Dear Friends and Neighbors, I have been travelling the district and talking to many of you over the past month at town halls, coffee shops and parades and other events. It is the part of the job that I enjoy the most, putting miles on my truck in order to see and hear what's going on in the many small towns and cities in southeastern Minnesota. | 13 Town Halls in 30 days! | During the month of June I held 13 town hall style meetings around the district in the cities of Red Wing, Lake City, Cannon Falls, Goodhue, Plainview, Pine Island, Zumbrota, Zumbro Falls, Eyota, Saint Charles and Lewiston (which falls just outside the district but pulled in folks from the surrounding area). Local state representatives (either Rep. Pam Altendorf or Rep. Steve Jacob) and I gave them the low down on what happened in St Paul last session. The new taxes, regulation, and spending that were passed will be unsustainable if another recession hits us, as predicted by some economists. More businesses will decide they can’t continue to operate, at least not in Minnesota. I handed out copies of the list of new laws and a spreadsheet that compiled the growth in spending, eating up the forecasted surplus and putting us into deficit in years down the road. There is no getting around the fact that it was a tough session for working families on every front. We do not have a fiscal roadmap for the future when there is a great deal of risk in the economy. Our schools are being overburdened with regulations and being told to focus on ideological indoctrination instead of educational achievement. People are being paid not to work and being told they can have free college tuition, food, and housing paid for by those who do work. Minnesota has historically been generous, taking in refugees and helping those who can’t help themselves. Now we are an international welfare magnet, and we are teaching people to be helpless and dependent on the government. That is not compassion, and it cannot last. | A few words on the Driftless region proposal | One of the issues that energized people at the town halls in June was the proposal to make a sizable area of southeastern Minnesota into National Park Land. The proposal was spearheaded by Sean Macaday, a meteorologist at KIMT in Rochester. There was a lot of opposition in the communities that would be affected. In addition to the high volume of calls and emails I and other elected officials received, one of the town halls I co-hosted with Representative Jacob had over 250 residents who attended, and almost every single person was against it. As best I could tell, one person was possibly on the fence or a silent supporter. Everyone else was clear and vocal in their opposition. In the end, Sean decided to rescind his proposal. The Park would have been created over the area of Whitewater State Park and the Dorer Memorial Forest but would extend into parts of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois. These areas were not covered by ice during the last ice age, so they are free of deposits known as drift – hence the name, ‘Driftless’. I have been in office for a while now, and very rarely do you see an issue where such unanimity emerges. From the meeting and the other communications, it is abundantly clear that the opposition to a driftless national park was about as close to unanimous as you’ll ever see. The people have spoken in one voice, and that voice said that this was a very bad idea. Residents who attended the meeting expressed a number of concerns including how the proposed park would affect property values; the likelihood of dramatically higher property taxes; the impact on the environment caused by potentially hundreds of thousands of additional visitors, the impact on Whitewater State Park and Dorer Memorial Forest, and the potential of private property being taken for the park. Even the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources opposed the proposed park. Even if residents had wanted the park, it was subsequently learned that there is no guarantee of congressional approval and the application process is a long and complicated one. Like many of you, I am an avid outdoorsman and I believe we have a duty to be good stewards of our environment. In fact, Minnesotans do a great job of this already – we have many wonderful state parks including the two mentioned above in the area. We have a successful track record of protecting those resources. I am still receiving inquiries about whether the proposal could come back in some form. What I have been telling people is that it seems unlikely, given the massive opposition and the obstacles previously mentioned. However, "the price of freedom is eternal vigilance" and we must be aware that there are always going to be people who get an idea and want to use the power of government to make it happen. The only way to stop or influence a movement like that is to get involved and be heard as these citizens did. | Information about tax rebates | I have been advocating for giving back the entire surplus for as long as the State has been generating one because the surplus is what has been produced AFTER the government is fully funded and money has been socked away in the so-called “Rainy Day Fund.” It is more than what the government needs, meaning we are chronically overtaxed.
Unfortunately, once the DFL achieved their “trifecta” of both houses and the governorship, they decided that they would spend most of that extra money on more government. Taxpayer rebates, once mentioned by Governor Walz when he campaigned to be as high as $2000, ended up being $260 for individuals who make less than $75,000, and married couples who make less than $150,000 will get $560, Gross Adjusted Income. That’s about 1/10 of the state surplus, that they are distributing, if you qualify. Families qualify for a bit more, with $260 added for each dependent, with a maximum of 3 dependents. For more information, you can read about it at the MN Department of Revenue rebate announcement.
If you filed Minnesota taxes in 2021 or 2022, you probably won’t have to do anything, as there is no application process, the check or deposit will arrive by this fall. If you moved or changed banks since you last filed, you may need to update your address and/or bank account information.
| Over 200 people gathered on June 24th for the dedication of a new veterans’ monument along Highway 248 at the north entry point to the town of Altura.
The memorial pays tribute to local veterans in each branch of the military, in each theater of conflict. It also recognizes Altura EMTs and firefighters.
There were many local donors who made the memorial possible, including generous support from the Ronald and Joyce Wanek Foundation. Ron Wanek is the founder and chairman of Ashley Furniture. Wanek spent part of his childhood on a farm outside Altura and credited local veterans-turned-teachers and mentors with setting him up for a lifetime of success.
In my comments at the dedication, I praised the industriousness of Altura, for coming up with a plan and private funding for their memorial. This kind of public spiritedness is also a tribute to the veterans being honored, for their willingness to sacrifice themselves for the good of others. They are both essential qualities to ensuring our freedom and way of life.
| Please contact me to share any issues, concerns, or feedback you have to assist me in best representing you. The best way to reach me is by email at [email protected] or by phone at 651-296-5612. My legislative assistant is Margaret Martin, and her number is 651-296-4264. | Steve Drazkowski Minnesota Senate, District 20, Wabasha, Goodhue, Winona, Olmsted, and Dakota Counties. | 2411 Minnesota Senate Building 95 University Avenue W.
Minnesota Senate Bldg.
St. Paul, MN 55155 | |
