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Dear Neighbors,

With less than a month remaining in the legislative session, I?m focused on strengthening our communities on the core Iron Range. We simply don?t have time for political games; I?m fighting for the people of our region and that?s exactly what I?m going to keep doing the rest of this session.

In case you missed it, please read my recent column [ [link removed] ] in the Mesabi Tribune with an update on my work at the State Capitol to lower property taxes, deliver resources for our students, and invest in our region?s key infrastructure priorities.

It?s an honor to represent you.

Sincerely,

Dave Lislegard
State Representative

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Lislegard: Bill is ?unprecedented?

I honor the deep trust you placed in me as your elected State Representative from the core Iron Range. You sent me to deliver results and not to play political games. I?m a fighter to my core, from long hours doing shift work at LTV in my youth, to getting laid off and going back to college to find a new career so I could provide for my family. My history is of the Iron Range -- a story of resilience, struggle, and adaption in the face of social and economic change. My job is now to provide the best resources to the Iron Range so it can thrive.

That is why I am unafraid of trying something new to benefit the people of the Iron Range. As Chair of the House Property Tax Division, I introduced legislation for a bold, new direction by the Minnesota Legislature to improve the overall well-being and quality of life for residents of the core Iron Range.

First, I believe that homeowners deserve lower property taxes. My legislation increases the Taconite Homestead Credit to $515 per year ? an increase of 77% for most homeowners on the Iron Range. If I can pass this legislation, $515 will be knocked off your property taxes every year going forward. This credit has been frozen since 1998. The price of eggs, milk, and gasoline didn?t stay at 1998 prices, so why should this important tool for working families, seniors and other folks struggling with rising costs stay at a 1998 level? We have adequate taconite taxes to pay for it, so why shouldn?t some of it go directly to homeowners? I think you deserve it.

Second, my bill creates an expanded account using taconite taxes to deliver investments for Iron Range community infrastructure, schools, and to support recreation opportunities for our people. My bill funds over $10 million for our schools, including the creation of a new Northland Learning Center and Alternative Learning Center for our students facing the most challenges.

The bill contains over $50 million for infrastructure -- from sewer, water, and industrial development in Eveleth and repairs to the Hippodrome, to new water and sewer in Mountain Iron and revitalization of our regional emergency room in Virginia to better serve behavioral and mental health for kids and adults. Your health and safety are important, and I?m going to do everything I can to make sure we have an up-to-date emergency room for our people.

Importantly, this legislation recognizes the volunteer contributions of thousands of our citizens who give their time building our snowmobile and ATV trails, supporting the arts like the Lyric Center in Virginia or the ice arena in Chisholm. They deserve a little support, and my bill provides it.

Why now? Let?s face the facts. Republican Senator Jason Rarick proposed stealing our taconite taxes for his district in central Minnesota. Shockingly, some of my Iron Range colleagues didn?t take his action seriously. So, someone must stand up and make sure our taconite taxes are used in the core Iron Range that produces the wealth.

Some of my colleagues will say my bill is ?unprecedented.? They?re right. It?s time to lead.

We are, in an unprecedented way, helping local communities ? Gilbert, Biwabik, Tower, Ely, Cook, Mountain Iron, Eveleth, Buhl, Chisholm, Side Lake, Nashwauk, Hibbing, Meadowlands, and many more - from one end of the Iron Range to the other. How can Iron Range legislators not support that?

This legislation continues the good work we did in last year?s tax bill, investing in our core Iron Range communities and schools. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle didn?t vote for that bill, but I am hopeful they will do the right thing and support our efforts this year.

Outside of our mines, our cities do not have a lot of property wealth. We have the poorest communities, yet we produce the most mineral wealth. It?s time to use our taconite taxes to improve the communities and opportunities for the people who live next to the mines, who work in the mines, and who support mining. I won?t be bashful about fighting for our best interests.

This legislative session, watch how your legislators vote. Will they support my bill that cuts your property taxes? I think they should. Will they support investments in our cities, schools, and snowmobile and ATV clubs? I hope they do. Will they put the money back into the communities that support mining and live next to the mines? They better, because it is the right thing to do.

*Dave Lislegard*
*State Representative*

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*State Representative Dave?Lislegard*
451 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155
www.house.mn.gov/07B [ [link removed] ]

*Phone:?*651-296-0170
*Facebook:?*State Representative Dave?Lislegard [ [link removed] ]
*E-mail:*[email protected]
*Legislative?Assistant:* Carl Kaase, 651-297-8387








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