACs that spend on local races - think City Council or School Board - have to file and report just like those that do so at the state level. Unfortunately, these outside dark money groups are proliferating and Minnesotans deserve to know who’s trying to influence the elections closest to them.  Bloomington ranks highest of Minnesota cities on Top 100 Best Places to Live listOur wonderful city was recently the top ranked Minnesota city on Livability! You can read more here. "With its vibrant community, great schools, and good balance of city convenience and natural beauty, Bloomington, Minnesota, has earned a well-deserved reputation as a great place to call home." I couldn't agree more, and I'm proud to represent our wonderful city! Slow Mow SummerYou’ve probably heard of “No Mow May” and may have even participated in making your lawn more pollinator-friendly! While it’s a catchy slogan, researchers from the University of Minnesota Bee Lab have modified the popular campaign due to additional research on best practices for pollinators and lawn health. “Slow Mow Summer” takes the sentiment of “No Mow May” and expands it to the entire growing season! Because guess what? Bees need food AFTER May, too. Many bee species do not even emerge from hibernation until June or July, when self-heal, ground plum, lanceleaf tickweed, or calico American aster may be blooming in your lawn. Mowing after lawn flowers bloom instead of before is the main goal of “Slow Mow Summer.” You can learn more about how best to help native pollinators, like Rusty Patched Bumblebee, survive and thrive here!  |