Dear Neighbors,
It’s been a busy first 3 weeks of the legislative session as I continue my work advocating on behalf of you, your family, and our suburban communities. Many of you have reached out to my office or have spoken to me around town about the issues that matter most to you. Time and again, the top issues I hear about include affordability, strong schools, access to mental health care, investing in infrastructure, and protecting our rich natural resources.
At times, it can be frustrating to see House and Senate majorities push divisive policies like turning Minnesota into a sanctuary state, more tax increases for pet projects, spending $750 million on a new state office building, and much more. I will continue pushing back against these proposals and instead work to bring people together, lessen the divide, and address the priorities of Your Backyard.
I’ve highlighted a few of the bills I am working on below and plan to share details about others in the near future. Please take a moment to read about these proposals and reach out to me if you have any questions or suggestions.
House File 4255: provides property tax relief for suburban families, people on fixed incomes, and more through direct surplus refund payments.
House File 3883: helps small businesses address workforce issues by incentivizing hiring through payroll tax credits.
Supporting Firefighters
I have co-authored a bill (HF 4121) that addresses the challenges and the changing landscape of fire service around the state to help address the needs of smaller fire departments when they are considering consolidation.
A group of local elected leaders and fire chiefs including, Excelsior Fire, Long Lake Fire, St, Boni Fire, Medina Fire and other departments have been leaders on this and are doing an outstanding job creating a good working model for other departments around Minnesota.
Another bill I have co-authored in support of firefighters is House File 3581 which provides tax and fee exemptions on motor vehicles for volunteer firefighters.
The tragedy in Burnsville has reminded us of the immense sacrifices that first responders make every day on behalf of our communities. These bills help to reaffirm our commitment to them by making sure they have all of the tools and resources they need to keep themselves safe while they protect and serve our families.
Thank you to all of our first responders and please keep the families of Matthew Ruge, Paul Elmstrand, and Adam Finseth in your prayers.
Staying in Touch
Make sure to reach out to me if you plan on being in St. Paul sometime soon. It would be great to meet with you and give you a tour. In the meantime, keep an eye on your email inbox as I will be sending out regular correspondence on what’s happening here at the legislature.
Have a great day!
Andrew