Jon Koznick

Jon Koznick
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 57A district
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 6, 2015
Preceded byMary Liz Holberg
Personal details
Born (1972-07-04) July 4, 1972 (age 52)
Colombia
Political partyRepublican
SpousePatty
Children2
ResidenceLakeville, Minnesota
EducationSt. Cloud State University (B.S.)
Occupation
WebsiteGovernment website Campaign website

Jon Koznick (/ˈkɒznɪk/ KOZ-nik;[1] born July 4, 1972) is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2015. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Koznick represents District 57A in the southern Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the city of Lakeville and parts of Dakota and Scott Counties.[2][3]

Early life, education, and career

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Koznick was born in Colombia. After the death of his mother, he was placed in an orphanage at age five. He was adopted soon after and was brought to the United States.[2]

Koznick attended St. Cloud State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in marketing. He moved to Lakeville, Minnesota in 2001.[2]

Minnesota House of Representatives

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Koznick was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2014 and has been reelected every two years since. He first ran after eight-term Republican incumbent Mary Liz Holberg announced she would not seek reelection. When elected, he was one of the first two Latino Republicans to serve in the Minnesota Legislature along with Eric Lucero.[2][4] During the 2016 Republican Presidential Primary, Koznick joined two dozen state lawmakers in endorsing Florida Senator Marco Rubio.[5] He supported Tim Pawlenty during his 2018 Republican gubernatorial primary campaign.[6]

Koznick serves as the minority lead on the Economic Development Finance and Policy Committee and sits on the State and Local Government Finance and Policy and Taxes Committees. From 2019 to 2020 he served as an assistant minority leader for the House Republican Caucus.[2][7]

Transportation

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Koznick has opposed legislation to raise the state's gas tax.[8] He sponsored legislation that would disband the Counties Transit Improvement Board, a public body that pools resources to pay for transit lines, a proposal opposed by Governor Mark Dayton.[9] Koznick authored a bill that would close the Northstar Commuter Rail line, which runs from Big Lake to Minneapolis, citing low ridership numbers.[10][11][12] He opposed funding for predevelopment of a land bridge over the I-94 highway in Saint Paul.[13]

Koznick signed on to a letter calling for reforms to the Metropolitan Council, a regional planning agency, and criticizing their handling of the Southwest light rail project.[14] He served on a committee on the Metropolitan Council's Structure and Service, and called for more accountability for the council.[15] He briefly served as chair of the Legislative Commission on Metropolitan Government, and later resigned after a procedural fight between DFL and Republican members of the commission.[16]

Koznick opposed reducing penalties for fare evasions in the Metro Transit system, and authored a bill to establish a rider code of conduct and increase police presence on transit.[17][18][19] He also worked on bipartisan legislation to create transit ambassadors, and favored increased monitoring of trains and stations.[20][21][22]

Other political positions

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Koznick has co-sponsored legislation to toughen enforcement of existing gun laws.[23] He coauthored legislation attempting to recruit more teachers of color into Minnesota schools, as well as a bill that would propose a constitutional amendment to establish a fundamental right to quality public education in the state.[24][25] Koznick opposed the creation of a fifth-income tier on the highest earners in Minnesota, saying it would lead to businesses leaving the state.[26]

In 2020 while serving as an assistant majority leader, Koznick accidentally sent an email to all representatives, instead of only Republican members, telling his colleagues to "“Stay on message if you speak today, COVID issues are not our winning message. PUBLIC SAFETY is our ticket to the majority, let’s win with that”.[27][28]

Koznick supported Governor Tim Walz's proposal to increase small business assistance, but opposed the governor's calls for statewide paid leave.[29] He has supported increasing funding to the International Institute of Minnesota, a nonprofit that provides job training and English classes to new immigrants and refugees.[30] He sponsored legislation that would pay to improve the Lakeville Airlake Industrial Park to allow them to store unused rail cars.[31]

Liquor laws

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Koznick has supported so-called "growler laws" which would allow breweries to sell cans and to-go growlers from brewery taprooms and restaurants.[32] He has also authored legislation to allow convenience stores to sell full-strength beer, instead of the 3.2 percent limit in current state law.[33] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Koznick sponsored legislation to allow restaurants to sell beer and wine with take-out orders, but opposed extending the provision to cover cocktails and spirits.[34][35]

Electoral history

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2014 Minnesota State House - District 58A[36]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jon Koznick 8,021 55.28
Democratic (DFL) Amy Willingham 6,476 44.63
Write-in 12 0.08
Total votes 14,509 100.0
Republican hold
2016 Minnesota State House - District 58A[37]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jon Koznick (incumbent) 13,691 60.65
Democratic (DFL) LeAnn Weikle 8,852 39.22
Write-in 29 0.13
Total votes 22,572 100.0
Republican hold
2018 Minnesota State House - District 58A[38]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jon Koznick (incumbent) 11,769 55.68
Democratic (DFL) Maggie Williams 9,354 44.25
Write-in 15 0.07
Total votes 21,138 100.0
Republican hold
2020 Minnesota State House - District 58A[39]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jon Koznick (incumbent) 15,597 56.16
Democratic (DFL) Erin Preese 12,155 43.77
Write-in 21 0.08
Total votes 27,773 100.0
Republican hold
2022 Minnesota State House - District 57A[40]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jon Koznick (incumbent) 13,039 62.53
Democratic (DFL) Greg Henningsen 7,792 37.36
Write-in 23 0.11
Total votes 20,854 100.0
Republican hold

