Monday, May 20, 2013
Early education was a huge focus in the $15.7 billion bill, which received slivers of support from Republicans in both chambers of the state capitol.
A $15.7 billion education package that will "make life easier" for working parents, according to the bill's supporters, now awaits Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton's signature as work begins to wrap up on the 2013 legislative session. "This is a great day for Minnesota’s students and Minnesota’s future," Sen. Chuck Wiger, who represents parts of Oakdale, said in a statement. "We are investing in programs that work, such as all-day kindergarten and early education. These are strategic investments. Research has shown a 16-to-1 return on investment on money put into early learning opportunities. Sixteen-to-one is a smart investment. Every student in Minnesota should have access to all-day K. It should not be based on your zip code or your ability …
Monday, May 13, 2013
State Sen. Charles Wiger, who represents parts of Oakdale, spoke in favor of a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Minnesota on the Senate floor on Monday, May 13.
During debate on the Minnesota Senate floor Monday, Sen. Charles Wiger (D-43) spoke in favor of a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage in Minnesota. Wiger, who represents parts of Oakdale, spoke for less than three minutes in favor of the bill, and brought up last year's defeat of a ballot measure that would have written man-woman only marriage into the state Constitution. "I believe the amendment that went on the ballot fired the passion and just a sea of change in terms of the activism in this state to stand up for social justice," Wiger said. "And it backfired for those who thought it would be cemented in the Constitution. And I think history will write it that way." A vote on the bill is expected this afternoon. WATCH LIVE VIDEO …
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Wiger, a DFLer who represents parts of Oakdale, says the bonding proposals put forward by Gov. Mark Dayton and the House will create thousands of jobs throughout Minnesota.
This session we are looking again at bonding for important infrastructure needs throughout the state. Senate budget committees have spent the last few weeks hearing bonding proposals, with more than 100 bills authored. Lawmakers in our community have requested a variety of projects that constituents are interested in. Here are a few of the local projects being considered as we finish the final four weeks of session: The Senate has taken a thoughtful approach throughout the bonding process. I hope we are able to start these important projects, but this is a continuing discussion with the governor and the House. The bonding proposals put forward by the governor and House will create thousands of jobs throughout Minnesota. Bonding is an …
Thursday, March 14, 2013
A column by Sen. Chuck Wiger.
I am proud to co-author a package of legislation giving increased attention to the issues facing Minnesota veterans. The bill, SF 1278/HF1465, has bi-partisan support. It addresses many of the concerns veterans discussed with me when they had their recent "Veterans Day on the Hill" event. The package builds upon current veterans’ policies as well as establishes new initiatives such as the Support Our Veterans Account in the special revenue fund. The bill supports veterans' families by putting more funds towards the Gold Star program and extending eligibility under the Minnesota GI Bill. Provisions in the bill include: In addition to co-authoring the comprehensive package, I authored legislation to provide tax credits to employers who hire…
Thursday, March 7, 2013
A column from Sen. Chuck Wiger of District 43.
In 2012, Governor Dayton formed a task force on the prevention of school bullying. Bullying was a problem before 2011, but the Governor’s task force shined a light toward an ongoing problem. Back in 2009, I offered anti-bullying legislation, which passed the House and Senate, but was vetoed by Governor Tim Pawlenty. This year, however, I’m optimistic we will pass legislation based on the task force’s recommendations from last August. Those recommendations, and the current bill, are a result of months of public testimony and deliberation. The task force recommended a complete overhaul of the limited policy against bullying by repealing current law and implementing new definitions, reporting, training and procedures on bullying. Furthermore…
Saturday, March 2, 2013
A column by Sen. Chuck Wiger.
Feb. 28 saw the release of the last budget forecast before the Senate adjourns in May. These are the numbers we will work with as we craft the state’s budget for the next two years. We received positive news in the forecast. The projected deficit went from $1.1 billion to $627 million. We were able to pay our schools back another $290 million, but that still leaves us $801 million short of what we owe. Overall, this is encouraging news. It shows Minnesota continues to move in the right direction and that our economy keeps improving. But it also highlights the work we still have to do. The deficit is smaller, but it is still there. Cumulatively, Minnesota owes more than $1.4 billion. And this forecast doesn’t change our roller coaster …
Monday, February 25, 2013
Senators Chuck Wiger and Susan Kent recently introduced legislation that is aimed at furthering economic development in Oakdale.
Oakdale's economic development could be getting a boost in the future. Sen. Chuck Wiger (D-43) and Sen. Susan Kent (D-53) recently introduced SF 48 in the Senate Taxes committee, which would extend Tax Increment Financing (TIF) districts in Oakdale. This would allow further economic development at Tartan Crossing and the Tanners Lake area. “These districts are really important for the entire east metro region,” said Kent. “When we are able to develop this area, it will provide a significant return on investment.” The bill would extend the TIF districts to 2030. They are currently set to expire in 2024. “This is designed to continue the revitalization of Oakdale. There has been a great deal of work already done tearing down existing …
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Sen. Chuck Wiger talks about issues with veterans' unemployment.
Throughout the United States’ history, service men and women have risked their lives for us. Be it in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam or any other country, our veterans have served with distinction. We honor their time in the service, but we need to do more for our vets when they come home. In Minnesota, veteran’s unemployment is above 20 percent. This is totally unacceptable. Veterans who served patriotically, voluntarily putting themselves in harms way, have come home and said, now I’d like to serve in the workforce. We must provide them with opportunities to use their skills and talent. Many vets have been hired, but too many are still unemployed. We need to invest in the programs already offered at the state and federal levels. Governor …
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Sen. Chuck Wiger gives his insight on Gov. Dayton's State of the State address.
The State of the State is a wonderful opportunity to come together as Minnesotans. Members from the House and Senate sit together, as do members from the Democratic and Republican parties. The night is filled with pomp and circumstance and tradition. It is a wonderful event. As in every State of the State address, Governor Dayton examined where we are as a state and outlined his vision for the future of Minnesota. Here are a few highlights about the state of Minnesota: As you can see, Minnesota is making strides in the right direction, but we’re not done yet. We still have work to do across the state, but also in our district. One of Governor Dayton’s points of focus was on improving our education system. One of his new proposals is to …
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
This part of the discussion is often overlooked, says Sen. Chuck Wiger.
We spend a lot of time discussing how we can better improve our schools. Can we make our teachers more effective? Can we provide better technology? Can we update a textbook? But in this discussion, one simple aspect is often overlooked – keeping students in the classroom. Minnesota students are allowed to drop out when they are 16. Recently I introduced legislation to increase the compulsory education age to 18. The state’s 18-year-old compulsory attendance requirement was repealed in 1997 and 31 states have a higher compulsory age than Minnesota. Our current law, I believe, has an effect on our overall graduation rate, and specifically for minority student populations. In Minnesota, white students (84%) graduate at more than twice the …
Jimmy
8:36 am on Tuesday, May 21, 2013
It's refreshing to know students are in good hands with Senator Wiger at the Capital. more ›