State representative's viewpoint: Hard work for constituents will continue

The editor of the Woodbury Bulletin has graciously offered me and other candidates in the area to “introduce ourselves” to its readers. I hope many of you will already recognize my name, but if not, I am Andrea Kieffer, your current state representative and the endorsed Republican candidate for the new district 53B. It has been an honor to serve as your representative for the past two years. Over this time, I have learned so much from you, and it is sure rewarding to find common ground. I thank the thousands of you who have taken the time to converse with me.

Back in 2010, my focus was on jobs, the economy, and education reform. In addition, I have always recognized that we, the taxpayers, expect services in the areas of transportation, parks and recreation, health and human services, and education. My belief is that a healthy economy starts with people earning a living and/or seeking financial independence, fiscal responsibility in government, and debt reduction. These factors combined make services affordable, and we can reap the benefits of our shared goals. My message has not changed.

Listening to you, my constituents, helped me to develop and draft important legislation for our area. In the area of education, you may have seen the first bill that the governor signed this year. A major education reform bill (HF1770, or the “Basic Skills Test” bill) will raise the bar for teacher licensure and thus help close our state achievement gap (vote count: 132-0). Tyler’s Law passed 130-0. Its intent is to educate Minnesotans about the deadly behavior of carbon monoxide gas in cold weather.

In the area of jobs, my bill, SF1159, passed 126-4. This bill shortens the time it takes for a worker’s compensation claim to be paid. It also allocated money to streamline an outdated system that caused scheduling problems in the claims court. I worked with the Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) as the author of another bill that was recently signed (118-6). This bill protects citizens (particularly seniors) from unsolicited sales at their front door or on the phone.

In Woodbury, I supported the Mortgage Value Homestead Evaluation reform that will help our city officials plan for our future with more certainty. Unfortunately, Gov. Dayton vetoed the tax omnibus bill which included my bill (HF2811) - it would have saved our city of Woodbury about $2 million.

While I am still your representative, I know my work is not done. Touching base with our area small business owners, I continue to ask them what I can do to help them grow. In June, I will be attending a Worker’s Compensation Summit hosted by DLI. In August, I will attend the Bowhay Institute for Legislative Leadership Development as one of three Minnesota legislators who was awarded a fellowship.

Over the summer, I hope to visit with you at your front door or at community events, such as Woodbury Days. I will also continue to hold Library Listening Sessions – the next one is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 30 at the Stafford Library in Woodbury.

Please feel free to contact me any time. I can be reached at rep.andrea.kieffer@house.mn or by phone at 651-296-1147. To learn more about my work at your state Capitol, or my position on issues that are important to you, please visit www.AndreaKieffer.com. I hope to earn your support in November. Together, we can build a better future for our state.

Tags: opinion, viewpoint