Dear Friends,
It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is almost here. It’s always been one of my favorite holidays – and not just because of stuffing, cranberry salad and pumpkin pie! I always appreciate the chance to take time to acknowledge my blessings and to take stock of the challenges that lie ahead.
As we continue making preparations at the Capitol for the 2010 Legislative Session, it’s clear we’ll have no shortage of challenges waiting for us. None will be more pressing than getting Minnesota’s job market back in gear.
Over 240,000 Minnesotans have lost their jobs during the recession so far – including many of our neighbors. Many others fear they could be next, and thousands more have exhausted their unemployment benefits. As a member of the House Jobs Task Force and the Small Business Caucus, I’ve been meeting with economists, business leaders, employers and workers to develop strategies to move our state forward and get people working again.
One of the most important things the Legislature can do to stimulate job growth is pass a Capitol Investment bill. There is wide agreement among economists, business leaders and policy-makers that bonding projects have some of the greatest potential to stimulate the economy and put people to work. Up to $4 billion in bonding requests will be submitted this year, including more than $2 billion that has already been requested by the Governor’s agencies. That makes the selection process for bonding projects extremely competitive. To narrow down the list, the Capital Investment Committee has visited sites across the state to determine which projects have the greatest potential to positively impact our job market, including a stop last month at Dakota County Technical College to learn about some of their plans to expand their high-demand worker retraining and technical programs.
We also can’t forget that while there is no single answer to solving our economic challenges, a vital component of Minnesota’s sustained economic viability is our well educated workforce. Last week, I met with a number of Dakota County school superintendents, administrators, school board members and other legislators to discuss the challenges of educating students who can compete in an increasingly competitive global economy. As we focus on ways to bring Minnesota out of recession, we must also lay the groundwork for a sustainable recovery. An educated workforce is necessary to attract workers and maintain jobs, and providing our schools with tools they need to produce a nation-leading workforce should be among our highest priorities.
Finally, with the holidays just around the corner, holiday shopping is likely to be on your to-do list. This year, keeping our limited dollars in Minnesota by shopping locally is more important than ever. Supporting locally owned, independent businesses keeps more of our money in our community, and keeps more people working. I’ve compiled a
resource list of places you can shop locally and give a gift “made in Minnesota.”
As always, please contact me with any questions about any issue related to state government. I look forward to hearing from you. My best wishes to you and your family for a great Thanksgiving!
Sincerely,
Phil
