Dear Neighbors,
Thank you for the honor of serving Bloomington in the Minnesota House of Representatives. The 2018 Legislative Session finished and the dust has settled. It seems that everything can be spilt into three groups: the good, the bad, and the ugly. However, there is a lot more work that needs to be done if we are to build an economy that works for everyone and a better future for all Minnesotans.
There were some bright spots for Bloomington. I am glad we passed funding for $12 million in upgrades at Normandale Community College, $15 million for renovations at Fort Snelling state park, and $10 million in funding for metro parks, which supports regional parks in our community. The 494 and 35W interchange was selected for a $204 million upgrade to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety. We also reformed the state’s pension programs, which will stabilize pensions for teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other state workers for years to come.
Now for the bad, Governor Dayton warned Republican lawmakers they did not do enough to make taxes fairer for Minnesotans and he would not support their major proposals. He did not waste any time vetoing the Republican tax and budget proposals that did more for high priced lobbyists than Minnesota families.
And unfortunately, the ugly. We started our session with bipartisan agreement to act on many issues important to Minnesotans: the opioid crisis, elder abuse, tax conformity, sexual harassment, hands-free driving and more. Republicans failed to address these issues and instead catered to powerful special interests. Time after time they sided with high priced lobbyists that completely disregard the needs of Minnesota families.
Talking to our friends and neighbors in the community it is clear we care deeply about our state and want one another to succeed. That’s why I will work with anyone who will work with me to improve education opportunities, to make affordable health care a reality, and to increase economic prosperity for all Minnesotans.
Please let me know if you have any questions. It a pleasure representing our community in the legislature.
Sincerely,
Andrew Carlson
State Representative