INVESTing IN people and the infrastructure to empower them
Highway Infrastructure
Jerry secured funding for the design of Highway 65 bridges at 99th Ave, 109th Ave and 117th Ave and secured the $11 million in funding for an access road adjacent to Highway 65 between 99th and 109th Avenues. As councilman Jerry secured funding for the Main Street bridge over Highway 10 which allowed the Riverdale shopping development to move forward.
railroad intersections
Working with the National Transportation Safety Board, Jerry established a unique system to improve the safety at the 10 rail crossings in Coon Rapids thereby eliminating the need for trains to sound their horns 3 times before approaching each crossing. He also secured state funding for the Hanson bridge over the railroad tracks in Coon Rapids so that emergency vehicles would no longer have to wait for trains to pass before getting to their emergency destination.
RESTORE HYDROELECTRIC POWER TO THE COON RAPIDS DAM
Jerry's 30 years of work on the Coon Rapids Dam commission led to the dam's restoration and preservation as a barrier to Asian Carp migration, making it the last barrier to carp on the Mississippi. The next step is to restore the dam's power generation capability. Jerry is excited to announce recent developments in the plan to re-electrify the dam. With his continued lead on the project, the dam will be retrofitted to produce 10 mega-watts, enough to power 20,000 homes while also providing the area with a stable source of revenue.
national sports center
Jerry has been a prominent voice to secure funds to keep the National Sports Center running and to help them expand their facilities and operations. This has included $4 million to build a new maintenance building and millions of dollars to help maintain the Center's unique facilities for the kids of Blaine, and to make Blaine a worldly destination. In the 2022 bonding bill, Jerry hopes to direct $19.2 million for a adaptive athletic facility, $4.5 million to construct rugby fields, and $4.2 million to construct solar panels on the roof of the facility, which will make the complex energy independent.
anoka ramsey community college
Jerry understands the importance of community colleges in our community. They serve as a great way for students who are looking for a quality, convenient, and economical option to gain skills for their future. This is why he volunteered as a professor at ARCC and has worked to secure $16.4 million for the nursing school and the College as a whole.
blaine emergency operations center
Jerry secured $29.5 million for a new State Emergency Operations Center in Blaine. Minnesota’s State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) activates during times of disaster or emergency. It serves as the hub for state agencies and their partners to support local governments and coordinate response efforts. Having an efficient and effective facility is key to successful emergency and disaster response.
social security tax exemption
Jerry authored a bill, which will exclude Social Security retirement income from state taxes. He also co-authored the Senate tax bill which reduces tax rates for all state taxpayers and returns a significant portion of the state budget surplus to our citizens.
disabled veterans
Jerry continues to fight for funding to construct new and improve existing housing for veterans; a special priority of his being expanding capacity at the Minneapolis Veterans Home. In the 2022 session, he introduced a bill to provide total property tax exclusion for !00% disabled vets and their surviving spouses on property values of up to $400,000. This will decrease the tax burden on disabled veterans and allow them to keep more money in their pocket.
