The Tax Conference Committee Report, the final agreement between the House and Senate was passed off the Senate floor on Sunday, May 21, on a party line vote of 34 (D) — 33 (R).
There were notable provisions that I supported but it was troubling to see $2.2B of tax increases at this time of historic $19B surplus.

It’s a timeless principle in American elections: Everyone’s vote should count, and every vote should be equal.
For presidential elections, that principle should stand—no matter where in the country you live. Yet that’s not how our current system works. That’s why Americans from across the political spectrum have been calling for our country to institute a National Popular Vote for president for a very long time.

Graduation ceremonies for the local Classes of 2023 are now complete. Seniors in Byron, Hayfield, Kasson-Mantorville, and Triton have crossed the stage at their respective schools for the last time and now move on to the future.

What is it about water that draws people to it? Over the Memorial Day weekend, I was able to sit on a dock and just watch the sun set over one of Minnesota’s 10,000 lakes. The water gently lapping at the shore created a calming effect that only nature seems to be able to produce.

When we think of the Minnesota State Legislative Session we often think primarily of those issues that affect the entire state. In doing so we may overlook the bills that specifically address the needs of our local area.
The recently completed 2023 session made some big decisions for the state as a whole, but it also considered some issues that are specific to Dodge and Olmsted Counties.

Summer is a wonderful time to take a drive through our state. In southern Minnesota you can enjoy beautiful lakes, bluffs, and small towns. Chances are, you may already live in one of those small towns. Of the 173 communities in south central and southeastern Minnesota that comprise our region, only 13 have populations of more than 10,000. In fact, the majority of our communities have populations of less than 1,000.