Personal life

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Koznick is married to his wife, Patty. They have two children and reside in Lakeville, Minnesota.[2]

References

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  1. ^ Informational interview with Rep. Jon Koznick (R-Lakeville). MNHouseInfo. January 19, 2024. Event occurs at 9:15. Retrieved August 20, 2024 – via YouTube.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Koznick, Jon". Legislators Past & Present. Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Retrieved September 20, 2015.
  3. ^ "Rep. Jon Koznick (57A) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
  4. ^ Pugmire, Tim (October 27, 2015). "As MN diversity grows, Legislature stays mostly white". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  5. ^ Bakst, Brian (February 25, 2016). "Rubio nets backing from two dozen state legislators". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  6. ^ Brucato, Cyndy (2018-06-03). "Johnson wins GOP endorsement, setting up primary against Pawlenty". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  7. ^ Keen, Judy (December 1, 2018). "Minnesota House Republican leaders prepare for minority role". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  8. ^ Coolican, J. Patrick (April 29, 2019). "House passes gas tax that Senate GOP vows 'we're not going to do'". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  9. ^ Moore, Janet (May 5, 2017). "Twin Cities transit board under fire by Minnesota lawmakers". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  10. ^ Moore, Janet (March 26, 2021). "Talks surface again about shuttering Minnesota's Northstar rail line". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  11. ^ Moore, Janet (October 31, 2021). "Northstar rail runs into trouble in Anoka County". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  12. ^ Marohn, Kristi (April 7, 2021). "Plunge in riders sparks debate over Northstar's future". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  13. ^ Galioto, Katie (April 13, 2022). "Rondo advocates push back against GOP efforts to halt state funding for I-94 land bridge". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  14. ^ Runbeck, Linda; Peppin, Joyce (November 29, 2017). "OPINION EXCHANGE | The Met Council: Why this unelected governing body needs reforms". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  15. ^ Jackson, Zoë (August 31, 2020). "Walz establishes Met Council oversight committee". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  16. ^ Callaghan, Peter (2020-02-06). "The 2020 session of the Minnesota Legislature begins next week. The bickering has already started". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  17. ^ Moore, Janet (February 3, 2020). "Minnesota legislators propose changing fare evasion fines on transit". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  18. ^ Montemayor, Stephen (February 17, 2020). "Minnesota GOP lawmakers take aim at Twin Cities crime". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  19. ^ Moore, Janet (February 29, 2020). "Light-rail stations could benefit from proposed safety measures at Minnesota State Capitol". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  20. ^ Moore, Janet (July 18, 2020). "Metro Transit ambassadors, other safety measures languish at Capitol". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  21. ^ Moore, Janet (March 16, 2021). "Bills would put safety officers on buses and LRT, lower fare evasion fines". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  22. ^ Callaghan, Peter (2020-07-07). "How an effort to address Metro Transit safety got left behind at the Minnesota Legislature". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  23. ^ Montemayor, Stephen (November 16, 2019). "Will gun policy swing Minnesota's 2020 elections?". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  24. ^ Shockman, Elizabeth (February 12, 2019). "Bill aims to get more teachers of color in Minnesota classrooms". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  25. ^ Eischens, Rilyn (February 15, 2021). "Bipartisan group of lawmakers introduces education amendment proposal". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  26. ^ Griffith, Michelle (April 11, 2023). "DFL lawmakers propose additional income tax tier targeting wealthy Minnesotans". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  27. ^ Montgomery, David (September 11, 2020). "Errant email tips off GOP messaging strategy". MPR News. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  28. ^ Lopez, Ricardo (September 11, 2020). "Minnesota GOP lawmaker: 'COVID issues are not our winning message'". Minnesota Reformer. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  29. ^ Van Berkel, Jessie (January 19, 2023). "Minnesota leaders propose new spending to bolster workforce". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  30. ^ Housley, Karin; Koznick, Jon (April 29, 2020). "OPINION EXCHANGE | Funding the International Institute of Minnesota is critical to the workforce". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  31. ^ Adler, Erin (February 7, 2023). "Empty rail cars stored on Lakeville tracks still causing concern — but a solution may be coming". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  32. ^ Painter, Kristen Leigh (June 5, 2021). "Minnesota's largest craft brewers make a last-call pitch to lawmakers for growler sales". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  33. ^ Bierschbach, Briana (2018-05-04). "Is a behind-the-scenes debate at the Legislature foreshadowing more big changes to Minnesota's liquor laws?". MinnPost. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  34. ^ Van Oot, Torey; Van Berkel, Jessie (April 16, 2020). "Cheers: Minnesota lawmakers strike deal on takeout beer-and-wine sales during coronavirus closures". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  35. ^ Montemayor, Stephen (April 17, 2020). "Beer and wine sales with takeout orders can begin Saturday in Minnesota". Star Tribune. Retrieved 2023-04-20.
  36. ^ "2014 Results for State Representative District 58A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  37. ^ "2018 Results for State Representative District 58A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  38. ^ "2018 Results for State Representative District 58A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  39. ^ "2020 Results for State Representative District 58A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
  40. ^ "2022 Results for State Representative District 57A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
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