Minnesota Report
In 2013, the DFL Majority in both bodies of the legislature and in 2014, the voters punished them and set the House to the Minority. House members like to say it was caused by the building of the state Senate Office Building, but no you’re wrong. It was the backlash against Gay Marriage and the blocking of the Constitutional Amendment was not the green light to go further. If the legislature had waited the State Supreme Court would have done the same, but no the impulsiveness of legislators to be trend setters cost them the majority.
Last week, Sen Omar Fateh (DFL-62-Minneapolis) and Rep Sandra Feist (DFL-39B, New Brighton) called Minnesota to be a sanctuary state for undocumented immigrants. Great idea, except what do average people see, oh look there goes the DFL helping people that aren’t even from here and not Me, where is My tax cut, where is my free government check or even worse, look they’re willing to help people who have done nothing here in this country instead of the Veterans who fought and gave us our rights and privileges. Also, you may be politically correct and call them undocumented when out side of your Ivory towner people say Illegal Immigrants.
Of course, the legislature has not done a great deal to privilege veterans ahead of others. There is a housing program called the Community Homeownership Investment Fund which is administered by the Housing Finance Agency and veterans with lower incomes are eligible for support as are anyone including veteran targeted builders, but not one veteran owned housing unit has been built from the fund. However, there is a bill to fund a similar program that is veterans specific called the Veterans Homeownership Investment Fund HF2593/SF2601, which can do the same job.
The DFL should do something dramatic and help veterans who are normally Republican voters. It is a worthwhile effort and gives back to those who provided for you. It sends a far better message. Because if veterans support were the highlight of the Bonding Bill then Republicans will be hard pressed to vote against it, because they will have to defend against this with voters in the election. Also, if it is made a cash bill first then in 2025, after the election they can reallocate and fund the same effort with a Bonding Bill if the projects still remain unfunded or even underfunded.
So fund HF2592/SF2602 and make it a feature of where the DFL places its emphasis and prove that veterans matter. Because this legislation is in support of the only organization focused on veteran’s homeownership, and also a revenue source for rental housing for other veterans in need. The housing community needs to understand there is more support in the general public for veterans than any other group, and if you help a veteran first and finance new construction, it removes the pressures existing veterans put on the housing system.