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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I am very excited that we are going back into session on Monday, January 31st! I look forward to continuing to work hard for the people of our district and reconnecting with my colleagues and our amazing staff.
As I have noted before, I am very disappointed that Speaker Melissa Hortman continues to deny the public and the press access to Members and the Legislative process. She has already closed our offices to the public and the press. Just today, she issued a new letter, which also limits public access to the Capitol for our floor sessions. Limiting access to the Legislature and Members makes it even more difficult for the public to follow what is going on at the Capitol. We need more transparency and accessibility, not less.
I will be in St. Paul every time we are in session and am happy to find a room to meet with you face-to-face in the Capitol (which is still open to the public, even if House access is limited). I am also happy to continue to try to meet in person in our district as my Committee schedule permits. Zoom meetings also continue to be an option. If you want to schedule a meeting, please reach out to my wonderful Legislative Assistant, Betsy Ritzer, at Betsy.Ritzer@house.mn
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Executive Summary
- School Choice Week
- Governor's Supplemental Budget
- Revised Social Studies Standards
- Statement on Sheriff Hutchinson
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School Choice Week
This week was School Choice Week. Every family needs to be able to choose the school that best serves the needs of their children and every parent should be able to know what is being taught at their school and have their voice heard.
Although Minnesota was the first in the nation to have Charter Schools and Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO), Minnesota now lags behind other states in providing school choice to ALL families.
If you are interested in finding out about the public, private and homeschool options available in Minnesota, please check out this link.
Minnesota also has a program that gives families an education tax credit or deduction for certain education expenses, such as supplies, music lessons, tutoring, etc. You can find more about that program here. I will continue to fight for school choice so every family in Minnesota is able to ensure their children are able to grow, learn, and thrive.
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Governor's Supplemental Budget
Ahead of the 2022 legislative session, Governor Walz recently released his supplemental budget proposal. Recognizing that the state has a historic $7.7 billion surplus, the Governor is proposing giving every Minnesotan "Walz Checks" totaling $175/individual or $350/married couple. "Walz Checks" are a gimmick that will do nothing to provide real relief to families or stimulate long-term economic growth and competitiveness. We need to give Minnesotans meaningful, ongoing tax relief.
Another concerns area of the Governor's budget proposal is an additional $200 million for another light rail line, the so-called “Blue Line” that would run from downtown Minneapolis up to Brooklyn Park. This proposal came a day after we learned that there will be more than $200 million in new cost overruns and significant delay for the Southwest Light Rail Transit Line, which runs from Minneapolis to Eden Prairie.
Ridership is down significantly on existing lines and it is unclear if commuters will be returning to downtown offices. We need to better understand how people will be working after Covid and do serious cost/benefit analysis before starting any new lines.
I am pleased that the Governor included replenishing the Unemployment Insurance (UI) Trust Fund in his budget proposal. I have been warning for months that if the legislature does not act quickly on UI, businesses will be faced with a tax hike. When we gavel in next week, we need get to work on UI right away to help our already struggling businesses avoid another crisis.
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Revised Social Studies Standards
I recently joined my House Republican colleagues in submitting comments on the new proposed social studies standards. All children should have a well-rounded education in the history of our country, our role in the world, and significant events in world history. The proposed social studies standards, which leave out important topics like the important role Minnesota played in the Civil War and the Holocaust, still have a long way to go to ensure every child in Minnesota receive a rigorous social studies education.
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Statement on Sheriff Hutchinson
As more facts emerged this week about Sheriff Hutchinson’s arrest in December, 2021, for drunk driving, it become clear that he must resign. Recently-released evidence shows he was driving more than 126 miles per hour without a seatbelt, and lied about it when confronted by responding officers. According to state statute, anyone driving over 100 mph should automatically has their driver’s license revoked for 6 months. You can read my full statement here.
While I am very thankful Sheriff Hutchinson was not seriously hurt and that he is seeking treatment, I am concerned that he may have received preferential treatment and I am urging Attorney General Ellison to review this case. Sheriff Hutchinson's case was handled in a matter of days, and there's indications that several violations of state law occurred that were either dismissed or never charged in the first place.
I wish Sheriff Hutchinson well, but our county is facing a serious crime problem and we need effective leadership now, not after the election in November.
Minnesotans need to know that our judges are prosecutors are will apply and enforce the law fairly. Whether it's repeat criminals allowed to walk free after probation violations, or a powerful Sheriff who gets a special plea deal, we're seeing trust in our system eroded. Average Minnesotans would not be able to get these serious charges taken care of in a matter of days and would have had their licenses revoked if they were driving drunk at over 100 miles per hour. We need to restore faith in our system to truly have rule of law.
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Photos
Another great State of the Cities event with theI94West Chamber this week! Great updates from the Mayors and City Administrators of Maple Grove, Dayton, Rogerst - all of our cities are thriving!
Addressing the Municipal Legislative Commission Session Preview on Thursday.
Enjoyed a great conversation with Senator Mark Johnson and Bill Walsh as part of Center of the American Experiment’s Legislative Preview. Looking forward to starting session next week to address crime, education, taxes, and other issues affecting Minnesotans!
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Please Contact Me
Many of you have already been in touch to discuss your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you. Thank you for sharing your ideas! Please continue to contact me to discuss any matters to which I can be of assistance.
The House is adjourned until January 31, 2022. The best way to reach me is by email: rep.kristin.robbins@house.mn. For occasional updates, you can follow my Facebook Page at @RepKristinRobbins. You can also leave a voicemail on my office number, 651-296-7806, which is checked a couple of times/week.
Have a great weekend!
Kristin
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225 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph: 651.296.7806 |
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