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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This week we passed the halfway point of the legislative session that will end in late May. To say not much has been accomplished would be a giant understatement— House Democrats refuse to take away the governor's emergency powers, they refuse to pass bipartisan bills to help businesses forced to pay state taxes on forgiven PPP loans while also refusing to help Minnesotans forced into unemployment during the last year by conforming to the federal tax code on exempting $10,200 in unemployment income from taxes, and they refuse to help students hurt by distance learning by passing a summer school funding program that would use federal funds to offset local costs for in-person learning programs.
Next week the Legislature will be in recess for the Passover/Easter break. I hope Democrats will come back from the break ready to get to work for Minnesotans, pass some of these broad, bipartisan bills rather than continuing to hold them hostage for end-of-session political games.
Have a great weekend!
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State Morgue Update
Back in September, I toured the "cold storage facility" that was never actually needed and never used as a morgue as intended. Instead, it was filled with Personal Protective Equipment some of which was close to expiring.
Fast forward to this week when I went on another tour of the building with Senator Michelle Benson and Senator Mary Kiffmeyer — and now? It's still an overpriced storage facility filled with now expired PPE and PPE destroyed by the rain we received this week.
The morgue was purchased for around $6 million, has a leaky roof, and they are still trying to sell it at a big loss. It was a bad purchase, a waste of taxpayer money, and we need to hold the decision-makers accountable.
What went into this decision? Why was this decision made in such haste? Why has it been held onto for this long? Minnesota taxpayers deserve answers.
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Free the Growler & Update MN Liquor Laws
We've brought together some of the most recognizable names in Minnesota craft beer for an important message: It's time to #FreeTheGrowler. Watch our video featuring them all here makes the very real case that Minnesota's current law stifles creativity and puts Minnesota brewers at a disadvantage with brewers in other states. Some even have to choose between continuing to grow in Minnesota — meaning more jobs and tax revenue — or intentionally stop growing or move across state lines.
We will soon be visiting some of the craft distilleries and other small breweries butting against other, just as absurd and outdated, laws holding back their business for no good reason. Just in the last two weeks, Tattersall Distilling made headlines by citing some of these archaic laws as reasons they chose to expand in Wisconsin— no one should be forced to move to Wisconsin, especially when they will be taking jobs and tax revenue with them.
This is unacceptable. Call your legislator, or encourage your friends and family to do so, and encourage them to support our efforts:
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Vaccine Information Links
Today, Governor Walz and Minnesota Health Officials announced all Minnesotans 16 and older will be eligible to get vaccinated for COVID-19 starting March 30.
With the constant state of new information on COVID-19 and the vaccine process, it is best to check the following links regularly for updates:
If you have a link to local information that would be helpful to add to this list, please send my way. I will keep this section as a fixture on future updates.
Please Contact Me
Please feel free to reach out to my office if there is any way I can be of assistance. My phone number is 651-296-4282, I am here to serve you!
Have a great weekend!
Jim
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/RepJimNash
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349 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph: 651.296.4282 |
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