Virtually all Minnesotans would agree that the last legislative session was a major disappointment and the historic shutdown we endured was an embarrassment to our state.
This session, it’s important that we work to rebuild the public’s trust in the legislature by setting aside things like divisive constitutional amendments and focusing on the things Minnesotans care most about: getting people back to work and fixing the state’s economy.
Despite welcome signs that our state’s economy is beginning to stabilize after a long and painful recession, Minnesota still faces a serious jobs deficit. That is why it is essential this legislature work with Gov. Dayton to pass a jobs plan to get Minnesotans back to work.
The DFL Jobs Plan will help businesses grow and retain good jobs in Minnesota by:
* Providing new incentives to companies that hire unemployed workers, veterans or recent graduates.
* Creating new opportunities for Minnesotans to get job training in high-demand fields.
* Putting new money into the Minnesota Investment Fund, which has a successful track record of attracting new businesses and helping existing Minnesota companies grow and expand.
* Making targeted and strategic investments in the state’s infrastructure, putting more than 20,000 Minnesotans back to work repairing and improving the state’s roads, bridges, waste water treatment facilities, and higher education research facilities.
This jobs plan includes good ideas to create jobs — but they aren’t the only good ones. Productive dialogue is needed to find other ways to get Minnesotans back to work. The important thing is that something gets done.
What we shouldn’t do is say jobs are the priority but then focus on something else. We already tried that last year. The Republican majorities proclaimed a “laser focus” on jobs, but instead focused on divisive constitutional amendments. For the sake of what most Minnesotans want and expect of their legislators, we hope the same won’t play out again this session.
Jobs should be our priority – not divisive constitutional amendments. Let’s work together, bring our good ideas to the table, and act quickly to pass a meaningful jobs bill that will get Minnesota working again.
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