Week of February 26 – March 2
February forecast provides for cautionary optimism
Minnesota Management and Budget released the state’s February budget forecast this week, the day after US News and World Report named us the second best state in the nation. The forecast projected a positive balance of $329 million for the current biennium. It’s smaller than we had hoped, but still a good sign.
Exercising caution will be important as we decide on our supplemental budget this year. There are many things that must be taken care of this session. Public employees still have not had their negotiated raises approved by the legislature, and we need to make our schools safer. Continue reading “Sen. Steve Cwodzinski Update: March 2, 2018”
This past Wednesday, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School suffered a colossal tragedy; 17 adults and children were killed by gunfire from a former student. This disaster is part of a long line of preventable mass shootings, and has painfully revived the dialogue surrounding gun violence prevention.
The 2018 legislative session convenes on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
A little over a year ago, I was officially sworn in as a state senator. Over the past twelve-and-a-half months, I have gained an appreciation for government that I could never have had as a civics teacher. Everyone who works here, be them legislative assistants or departmental staff, is incredibly committed to making the world a better place. In the classroom, I used to tell students the old adage, “laws are like sausages, you never want to see them getting made.” Looking back, I cannot believe that I spent 33 years saying that about some of the most dedicated and hard-working people I have ever met.
