Dear Neighbor, I’m thrilled to be back in St. Paul, on the job for the people of District 14A with Tuesday’s start of the 2025 legislative session. Minnesotans sent us to the Capitol to get to work. We have many serious issues to address this session and can’t afford to waste any time getting down to business this session. More on that in a bit. First, I want to express my gratitude to the people of 14A for their continued support as I performed the oath of office to be sworn into the House as a member of the 94th Legislature. This is an immense honor, and I will continue doing my best to represent the best interests of all the people in our district, including some of the top priorities House Republicans have established for the upcoming biennium: - Stop the Fraud
- Make Minnesota Affordable
- Make Minnesota Safe
- Raise Standards, Reduce Mandates
- Minnesota Tax Dollars for Minnesotans
- Build for the Future
Stop the Fraud We’ll get into these priority subjects more throughout the session, but I just want to share a little more on “Stop the Fraud” today: Minnesotans deserve accountability and transparency with their tax dollars, which have been severely lacking in recent years. It's become one investigation after another documenting hard-earned tax dollars being lost to fraud and waste in our state, including locally. Our governor and his agency commissioners have not done enough to address this growing problem and Minnesota taxpayers are suffering for it as hundreds of millions (or billions) of dollars have been stolen. They proved they aren’t up to the job, and we need an independent body to provide oversight. Meanwhile, House Republicans are taking this issue seriously and are preparing a comprehensive package to root out fraud, including establishing a House committee to tackle this issue. Our plan will protect taxpayers and ensure program funding reaches its intended purposes. Democrats are AWOL As excited as I am to get the 2025 legislative session off and running, it is disappointing to see House Democrats resorted to staging a boycott. Minnesotans sent us here to the Capitol to govern, not to play political games. Democrats may not like being in the minority after one of their members was caught cheating in the November election, but I hope they show up soon, joining Republicans in doing the work citizens elected us to do instead of staying home and collecting a paycheck. Constituent meetings My schedule of constituent meetings is quite busy throughout the year, including during the session. I say this only because some fellow legislators who are boycotting the Capitol seem to be playing up their constituent meetings as though they are doing something super special while not showing up for work in St. Paul. To me, it is crucial to stay in touch with District 14A residents all 12 months, regardless of whether the House happens to be in session. While the House was adjourned, I visited with constituents the last several months to gather what was on everyone’s hearts and minds. I have prepared a list of values and needs to address in the House. Now, while we are back in session, you don’t have to guess where I will be the next five months – at the Capitol! In fact, I declined invitations to attend the upcoming presidential inauguration because my top priority is working for the people I represent and the state in general. District 14A residents hired me to do a job and I would not feel comfortable traveling to Washington, D.C. during Minnesota’s legislative session. People are counting on me to be present at the Capitol, serving as their voice and voting in their best interests and that’s my top focus. I’m sure attending the inauguration would have been a memorable event, but it can’t come at the expense of the citizens I represent. So, yes, I’m absolutely still working closely with local constituents and organizations from 14A even during the session. Here are just some of the snapshots:  St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce President Julie Lunning  Niron Magnetics  Attendees of the annual Minnesota Chamber of Commerce session priorities banquet Please Contact MeIt’s an honor and privilege to work for you at the Capitol. Don’t hesitate to contact my office at any time this session to share your thoughts, concerns or ideas. You can call me at 651-296-6316, or email me at rep.bernie.perryman@house.mn.gov. I am here to serve you! Sincerely,  |