Minnesota businesses continually underscore the need for an educated workforce. It’s essential to effectively compete in the global economy. But right now, about half of Minnesota kids come to kindergarten unprepared, and too many never catch up. Those who don’t catch up aren’t well prepared for the workforce, and life in general.

That’s why we’re so excited about a new website: www.isyourchildready.com.   The quiz on this website tells parents how their children’s early learning is progressing and how parents can best support their kids. The quiz is interactive, no-nonsense and to the point.

Minnesota must do better when it comes to early education, and that starts at home. If you have young children, please consider taking this quiz, and checking out the early learning tips. If you don’t have young children at home, share the quiz – http://www.isyourchildready.com/quiz – with people in your life who do.

When it comes to school readiness, nothing is more important than parental involvement. The Minnesota Chamber is cheering parents’ tireless efforts, and isyourchildready.com is there to support you.

It is always fun to receive a note like the one that follows from Frank and Connie Weber. They are the owners of the City Grille and Pub in St. Peter, Minnesota. They were one of 91 Minnesota companies that received a Pohlad grant and/or loan. Their note is as follows:

I am writing to say thank you to your organization and staff. We have been on a long road of survival, recovery and moving forward here in St. Peter. I am happy to report things are really looking up!

As the card says “believe,” your group made us feel like we could believe and would hope for better things for us and our employees. You truly understand the real needs of small business owners. We will always be grateful to you and the Pohlad Foundation for understanding and truly helping. We opened up with the new menu and bar here at “City Grille” right before Thanksgiving. Despite a couple of snowstorms and a blizzard our sales for December are 41% above last year in December.

Once again our most sincere thanks and appreciation for believing in us.

I must say we have received similar thank-yous from a host of Pohlad recipients. Hats off to the Pohlad family for its $5 million grant and to our group of volunteers that reviewed each and every application.

Yes, it was refreshing to have the Minnesota Senate designate Senate File 1 “the jobs bill.”  As you might guess, that has not always been the case particularly with that body. The bill includes streamlining the permitting process, freezing the statewide business property tax and cutting Minnesota’s high corporate income tax – a welcome message for the business community.

Incorporating these incentives for businesses to locate and expand in Minnesota as we try to build a budget on anticipated revenues of $32 billion – up $1.5 billion from the existing biennium – won’t be easy. But the intent is clearly a good one. When asked what the No. 1 reason Minnesota businesses are not adding jobs, the most frequent answer is “uncertainty.” How will business be treated by the new Governor and the Legislature? Will taxes be going up, will rules and regulations be expanded, or will our new leaders send a message that one way out of this recession is to make it easier for private-sector job-providers to create more jobs? The Minnesota Senate has made it clear what its priorities on the job front are, and the Minnesota House won’t be far behind. Governor Dayton has also made it clear that his number one priority is jobs and helping our economy get moving again.

All in all, a pretty good start to what will be a very difficult legislative session.