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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
This past week I have been praying for Israel. This horrible unprovoked attack should be condemned and we should support Israel as they defend themselves.
It was encouraging to see the huge overflow crowd of support at the service for Israel Tuesday night hosted by Jewish Community Relations Council: Minnesota and the Dakotas. There was strong bipartisan attendance from legislators, as well as Senator Amy Klobuchar, Governor Tim Walz, Lt. Governor Peggy Flanagan, and Secretary of State Steve Simon. Grateful to be together!
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Executive Summary
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SRO Listening Session
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Letter to Governor, MMB Commissioner on State Office Building Renovations
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New Cost Estimate for Paid Family Leave
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Submit Your Designs for New State Flag, Seal
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Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett at U of MN
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SRO Listening Session
Last week, House and Senate Republicans held a listening session on SROs. We heard from school administrators, staff and law enforcement, including Chief Eric Werner and Sergeant Andrew Sandberg from the Maple Grove Police Department. Sergeant Sandberg oversees the Maple Grove SROs. Participants urged the Legislature to hold a special session to fix the statute and get SROs back in schools now, rather than wait until the Legislature reconvenes in February. By putting this issue off until the new legislative session, I am concerned that it will get lost in other political debates.
SROs have worked successfully in Minnesota school districts for 30 years and student surveys show that students value having them in schools. There is currently a student-led petition drive at Osseo High School to bring the SROs back, which already has 270 signatures.
Democrats have been avoiding a legislative fix, hoping the revised opinion on the law from Attorney General Keith Ellison would be sufficient. However, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty released a contradicting interpretation of the law, suggesting that school resource officers could still be charged criminally, proving that a legislative fix is the only way forward. Due to the ongoing confusion this issue has created, a number of law enforcement agencies will not be returning school resource officers to schools.
Rather than providing clarity and certainly, these multiple and contradictory opinions from the Attorney General, the League of Minnesota Cities and the Hennepin County Attorney have only muddied the waters. It is clear that only a legislative solution can provide the clarity that is needed in statute
In our community, students and staff at Rockford Area Schools, Wayzata Public Schools, and Osseo-Maple Grove Schools no longer have student resource officers. I am grateful to Maple Grove Police Chief Eric Werner and Sergeant Sandberg for sharing their expertise at the informational hearing. All participants urged the legislature to act swiftly to resolve this issue so we can ensure students and staff have a safe school year. It is time we stop putting politics above school safety and fix this once and for all.
You can watch the full listening session here.
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Letter to Governor, MMB Commissioner on State Office Building Renovations
This week I sent a letter, along with other House Republicans, to Governor Tim Walz and Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Erin Campbell urging them to halt the remodel and expansion of the State Office Building. The current cost of the project is expected to be $500 million.
It is unconscionable that we would spend $500 million of taxpayers’ hard-earned money to remodel the House office building. We are only in session five months out of the year – the rest of the year the professional staff works remotely the majority of the time. The building does need upgrades to the HVAC system and to improve technology so constituents can participate in hearings remotely, but those changes shouldn’t cost taxpayers a half a billion dollars. The entire new Senate Office Building cost $90 million in 2017 – we can’t possibly need to spend more than five times that amount to remodel.
According to non-partisan staff, the bonds to finance the $500 million renovation will be sold this month and construction contracts will be signed soon thereafter.
The Majority has been quietly pushing this project through since last session, with little public scrutiny, despite our amendments to limit it. When I found out the bonds were being sold this month, I decided to make one last effort to stop this waste of taxpayers’ money. I’m hoping the public will engage in this effort and call on Governor Walz to stop the sale of the bonds. We don’t want to get in another situation like we currently have with Southwest Light Rail or the remodel of the Governor’s mansion, when they claim we have already sold the bond, signed contracts and spent so much money that we can’t possibly change course. Taxpayers are tired of being told they are locked into giant projects they don’t want.
This projects adds insult to injury for Minnesota taxpayers after Democrats spent the entire $17.5 billion surplus, raised taxes by nearly $10 billion, and grew the state budget by 38% over two years. Politicians do not need a new, half a billion-dollar office building when families are facing higher prices for gas, groceries, and energy bills. I am urging the Governor and MMB Commissioner to halt this project until open hearings can be held to discuss more cost-effective solutions for needed updates to the State Office Building.
You can read our full letter to the Governor and MMB Commissioner here.
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New Cost Estimate for Paid Family Leave
The National Federation of Independent Businesses recently raised concerns about Minnesota's Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) cost estimates following recent tax increases for the Massachusetts and Maryland PFML programs.
Minnesota’s new PFML law, which passed during the 2023 Legislative Session, sets an initial tax rate of 0.7%. An actuarial study to determine the financial soundness of the program is due to the state by October 31, 2023. If the study finds the program is not financially viable at the initial tax rate, the state can raise the PFML tax up to the maximum rate of 1.2%.
The tax increases on small businesses and employees in other states are of great concern. Minnesota families are already struggling to make ends meet and having an increase in their payroll taxes to cover a $4 billion program will just add to their financial stress. We offered a voluntary program that would have helped those who currently don’t have access to paid leave which would have been much more affordable and would not have created a giant new state bureaucracy. We should adopt the voluntary program.
You can read NFIB's full analysis here.
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Submit Your Designs for New State Flag, Seal
I have had many constituents ask about why the State Flag and Seal is being re-designed and how they can share their thoughts. If you are interested in sharing your views on the potential redesign of the state flag or seal, I would encourage you to participate in the public comment process.
A law passed during the 2023 legislative session authorized the creation of a new Minnesota state flag and seal. The State Emblems Redesign Commission has been established to oversee this process.
Starting October 3, members of the public can submit their flag and seal designs online at www3.mnhs.org/serc-submission. They can also submit designs by mail to:
State Emblems Redesign Commission
ATTN: Lindsey Dyer
345 W Kellogg Blvd
Saint Paul, MN 55102.
Submissions will be open until Monday, October 30, at 11:59pm.
The commission will choose 5 flag and seal finalists from the public submissions. The commission will then work with a professional design firm to create the new state flag and seal. More information can be found www3.mnhs.org/serc.
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Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett at U of MN
I was pleased to attend the U of M Law School’s Stein Lecture with Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett this week. It was an insightful discussion about her judicial philosophy and the inner workings of the Supreme Court. It was very encouraging to hear that the Court, which has significant policy divisions, has found a way to bridge policy differences through strong personal relationships and respect, which enables the institution to function well on behalf of the country. I think most people would be surprised by how many unanimous decisions are handed down and how often, when there is a split, is not along the ideological lines most would predict.
I am grateful that the U of M is committed to hosting a variety of voices and perspectives, which is essential to free academic inquiry and to our democracy.
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Photos
Important hearing on why conflicting opinions from AG Ellison & Henn Cty Attny Moriarty have not resolved the School Resource Officer issue. We need a Special Session to provide clarity in statute to ensure safety. Thanks to Maple Grove Police Department Chief Eric Werner, & Sgt. Sandberg for testifying
Honored to stand with families who have lost loved ones due to rampant crime in Hennepin County & are demanding justice because Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty will not prosecute or uphold the law. These families have no justice or peace & are demanding Moriarty be recalled for failure to do her duty.
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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 best way to reach me while we are out of session is by email: rep.kristin.robbins@house.mn.gov. 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 multiple times/week.
Have a great weekend!
Kristin
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239 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph: 651.296.7806 |
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