I represent the largest and most rural district in the Minnesota State Senate and one of my biggest frustrations is when rural communities are constantly told to just wait. Wait for state funding for that critical local infrastructure project. Wait for that ambulance to arrive, hopefully in time. Wait for broadband to finally reach your community and home. Wait for a childcare center to open so you can start a family where you grew up. Wait for that permit so your community can have the jobs you’ve been waiting for. And on, and on it goes.
The truth is, while we may be rural in most of Northern Minnesota, we punch above our weight in what we provide to the rest of the State. From our incredible outdoors in the Boundary Waters and Northshore to the critical minerals and timber needed for many of the items we use every day. From the ATV and snowmobile trails to the ice fishing and resorts so many families from across Minnesota get to enjoy. I’m grateful to represent this region and my focus is on ensuring other policy makers know we’re not waiting any longer. With every policy we work on, I make sure others understand the impact it will have on Greater Minnesota and what we need to make it work for Northeastern Minnesota.
With that in mind, to prepare for the 2024 Legislative Session, I launched my Northland Strong initiative to focus on the issues that matter most to us here in Northern Minnesota. That initiative took me to communities across Arrowhead to hear directly from constituents about the concerns they have. I hosted roundtable discussions on a range of topics, from childcare in Ely and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Breitung Township, to how our State Government can work better for rural communities in Grand Marais and protecting our outdoor heritage with resort owners in Voyageurs National Park. These were just the beginning with many more to follow.
Hearing directly from constituents is the best way for me to be grounded in my policy work at the State Capitol and how I came up with my legislative agenda for the 2024 session. This includes bills to help families better afford childcare, providing one-time emergency funding for rural EMS services, creating an advisory council for better coordination among state agencies, advancing local government aid for townships for the first time since 2014, and reforming the low-density broadband program to ensure remote townships can secure the funding they need to finally bring high-speed internet to their residents. While this work is ongoing, my goal is to get as much as I can and continue to leverage my vote as the tiebreaker in the State Senate majority to deliver for the Northland.
In addition, I am working to convince members across the aisle to vote for an infrastructure package because the bonding bill is the only bill that requires a supermajority of votes to pass. Within the bonding bill, I am working to prioritize, among many others, critical local projects like the Kawishiwi River Bridge replacement and Silver Bay road infrastructure projects. However, the reality is that in our district alone I have over $110 million in requests, and it will be impossible to fund them all. That is why I need to prioritize those projects that require critical infrastructure and shovel ready. In addition to local projects, I am also the Chief Author of two broader bonding bills that would send more funding to the Northland through a Greater Minnesota Workforce Housing Bonding Bill and an increase in bond funds for Public Facilities Authority (PFA), which would go towards water and sewer projects predominantly in rural communities.
In the Legislature, it is easy to get sidetracked on a lot of the partisan nonsense that goes on in our politics. Far too many representatives on both sides of the aisle focus on partisan issues and place blame only on the other side to distract residents from the real challenges we all face together. My goal is to focus on the real, bread-and-butter issues that matter most to our communities like the ones I’ve described above. Sadly, the outside dark-money groups are sending mailers around our district misleading about my record on gas taxes. If you receive one of these, please do not hesitate to reach out to my office directly to hear from me about my position because I can assure you it’s not what is being described. I can be reached directly at Sen.Grant.Hauschild@Senate.MN.
It is an honor of a lifetime to represent you and the rest of the Northland in the State Senate. Thank you!
