On December 20th, I had the great honor of attending the Military Family Christmas Party at the Rosemount National Guard Armory. It was a pleasure to be a part of such a special day to thank veterans and families of our active duty military personnel for the sacrifices they make while their loved ones are serving overseas. This event wouldn’t be possible without the hard work and dedication of many community volunteers.
Hosting Jobs and Business Roundtable
Monday, December 14th at 9:30 am, I will be hosting a roundtable discussion with local business owners and Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce. Special guests include Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher; Majority Leader Tony Sertich; Rep. Alice Hausman, chair of the Capital Investment Committee; and Rep. Joe Atkins, chair of the Commerce and Labor Committe.
Now more than ever, Minnesota’s economic health depends on the strength of the small businesses that are Minnesota’s largest job creators. The ability of small business to adapt and thrive in the midst of a faltering economy and rapidly changing market conditions will determine how quickly Minnesota begins an economic recovery. Area business owners are on the front lines every day and this is an opportunity for them to share their ideas anc challenges which will be extremely helpful as we work to craft business-friendly, pro-jobs policies that will move Minnesota from recession to recovery.
For more information visit State House web page.
Hope to see you there.
Sincerely,
Phil
Happy Thanksgiving!
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
Baseball, Beer, and Conversation
Who says conversations about serious issues can’t be fun? Please
join me this Sunday, November 1st at 7:00PM at Carbone’s in Rosemount
to watch Game 4 of the World Series. This is a great opportunity to
join your friends and neighbors for some baseball, food and drinks, and
conversation about the issues facing Minnesota.
With the start of the 2010 Legislative Session just 3 months away,
lawmakers are hard at work looking at ways to jump start our economy,
get people back to work, improve our small business climate, and
strengthen our state’s infrastructure. This is the perfect time for
you to weigh in with your ideas about what our priorities should be.
The challenges ahead will require serious discussion and a willingness
to set aside our differences and work together to keep Minnesota moving
forward.
So even though we can’t root for the Twins (I’ll be cheering for
the Phillies to take out the Yankees!) I hope you’ll join me for a fun
and informative evening. If you’re unable to make it, please feel free
to contact me at my office via phone or email. I always appreciate
hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Phil
Sterner Appointed to Jobs Taskforce
ST. PAUL, MN – Speaker of the House Margaret Anderson Kelliher has appointed State Representative Phil Sterner to a newly created bi-partisan House Jobs Task Force. Citing Minnesota’s historic unemployment numbers, Kelliher said the task force will focus on economic development, capital investments and tax policies aimed at creating significant job growth for Minnesotans.
“We received some encouraging news today as Minnesota’s unemployment rate actually dropped a bit, but we know job recovery is often one of the latest indicators to rebound in a recession,” said Speaker Kelliher. “That is why we will continue to make job creation a top priority in the Minnesota House.”
The new task force will develop a jobs plan for the 2010 legislative session that will build on this year’s initiatives, with special emphasis on bio business, construction and green jobs. It will be headed by three members: Rep. Alice Hausman, Chair of the Capital Investment Committee, Rep. Ann Lenczewski, Chair of the Tax Committee and Rep. Tom Rukavina, Chair of the Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee.
“I’m honored to have been named to this task force, and to be able to play a role in getting Minnesotans back to work,” said Rep. Sterner. “The key to getting our economy back on track will be the kind of support we can give to our higher education institutions like Dakota County Technical College that focus on workforce development and worker training programs, and the support we can give to the small businesses that are Minnesota’s largest job creators.”
Speaker Kelliher expects the Minnesota House Jobs Task Force to begin meeting in September and continue holding sessions throughout the fall in preparation for the 2010 Legislative Session.
“I am grateful to Rep. Sterner for agreeing to serve on this task force,” said Kelliher in naming the task force members. “As a small business owner and a leading proponent of green job development, he brings an invaluable perspective to the group. Along with the broad range of experience and perspectives the other members bring to the table, I’m confident the task force will develop a strategic plan to help get Minnesotans back to work and bring our state back to economic prosperity.”
