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Friends and neighbors,   

I typically am not hyperbolic in my rhetoric, so forgive my directness in this newsletter. I felt strongly that I needed to inform my constituents about the policies at the federal level and the impact they’re having on Minnesotans and Minnesota’s budget picture.   

Last week, Minnesota Management and Budget released its February budget forecast, which shows the budget outlook moving in the wrong direction compared to November’s forecast. Donald Trump’s reckless economic policies are impacting this forecast, with inflation expected to climb and tax receipts expected to fall. Tax cuts for the ultra-wealthy and corporations and cuts to Medicaid are expected to bring additional negative impacts.  

In addition to monetary consequences, Donald Trump and Elon Musk are attempting to dismantle the federal government – this week, there’s been talk of a looming executive order to dismantle the Department of Education [ [link removed] ], which would be hugely disruptive to our education systems from early learners to higher education. The only silver lining I can find in all of this truly unnecessary chaos is that we are all now more aware of the role of government in our daily lives – from the roads we drive on, to the medications we need, and the food we eat.  

Unfortunately, until we get back to 67-67 in the House, we continue to hear hyper-partisan bills that cannot pass into law. Last week, we voted down a terrible bill that would increase gun violence in Minnesota. As co-Vice Chair of Public Safety and a mom, this was an easy “no” vote –* the number one cause of death among children in the United States is gun violence. *Last year, Democrats passed gun violence prevention measures that are working. [ [link removed] ]

This is a disservice to Minnesotans who need their state legislature to provide stability and help protect their quality of life and their future. It's time to focus on a budget that will help Minnesotans weather this storm. 






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This Week in Saint Paul

Veterans

I’m excited to be serving on the Veterans committee this term. Over the past week, I presented my bill to support County Veterans Service Officers to enhance support for women veterans, to prevent veteran suicide, and to support justice involved veterans. This small amount of additional funding will go a long way to supporting veterans in Minnesota and I was proud to collaborate with the brilliant Dr. Kristy Janigo [ [link removed] ], who wears many hats as she supports veterans at the legislature and out in the community!  

*Photo credit to my Republican colleague, Aaron Repinski, who kindly took this photo for me during the presentation! 



VC

I also paid a visit Hennepin County Veterans Treatment Court, where I saw firsthand the power of restorative justice to transform lives. Joining us was a Federal representative from the Veterans Department, whose presence and important contributions exacerbated my concerns about how Trump’s layoffs will impact Veterans. The Department of Veterans Affairs is the largest Federal employer (aside from the military if all branches are combined) and this week, Trump announced plans for laying off workers serving our Veterans. [ [link removed] ] This will impact our Veterans in all areas of life, from their ability to get medical care to housing.  



Conservation

I also had the chance to catch up with brilliant restorative justice experts from across the state - including Ramsey County Attorney John Choi - for a productive discussion about how restorative practices grants have a triple-impact across our public safety, education, and child welfare policy spaces. I also visited with changemakers at the MN Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts. The work of good government is often invisible to us in our daily lives, so it’s nice to take a moment to appreciate these immense contributions to the health of MN’s natural resources and economy! 



Civility Caucus was featured in MPR. [ [link removed] ] Towards the end of my time with the author, Catharine Richert, my Republican colleague Dave Baker, and I were discussing what the next Civility Caucus event would be, and he suggested karaoke. As a former jazz singer, I’m always in for bipartisan karaoke! As a fun feature, Richert asked for me to sing some opera samplings, which aired on MPR later in the day. You can listen to the segment (and some song) by hitting “listen” on the article! 

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Tonight: Building Civility in the Minnesota Legislature

This evening, I’ll be joining Braver Minnesota with Rep. Kristin Robbins, my co-lead of the Civility Caucus, to talk about how we work to build cross-party relationships that foster effective policymaking and how ordinary citizens can support Civility Caucus goals. This event is free and completely virtual. You can register or find more information here [ [link removed] ].  

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Immigration Resources

I have received a number of inquiries from constituents about the fate of our immigrant communities under the Trump administration, and as an immigration attorney, I echo these concerns. The City of New Brighton published a page of resources on their website to ensure that everyone can connect with the resources they need. You can find those here. [ [link removed] ]  

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Eye of the Storm

These days, the news can feel relentless, and the stakes of our federal and state government functioning feel very immediate and scary. To fight through the uncertainty and fear, I find calm where I can – in my family, in exercise, in meditation, and in music! 

A recent typo in reference to my above MPR-opera debut turned into a delightful discovery of this video of Mozart’s Don Pasquale [ [link removed] ] – in sign language! Alongside the action on stage, two fabulous interpreters are signing and acting their hearts out (and in costume!) I recommend taking three minutes to be delighted by their talent and artistry. 






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Stay in Touch

Unfortunately, due to technological restraints, replies to this inbox won’t reach me. If you have questions, ideas, or feedback that you’d like to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Email me at [email protected] or call (651) 296-4331. Also, you can follow my official State Representative Facebook Page [ [link removed] ]. 

Sincerely,  

Sandra Feist  

State Representative








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