2013 Legislative Wrap-Up

Dear Neighbors,

We finished our legislative work on time May 20, and I am delighted to bring you this final update from the 2013 session. Throughout the session, I have heard from many about the need to focus on jobs and our economy, making sure that our schools remain excellent so our children can succeed and thrive in our global economy, and working on issues such as transportation that affect our quality of life and economic future. With your help and input, I have focused on these issues, and am proud of the bipartisan work that we accomplished.

This session we faced a $627 million deficit and owed our schools over $850 million as a result of fiscal mismanagement and previous accounting shifts and gimmicks. I authored legislation to pay back our schools and am pleased that we worked to both pay back our schools and close the budget gap to set our state on stable financial footing into the future, and ensure that Minnesota stays strong and competitive. 

This year has been the ‘education session’ and we are making investments and reforms to ensure that our schools remain the best in the nation. This includes early childhood education scholarships, funding all-day, optional kindergarten, updating student assessments.  We also are freezing tuition and increasing oversight at the U of M and MnSCU to make sure our tax dollars are being spent with accountability.

We also passed legislation with funding attached to continue the Southwest Corridor Light Rail project. We need to continue with this project to create and support future job growth, and reduce traffic congestion in the southwest metro.  Once completed, we will be able to access downtown Minneapolis, St. Paul, the Mall of America and the airport.

We passed several other economic development initiatives this session to help local businesses, including a $347 million tax cut for Minnesota employers, which will save the average employer $150 per employee.  In addition, we are expanding efforts to attract out-of-state businesses to Minnesota and to encourage our businesses to grow within the state. 

To help our businesses compete globally, we will be adding three additional foreign trading offices to our current trade office in China, which helps Minnesota companies to integrate with foreign markets.  The business world has changed, and it’s time that our policies reflect the 21st century market. 

We protected our elderly and most vulnerable citizens in the Health and Human Services budget. We also did cut $50 million from this budget, in an effort to slow the increases in the fastest growing budget area in Minnesota. Initiatives in this bill will help nursing homes and long-term care facilities prepare for the expected increase in residents, reduce employee turnover and improve care to our seniors.

We remembered the sacrifices of our veterans.  The long awaited renovation at the Minneapolis Veterans Home will be possible now with funding included in our bonding bill. We provided tax incentives to encourage businesses to hire veterans.  Funding is forthcoming to house homeless veterans.

Additionally, due to the concerns that were brought to me by local residents, I did not support the tax bill.  I felt that the proposal needed more balance and efficiencies and was concerned with some business tax provisions in the bill. I also voted against the Campaign Finance bill, which expands the amount of money that candidates of all levels can raise and spend in Minnesota.  I think that we need campaign finance reform both locally and nationally, but I do not agree that raising spending limits will make things better.  I think that we see enough TV, radio and mail ads, and that this increase will only further distort our elections process.

I invite your continued input as we look to focus on the future and make Minnesota an even better place to live.  While there is more work to be done, I am pleased with the bipartisan work we have done this year to end the session on time.  I believe these initiatives to create jobs, better our economy, and keep our schools strong will help to keep Minnesota a great place to live, work and raise a family.

As always, thank you for allowing me to be your voice in St. Paul.

Best,

Yvonne