Dear Senator Johnson Stewart,
On behalf of the members of the Senate DFL Caucus, I am pleased to extend our full support of your efforts to secure the DFL Nomination in Senate District 45.
Throughout your first term, you have proven an invaluable member of the Senate DFL Caucus. Your unflagging commitment to the residents of your district and to advancing solutions that will improve the lives of Minnesotans has resulted in an impressive record of accomplishment. The professional expertise you bring as a civil engineer, small business owner and educator has added important context and perspective to a multitude of complex issues.
Among your notable accomplishments, the following highlights stand out:
● You secured considerable savings for city governments in SD 45 that were included in the Tax Budget Bill, including sales tax exemptions for building materials used in public safety facility construction in Plymouth and Minnetonka, as well as an allowance for tax increment financing in Minnetonka to support ongoing and future developments in the city
● Your vote to invest more than $1.2 billion in our schools across the next two fiscal years means our students will have more opportunities and our educators will have more resources to meet their needs
● Your vote for a $200 million funding increase for the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State systems over the next two fiscal years creates more opportunities for individuals seeking post-secondary education
● Your vote for expanded investment in voluntary pre-kindergarten, Teachers of Color incentive programs, and COVID-19 safety measures demonstrates your commitment to our children and our community
● Your leadership was instrumental in passing a $7 billion transportation budget that includes increased funding for Safe Routes to School, support for Metro Mobility and active transportation like walking and biking, and an end to the practice of suspending driver’s licenses for non-safety-related matters
● Your leadership to secure a Metropolitan Council grant of $250,000 to analyze potential
● Bus Rapid Transit implementation in the Highway 55 corridor between Medina and Minneapolis sets the stage for continued transit options for residents of our region
● Your work to secure an I-494 Corridor Commission grant of $300,000 to support telework promotion and implementation efforts in partnership with businesses along 494 creates the potential for more innovation and workforce flexibility for both employers and employees
● Your vote for the $1.6 billion Environment Budget Bill that contained important restrictions on the use of dangerously pollutants PFAS “forever chemicals” and a new statewide program through which the Board of Soil and Water Resources will assist local governments working to improve their water quality and water infrastructure
● Your continued advocacy for more stringent restrictions on hazardous copper-sulfide mining, including a bill to require any mine permittee to pay their Financial Assurance fees to fund any reclamation or cleanup actions the state might be forced to take as a result of mining activities reflects your deep commitment to protecting Minnesota’s land and water.
Senator Johnson Stewart, your contributions to this caucus, and more importantly, to Minnesota’s future, are both noteworthy and significant. You are a bridge-builder – both literally and figuratively – and we could not be more enthusiastic in our support of your reelection.