End of Session Recap: Rep. Melissa Hortman

A Brooklyn Park lawmaker says money for Highway 252 is one of the bright spots in the legislation session for Northwest Metro residents. House Minority Leader Melissa Hortman, DFL Brooklyn Park, says adding funding to the Corridors of Commerce highway program is a big step toward converting Highway 252 to a freeway.

That’s important because it would eliminate some of the most dangerous intersections in the state.

“The Corridors of Commerce funding is a grant program and there’s only so much money,  so in this round of funding that was already let, 252 didn’t make it” said Hortman. “But in the next round of funding coming up, its the next project on the list.”

Rep. Melissa Hortman (DFL-Brooklyn Park) recaps the session

On a statewide basis, Hortman says many bills that Minnesotans wanted, passed in a watered down form or failed altogether.

She cites a lack of agreement on several issues including tax conformity, how to raise money to fight the opioid epidemic, nursing home abuse, and distracted driving that involves cell phones. But she says one area of bi-partisan agreement was on school safety funding.

“There is some school safety funding in the bonding bill. There is $25 million that schools will be able to access for infrastructure improvements,” Hortman said. “But there was also school safety funding in this 990 page bill. It would allow them to hire more counselors, to do training for active shooter situations, and really use that money for a lot of flexible purposes.”

That 990 page Supplemental Budget Bill was vetoed by the governor.  Mark Dayton said it included controversial policy changes on other subjects that did not  address the needs of Minnesota families.  Rep. Hortman says lumping all those bills together was a bad idea.