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Dear Neighbors,
Happy New Year to you and your family! As we begin 2023 and I reflect on serving eight terms in the Minnesota Legislature, I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to serve you and the community in which I grew up.?
It has been an honor and a privilege to bring people together and help our community. I will cherish all the memories, friendships made along the way, and the amazing things we accomplished together.
I am particularly proud of the work we?ve done as education champions - from helping our youngest learners attend preschool and free all-day kindergarten to making higher education more affordable for all students. As the Higher Education Chair, we prioritized students through an equity lens making tuition and textbooks free and more affordable, hunger-free campuses, and mental health and support services.
Our community has transportation challenges. We strengthened safety on Highway 65 and University Avenue with more improvements funded and on the way. We got the wheels rolling to bring the upcoming high-quality F-Line Bus Rapid Transit line. We secured dedicated funding for active transportation, so everyone in our community and state can bike, walk, and roll more safely and easily. I?m confident future lawmakers will continue to advance these important investments.
When you turn off the roadways, we have important natural resources. Together we delivered over $5 million in funding for the Springbrook Nature wetland restoration and interpretive center. We strengthened this treasure for future generations, recreation and educational opportunities, and environmental protections. We also protected clean water in our community ? including citizen advisory groups, restoring wetlands, and protecting our lakes, creeks, and rivers.
There are numerous other accomplishments to proud of - most importantly, supporting our seniors and workers, marriage equality for all, and improving civil discourse at the Capitol.?
As I retire from my role as state representative, I am confident the work we have done together will continue to make a positive difference in our community and the lives of Minnesotans for years to come. Thank you for this opportunity. I will fondly carry you and our community in my heart forever. Thanks for everything and best wishes to you!
Warmly,
Connie Bernardy
State Representative
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