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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope your summer is going well and you've been able to get out to some of the great events going on around our community and support local businesses. More fun events below!
Please feel free to email me any other events I should highlight in upcoming newsletters. I love to see them and I know people appreciate a reminder of all the things going on in our community!
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Local News & Events
- Red Wing Art Walk - Free & Open to the public right in downtown Red Wing.
- Red Wing River City Days are back August 6-8. Check out the schedule here for all the great family-fun events!
- Anderson Center 25th Anniversary Party - Saturday, July 24 from 11am-5pm. Check out more info here.
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Main Street Economic Revitalization Program Launches August 3
As part of the State Budget passed during special session and signed into law by Governor Walz, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) will launch its new Main Street Economic Revitalization Program on Aug. 3. This $80 million statewide economic redevelopment program will award grants to partner organizations to establish programs within specific communities that will fund economic development and redevelopment projects.
Proposals will be accepted from eligible partner organizations, which include foundations engaged in economic development; community development financial institutions; and nonprofit organizations engaged in housing and commercial development.
Request for proposals (RFPs) will open at 3 p.m. on Aug. 3 and be due by 4 p.m. Aug. 31.
Partner organizations selected for grants will then provide grants and loans to businesses, nonprofit organizations and developers – funds which can be used for the demolition, repair, renovation, and construction of eligible projects.
DEED recently held two information sessions to provide more information about this program. You can watch them here:
For more information – including eligibility guidelines – visit the Main Street Economic Revitalization Program section of DEED’s website.
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Department of Revenue PPP & UI Tax Guidance
The Minnesota Department of Revenue sent the following guidance for tax payers and preparers following the Governor signing the budget bills on July 1:
Minnesota tax code changes were signed into law on July 1, 2021. The changes relate to unemployment compensation, Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan forgiveness, and other retroactive conformity provisions affecting tax years 2017 through 2020.
The Minnesota Department of Revenue updated Minnesota tax forms for tax year 2020 to reflect these changes.
If you or your clients filed a 2020 income tax return that included unemployment compensation or PPP loan forgiveness, we will either adjust the return or we will ask you to amend.
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If we can adjust the return, we will send you a letter describing what we changed and any refund you may receive as a result. We are committed to adjusting as many returns as we can.
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If you will need to amend solely due to Minnesota tax law changes, wait until you hear from us before filing. We will let you know whether we will adjust your return or if you will need to amend.
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If you have not yet filed a 2020 return, or filed for an extension, you may file using the updated forms to claim the recently passed unemployment and PPP loan forgiveness income exclusions and deductions.
We continue to review Minnesota forms for tax years 2017 – 2019 and will provide updates as they are available.
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Border to Border Broadband Grants
The need for high-speed internet became critically apparent during the pandemic as more people were working from home, utilizing telemedicine, and accessing remote learning for their children. On Monday, I participated in a planning call with Goodhue County and our area broadband providers.
Projects are proceeding for Welch and Haycreek townships. There also may be additional expansion in these projects depending on anticipated federal grants. I'm also aware of residents in historic Frontenac who have limited service. I encourage residents who live in areas with no or limited service to make sure they reach out to their county commissioners to ensure that they are aware of these high need service areas. The county will be deciding how to allocate $1.5 million in broadband funding this fall.
As part of the 2021 Budget passed during the Special Session, $70 million was directed to the Border-to-Border Broadband grant program over the next two years.
The Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program funds the expansion of broadband service to areas of Minnesota that are unserved or underserved. The grant program was created in 2014. The legislative focus of this grant program is to provide state resources that help make the financial case for new and existing providers to invest in building broadband infrastructure into unserved and underserved areas of the state.
In the 2021 Special Session, the legislature has directed DEED to submit an application to the U.S. Department of the Treasury for $70 million of Minnesota’s capital projects fund allocation under the American Recovery Plan Act to fund the Border to Border Broadband Grant Program over the next two fiscal years.
Many communities in our district have benefited from this program to bring high speed internet to their homes and businesses. The Minnesota Office of Broadband Development created a Grant Application Template for communities to use as a resource if they are considering using Local Fiscal Recovery Funds from the American Rescue Plan Act for broadband infrastructure.
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STAYING IN TOUCH
As always, if you have questions or concerns regarding any issue, please contact me. You can reach me at rep.barb.haley@house.mn or 651-296-8635.
Sincerely,
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/RepBarbHaley
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239 State Office Bldg.
Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
St. Paul, MN 55155
651-296-8635
rep.barb.haley@house.mn |
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