Dear Neighbors,
This Saturday, I will be hosting my 5th coffee with constituents town-hall of the year. These events happen around the district and give you a chance to directly ask questions, provide thoughts or just have a conversation about what is happening in Your Backyard and Minnesota. We need all voices heard from the district, so we can build it together.
Saturday’s event will begin at 8:00 AM and ends at 9:30 AM and will be at Mocha Monkey in St. Bonifacius. I hope to see you there!
Update from St. Paul
Omnibus budget bills are beginning to make their way to the House Floor for votes. An omnibus bill is where dozens, in some cases hundreds, of smaller bills are rolled into one singular legislative package—forcing lawmakers to vote “yes” or “no” on the package instead of considering the merits of each policy proposal on an individual basis. These bills will constitute the state’s new two-year budget. Today, Wednesday, we will be considering the Legacy bill and the Higher Education bill.
As the name implies, the Higher Education bill provides funding to public colleges and universities across Minnesota. The Legacy bill appropriates money from the outdoor heritage fund, clean water fund, parks and trails fund, and the arts and cultural heritage fund. These four funds were established by the “Legacy Amendment” that was passed by voters in 2008.
I’d like to hear your thoughts on omnibus bills. Do you think that each individual bill should be debated and voted on its own merits? Or is the current practice of rolling several proposals into one legislative package the best way forward? Let me know your thoughts!
Spot a Local Issue?
Please be sure to contact me if you spot a local issue around the community that you think could be addressed at the state level. Things like Highway 7 safety, Excelsior Commons, property taxes, education, water quality, access to mental health care and more are all local matters that can be addressed here in St. Paul. Your voice has an impact on the issues that matter most in your backyard!
Staying in Touch
Thanks to everyone that visited St. Paul this week! It was great to chat with you about the things that matter most to you, your family, and your backyard.
If you plan on being in St. Paul sometime soon, I encourage you to reach out to my office to set up a time to meet and chat! It is always my goal to be as responsive as possible to the needs and priorities of you and Your Backyard.
Please do not hesitate to contact me. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-9188 or via email at rep.andrew.myers@house.mn.gov.
Have a great day,
Andrew