As Governor Mark Dayton gave his first State of the State address today, we listened to a man with a clear vision of a better Minnesota. Gov. Dayton showed he is committed to getting the state of Minnesota working again by investing in our children and our future.

Gov. Dayton laid out his Five-Point Plan for Future Prosperity today, which includes investment in more jobs, better education, improved transportation, the health of our citizens, communities and environment, and in the transformation of government services.

Minnesota used to be a state that led the nation, we were successful because we worked together to build a great state. Over the past eight years, we’ve watched that fall away, as Minnesota’s economy stalled and unemployment grew under the leadership of former Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Gov. Dayton is committed to turning things around and making Minnesota a state that works again. He knows that the key to a strong economy is a strong education system for our children. Today, he called on the Legislature to follow his lead and increase state funding for K-12 education and invest in early education.

Gov. Dayton continues to show his commitment to getting Minnesota back on the right track, and it’s our job to help him along the way. For his vision to work, every Minnesotan needs to stand up for what will make this state great again–funding classrooms so our children can learn, investing in our roads and bridges instead of falling behind other states, stand up for quality, affordable health care for everyone, and think about how to increase efficiency while protecting core public services.

This vision is bold, but also daunting. We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us to get Minnesota back to being a national leader, but Gov. Dayton believes we can achieve this goal. We need to help him make sure it happens. You can help do your part by letting your local paper know about Gov. Dayton’s vision for Minnesota and how it will improve your local community. Take a moment and tell your neighbors and friends about Gov. Dayton’s plan for a better Minnesota. It’s time we stop our downward spiral and start moving Minnesota forward.

Photo credit: GovernorDayton