Friends and neighbors,
Each year, I am asked about my priorities for the upcoming session. This year there are a few issues that stand out above the rest. These responses will also appear in the upcoming issue of our local papers. As always, if you have any questions please reach out to me any time.
Sincerely,
Senator Chamberlain’s 2022 legislative priorities
I have three top priorities: education, public safety, and cost of living. In addition, we need to better support our most vulnerable citizens in long-term care and group homes.
Empowering Parents, Going Back to Fundamentals in Education: Parents are a child’s first and most important teacher. They must be included in curriculum decisions and have the freedom to choose the best school for their child.
- Too many children are not reading at grade level. That’s a failure, and correcting it must be our top priority. I will propose increasing and expanding the proven, successful LETRS training program that has improved literacy here and in other states.
- Supporting and empowering parents and educators. We will offer proposals to increase education transparency and protect parents’ rights, remove unnecessary burdens placed on teachers, and allow for more innovation and flexibility.
Addressing Rising Crime Rates and Keeping Minnesotans Safe: Every Minnesotan deserves a safe community to call home. Victims of crime deserve to know law enforcement and prosecutors will hold criminals accountable.
- We will Improve efforts to recruit and retain police. That starts with strong support for law enforcement. Local leaders play a critical role in this too – criminals are emboldened by a lack of police support and anti-police rhetoric.
- Criminals are also emboldened when prosecutors let them off with a slap on the wrist. We will work to reign in prosecutors who ignore the law and let criminals back on the street.
- We will continue to strengthen penalties against criminals, so Minnesotans can feel confident and safe in their homes and at their workplaces.
Helping Minnesotans With the Impact Of Historic Inflation: Working Minnesotans are struggling with the costs of daily life in the face of record inflation, supply chain issues, and economic uncertainty.
- I will hold the line on wasteful, unnecessary spending increases.
- Tax increases are off the table, including the regressive gas tax.
- I will push for broad, significant tax relief that puts money back in your pocket, including eliminating the tax on social security income.
- I will support policies for reliable and affordable energy across the state.