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| SENATOR ORTMAN NAMED “LEGISLATOR OF THE YEAR” BY MUNICIPAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION | ||||||||||
St. Paul --- State Senator Julianne Ortman (R-Chanhassen) was recognized last Thursday as “Legislator of the Year” by the Minnesota Municipal Legislative Commission (MLC). Each year, the MLC Board of Directors identifies two lawmakers who have done significant work in advancing MLC legislative priorities. This year, Senator Ortman was honored for her work to reform the failing Market Value Homestead Credit (MVHC) program and implement the Market Value Homestead Exclusion. The MLC also highlighted Senator Ortman’s work as the Chair of the Senate Tax Committee as she helped lead the Minnesota Legislature through a lengthy state government shutdown.
“I am very pleased to be named ‘legislator of the year’ by this outstanding organization, the MLC,” said Senator Ortman. “During my service as Carver County Commissioner and now as Chair of the State Senate Tax Committee, I’ve learned a great deal about the complexity of the relationships between the State of Minnesota and our local partners, and the taxpayers that fund our budgets. Eliminating the Market Value Homestead Credit was a giant step forward for simplifying our property tax system and improving transparency for taxpayers, who now can more clearly see the relationship between their property tax payments and the services they receive. The State fully paid for the cost of the program only 1 time in 10 years, so our local partners were carrying the unfair and very heavy burden of paying for the state credit. I am grateful to the MLC for their efforts in advancing this important legislative solution.”
The Municipal Legislative Commission is a well-respected civic organization made up of city officials from 16 suburban cities that share “demographic, economic and tax base characteristics” and work to address the concerns and issues facing their communities.
Following each year’s legislative session, the MLC selects one member of the Minnesota Senate and one member of the Minnesota House of Representatives that are awarded “legislator of the year.” This year’s recipient from the Minnesota House is Rep. Jenifer Loon from Eden Prairie.
Senator Ortman concluded by saying: “I will continue to work closely with the MLC as we seek solutions that benefit the state of Minnesota and our local units of government. I am committed to helping communities of all sizes address the financial challenges they face in this time of economic uncertainty.”
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