Mee On The Issues


Creating Jobs

Passing a Bonding Bill to support hundreds of construction projects throughout the state and create thousands of new jobs was a top priority in 2006. All of St. Paul's most important requests received funding in this year's bill, which infuses nearly $1 billion into Minnesota's economy. Our victories include:

  • $9 million for Como Zoo to provide new homes for the polar bears and gorillas
  • $7.5 million for the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
  • $7.8 million for the Central Corridor transit line
  • $3.5 million for Union Depot renovations
  • $2.5 million for Great River Park
  • $400,000 for development of an Asian-Pacific Cultural Center in St. Paul

Fighting for Quality Education

Together, Democrats fought for improved funding for early childhood and adult education programs in 2006. We were able to secure $22 million in new funding for programs that prepare children for school, including:

  • $2.7 million increase for Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) programs, restoring 2003 cuts
  • $287,000 for the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment and Intervention Program
  • $2.3 million increase for Adult Basic Education (ABE) and an intensive English program for refugees
  • $3.8 million to reduce the number of families on the Basic Sliding Fee child care waiting list

Keeping our Communities Safe

Making sure our neighborhoods are safe for our families and children is always one of our top priorities in the legislature. In 2006, we approved funding for:

  • $64.6 million will go toward improving treatment programs, hiring new staff and updating security programs to help protect the public from dangerous sex offenders.
  • $800,000 will help hire more Gang Strike Force and Narcotic Task Force officers to ensure our neighborhoods are safe and clean.
  • $268,000 will create a safe harbor for sexually exploited youth and help protect our children and new immigrants from the dangerous crime of human trafficking

Supporting Our Troops and Veterans

This year, the legislature stepped up to make sure our veterans and active-duty soldiers are getting the support they deserve. We passed a comprehensive set of bills that make sure our brave soldiers have employment and educational opportunities when they return home, and ensure all of our state's dedicated veterans receive the care they deserve as they age.

The state's soldiers currently serving in the War in Iraq will be eligible for $59 income-tax credit for each month they served in combat. In addition, families are now garanteed time off from work for homecoming and deployment ceremonies, or if their loved one is killed or injured while serving.

All veterans will be treated as Minnesota residents and are eligible for in-state tuition at our colleges and universities. Veterans' service organizations such as the VFW and DAV received $80,000 from the legislature this year, and another $600,000 was approved to establish veterans' assistance officies on the state's college campuses. An additional $2.8 million was approved for various veterans' outreach services statewide.