Sen. Carla Nelson to receive Minnesota Legacy Award from Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities

State Senator Carla Nelson (R-Rochester) will receive the Minnesota Legacy Award from the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities (CGMC) at the group's Legislative Awards Dinner on July 23 in New Ulm. The award is given to legislators who are retiring after showing a long-term commitment to Greater Minnesota during their time in office.

"I'm so humbled and honored to receive this award from CGMC," Sen. Nelson said. "Greater Minnesota communities have always been a vital part of my work in the Senate, whether that's making sure cities have the resources they need for roads and infrastructure, or finding new ways to support affordable housing in smaller cities and towns. I want to thank the CGMC for our terrific partnership over the years and for the work they continue to do every day to make sure rural and Greater Minnesota voices are heard at the Capitol."

Over her time in the Senate, Sen. Nelson has built a record of delivering results for cities in Dodge and Olmsted counties and across the state.

As chair of the Senate Taxes Committee in 2021, Sen. Nelson helped write a tax bill that included a housing tax credit, a childcare property tax credit, and local option sales taxes that allowed several cities to pay for specific projects. She also led the effort to make sure no city lost Local Government Aid in 2022, even though the funding formula at the time would have caused some cities to see a cut. That provision helped cities keep the state funding they rely on while they were still recovering from the pandemic.

Sen. Nelson was also the driving force behind the State Housing Tax Credit program when it was created in 2021. The program lets people and businesses contribute money to a fund that helps build or fix up affordable housing, and in return they get a tax credit. This year, Sen. Nelson authored a bill that lets the housing tax credit be paired with the Workforce Housing Development program, making it easier to finance workforce housing projects in rural Minnesota where shortages are often worse. She also added an amendment that sets aside half of the program's tax credits each year for projects in Greater Minnesota, so the program benefits the whole state and not just the Twin Cities metro.

In this year's bonding bill, Sen. Nelson helped secure major investments for Dodge and Olmsted counties, including:

• $8 million for Olmsted County and the City of Byron to begin design work on new interchanges where County Roads 3 and 5 cross Highway 14. Both intersections have seen a high number of crashes, including fatalities, and the new design will remove dangerous at-grade crossings and a railroad crossing.
• $3.096 million for the City of Stewartville to pave and improve about a mile of 15th Avenue NE and fix drainage problems along the route.
• $2.322 million for the History Center of Olmsted County to update and expand its museum and archive space, which has had ongoing problems with leaks, humidity, and aging building systems.
• $13.224 million for the City of Rochester's East Zumbro Sewer and Water project, which will upgrade pipes to open up roughly 1,000 acres of land for new housing and business development.

Cities in Dodge and Olmsted counties will also benefit from statewide funding programs in the bonding bill, including $47 million for the Local Road Improvement Program, $25 million for the Local Bridge Replacement Program, and $3 million for Township Road Aid.

The Legislative Awards Dinner will be held at Turner Hall in New Ulm, beginning with a reception at 5 p.m. and dinner at 6 p.m. The CGMC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group that represents more than 100 cities outside of the Twin Cities area. The group works to make sure state lawmakers understand the issues that matter most to Greater Minnesota communities.