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Rep. Kristin Robbins Header




*December 9, 2022*






MG Football State Champions

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Congratulations to the Maple Grove Crimson Football team on winning the Class 6A State Championship at U.S. Bank Stadium last week. We had so much fun cheering them on at the game! 

The new legislative session is quickly approaching as we get ready to gavel in on January 3. Below are a few updates that I wanted to share with you.







Executive Summary

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*Budget Forecast*

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*Income Tax Brackets*

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*National Broadband Map*

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*K12 Navigator for Career Exploration*

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*The Science of Reading*






Budget Forecast

This week, MMB announced that Minnesota's surplus has grown to a record-setting $17 billion. This news confirms that Minnesotans are overtaxed. Despite an 11% increase in the current budget and a fully-funded “rainy day account”, we are still running record surpluses.

The state is flush with cash while Minnesota families and seniors are struggling to make ends meet*. We can help Minnesotans afford everyday expenses by returning the surplus through permanent tax relief, including ending the tax on Social Security, reducing our lowest tax *"*rate* (which is higher than the *highest* rate in 29 other states)"* and increasing the property tax credit so families and seniors can afford to stay in their homes. *Minnesotans want tax relief. They do not want to keep growing government.

You can learn more about this budget forecast here [ [link removed] ]. 






Income Tax Brackets

Minnesota’s tax brackets for tax year 2023 have been updated to adjust for inflation (see graphic below.) *This does not apply to your 2022 filing, but the new schedule will take effect on January 1, 2023.* Those taxpayers who make quarterly estimated tax payments should use these new rates for payments due in April 2023.

You can view a full list of inflation-adjusted amounts for tax year 2023 [ [link removed] ] on the Department of Revenue's website or by searching on their website using the keyword *inflation adjustments*.

2023 Income Tax Brackets




National Broadband Map

The FCC is seeking the public’s help in updating the national broadband map, which will be used to distribute the $42 billion in federal broadband grants next year. There are many pockets of under- or unserved areas in Hennepin County - let’s update the map!

You can input your address in *this tool* [ [link removed] ] and see how the FCC currently categorized your neighborhood or farm. If you disagree, you can hit the “Location Challenge” button on the right to submit a change to the map.

They are asking the public to submit changes by January 13, 2023.






K12 Navigator for Career Exploration

*K12 navigator* [ [link removed] ] is a wonderful free tool created by the Career & Technical Education Department in ISD 729 (Rogers/Elk River) to help connect educators and businesses for high school student career exploration.

I strongly encourage employers, students, and educators to check out and register for this database to help young people pursue their career goals!






The Science of Reading

At the annual National Summit on Education, journalist Emily Hanford, education leader Kareem Weaver, and Excel"in"Ed's Dr. Kymyona Burk had an insightful presentation on the early literacy crisis facing elementary schools. I strongly encourage everyone to listen to their presentation here [ [link removed] ].

Ms. Hanford also has a ground-breaking 6-part podcast [ [link removed] ] called “*Sold a Story*” which delves even deeper into this important topic. 

I have long been an advocate for improving K-3 literacy. Ensuring our children can read at grade level sets them up for future success, yet so many students have fallen behind.

The pandemic school closures exacerbated this problem. The National Assessment of Educational Progress results that came out this fall showed that Minnesota students lost 7 points in reading and 10 points in math since 2019, erasing almost two decades of progress in these foundational areas.

*Specifically, only 45% of Minnesota students were proficient in math and only 51% (barely half!) were proficient in reading.* The numbers are much worse for students of color: Just 20% of Black students and 22% of Hispanic students were proficient in math. Only 31% of Black students and Hispanic students were proficient in reading.

Last session I introduced HF651 [ [link removed] ] to help students, parents, and teachers with early literacy. The bill would require scientific research-based reading instruction and curriculum, provide incentives to retrain teachers, and literacy coaches.

Unfortunately, the bill did not even get a hearing from the DFL Majority. I plan to introduce this bill again next session and I hope to work with my colleagues in both parties to focus on literacy so that we can ensure all Minnesota children can succeed.






Photos

Seeing Santa!

So much excitement to see Santa in Maple Grove this week! Great thanks to Maple Grove Community Organization Volunteers and Maple Grove Lions for hosting such a fun event & Maple Grove Ambassador Scholarship Program for being Santa’s Helpers! ????‍??

Wayzata Concert Choir

Thanks to Wayzata Public Schools for the informative Legislative Briefing! We really enjoyed hearing from students and teachers about the Career & Tech Ed options and academic mentoring program. It was also a treat to hear selections from the excellent Concert Choir!

Medina Police Ride-Along

Thanks to Medina Police Department for taking me on a ride-along! As always, I learned so much. I really appreciate your time and all of the great conversation!






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 3, 2023.*  The best way to reach me is by email: [email protected]. 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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/RepKristinRobbins [ [link removed] ]





225 State Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Saint Paul, MN 55155
ph: 651.296.7806







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