Priorities
Learn About Cheryl's Legislative Priorities
Education
I started my political involvement by advocating for increased funding for Early Childhood. I co-founded a small non-profit in 2004, Start Learning Early, to raise awareness in the West Metro around quality early childhood education. I was also an active member of the Hopkins Legislative Action Coalition which advocates for increased E-12 funding. When the legislature is not in session, I work as a education paraprofessional in our local schools.
While there has been increased investment in quality early childhood programs, we still have much to do. Research continues to show that investing early in a child’s education, before they reach kindergarten, is the most cost-effective way to narrow the achievement/opportunity gap. Childhood does not have a rewind, kids only get one shot at being ready for kindergarten. I will continue to be an advocate for our youngest learners. It is also vitally important to make investments in our childcare industry and workers. If COVID taught us anything, is that our schools and childcare are major drivers in our economy. Our workforce needs a safe and healthy place for their children while they are at work.
In 2023-24, under democratic control, the legislature made a bold move to bring stability to the way we fund our K-12 school system. We indexed the education formula to inflation, tackled the special education cross-subsidy, provided universal school meals, doubled the funding for English language learners, funded full-service community schools as well as created a funding stream for school nurses, counselors, psychologists, and social workers. I am incredibly proud of the work we did when I was the House Education Finance Chair. We have to continue that investment because the quality of a child’s education should NOT be determined by their zip code. Our students and our schools need state support to move passed the challenges they faced during COVID, including funding to hire and train a diverse workforce.
When our kids receive their high school diploma, they should not only be prepared to move on to a higher education, but that next level has to be accessible and affordable. We are consigning the next generation to either a minimum-wage job or college debt – these should not be their only two choices. I will work to improve coordination between our high schools and our technical colleges, as well as Minnesota’s colleges and universities, so that students have a seamless entry into the higher education system or career of their choice. I am proud of the investment we made in 23-24 in the NorthStar Promise Act that provides free college to economically qualifying students.
Transportation
My time on the Southwest Light Rail Corridor Management Committee has shown me how important a balanced multi-modal approach is to handle the population growth we will face in the next few decades. Our congested roads are taking time out of people’s lives and money out of our businesses’ pockets. I will continue to advocate for investment in our roads, bridges and transit and build on the local transportation tax we put into place in 23-24.
Economy
The time I have spent on the Hopkins City Council has shown me how important it is to look at more than just the numbers when balancing a budget, you need to focus on the people the budget is affecting. It has always been important to me to have a vision of what you want to accomplish with your investment and then figure out how you will get there. A city or state can not be sustainable on a budget plan of “this is the amount I want to spend, what can I get for it”. There is some truth to the old adage “you get what you pay for”. I will continue to focus on finding a cost-effective way to provide the services that people need and have come to expect while maintaining our vibrant community.
In Hopkins and St. Louis Park, we know that our small businesses are the backbone of our Mainstreet, and we have made sure that we are doing what we can to help make them successful. Especially, as they bounce back from the COVID economy and struggle to find employees. During the last two years, I was proud to vote for increase funding to help our businesses keep afloat and employees paid as well as make the unemployment trust fund whole.
While the increase in Local Government Aid (LGA) helped cities keep their levies low, there is more that the State can do to partner with our local governments to streamline resources and make investments that will spur economic growth. As the House Property Tax Chair, I led the charge to update our LGA system to make sure our communities across the state have the resources to meet Minnesotans’ need to be safe and healthy.
Quality of Life
Minnesota has long been a leader in providing an amazing place to live, work and raise a family. As a city council member, community advocate, and a State legislator I have been honored to be a part of enhancing and strengthening the community I love. I will continue to fight for the values that have been the foundation for our quality of life here in Minnesota so that the next generation has an even brighter future.
Every Minnesotan deserves to feel safe in their community – in their schools, places of worship, community park, movie theater, and more. This year has been particularly hard with the assassination of our House Leader Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark as well as the attempted murder of Senator Hoffman and his wife Yvette in their homes. Political violence has no place in our society any more than gun violence does on our streets. In the aftermath of the Annunciation shootings, public will has grown for sensible gun violence prevention. I am proud of the work we have done on universal background checks and red flag laws, but we have more work to do on safe storage, a ban on assault rifles and high-capacity magazines, and ghost guns. I believe in working together to get something across the finish line this session.
Our human capital has long been one of Minnesota’s most valuable resources. We need to continue our investment in education, job training, housing and healthcare to make sure that everyone is meeting their full potential. Establishing the Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave Act that will launch in January of 2026 was a much needed step to making sure Minnesotans can take care of their loved ones.
Our human capital has long been one of Minnesota’s most valuable resources. We need to continue our investment in education, job training, housing and healthcare to make sure that everyone is meeting their full potential. Establishing the Minnesota Paid Family and Medical Leave Act that will launch in January of 2026 was a much needed step to making sure Minnesotans can take care of their loved ones.
Healthcare in Minnesota not only needs to be accessible, but also affordable. Especially, access to reproductive care for all Minnesotans. Too many Minnesotans still are struggling to balance premiums with putting a roof over their heads and food on the table. I support opening up MinnesotaCare as a plan option for anyone to buy into. That would be one step in the right direction.
