Leon Lillie
Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives
from the 44B district
Assumed office
January 4, 2005
Preceded byScott Wasiluk
Personal details
BornJune 1961 (age 62)
Political partyDemocratic (DFL)
SpouseMissy
Children3
ResidenceNorth St. Paul, Minnesota
EducationUniversity of Nottingham
Luther College (B.A.)
Occupation
WebsiteGovernment website

Leon Michael Lillie (born June 1961) is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2005. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Lillie represents District 44B in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the cities of Oakdale, North St. Paul, and Maplewood and parts of Ramsey and Washington Counties.[1][2]

Early life, education and career

Lillie graduated from North High School in North Saint Paul, then attended the University of Nottingham in Nottingham, England, and Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, earning his B.S. in political science.[1]

Lillie served on the North Saint Paul City Council from 1995 to 2004, and unsuccessfully ran for Ramsey County Commissioner. When elected, he worked as a baggage handler and ramp agent for Northwest Airlines.[1]

Minnesota House of Representatives

Lillie was elected to the Minnesota House of Representatives in 2004 and has been reelected every two years since. He defeated two-term DFL incumbent Scott Wasiluk in a DFL primary after Wasiluk was caught on video drinking alcohol in his Capitol office.[1]

Since 2019, Lillie has chaired the Legacy Finance Division, which oversees the allocation of proceeds from a state sales tax increase passed in 2008. Those funds are designated to protect drinking water and wildlife habitat and to preserve arts and cultural heritage.[3] Lillie also sits on the Capital Investment, Rules and Legislative Administration, and Ways and Means Committees. He served as vice chair of the Commerce and Labor Committee from 2009 to 2010 and as an assistant majority leader for the House DFL caucus from 2013 to 2014.[1]

Legacy amendment funds

Lillie has served on the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, which makes recommendations to the legislature on how Legacy Funds should be spent.[4][5] In 2022, he authored legislation to spend $159 million from the Legacy Fund to restore and enhance natural areas. Lillie called the bill, which was the result of negotiations with the Republican Senate, "a little bit disappointing" and called for further investments in subsequent years.[6]

Labor and union contracts

Lillie was a member of the Subcommittee on Employee Relations. In 2012, he criticized Republican members who voted to reject contracts for state employees containing a two percent pay raise.[7] In 2017, he voted to accept union contracts with MAPE and AFSCME, but was outvoted by Republicans.[8] Lillie spoke out against Republican plans to cut legislative staff in 2015, calling it "really not Minnesotan", and has opposed efforts to make union dues voluntary.[9][10] In 2020, he supported state workers' union contracts that included what he called "reasonable" salary increases.[11]

Other political positions

Lillie co-authored legislation to build a new Minnesota Vikings stadium, to be paid for in part by a local sales tax.[12] He voted for the final bill authorizing construction of the stadium.[13]

Electoral history

2004 Minnesota State House - District 55A[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Leon Lillie 10,849 54.79
Republican Jan Steiner 7,673 38.75
Independence Brian D. Balfanz 1,250 6.31
Write-in 28 0.14
Total votes 19,800 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold
2006 Minnesota State House - District 55A[15]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Leon Lillie (incumbent) 10,123 66.58
Republican Tim Kinley 5,059 33.27
Write-in 23 0.15
Total votes 15,205 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold
2008 Minnesota State House - District 55A[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Leon Lillie (incumbent) 11,749 59.96
Republican Christine Jacobson 5,961 30.42
Independence Bob Zick 1,862 9.50
Write-in 23 0.12
Total votes 19,595 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold
2010 Minnesota State House - District 55A[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Leon Lillie (incumbent) 7,810 56.24
Republican Nathan M. Hansen 5,136 36.98
Independence Joseph Polencheck 930 6.70
Write-in 12 0.09
Total votes 13,888 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold
2012 Minnesota State House - District 43B[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Leon Lillie (incumbent) 12,445 60.42
Republican Kevin J. Klein 8,111 39.38
Write-in 40 0.19
Total votes 20,596 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold
2014 Minnesota State House - District 43B[19]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Leon Lillie (incumbent) 7,891 58.08
Republican Justice B. Whitethorn 5,672 41.75
Write-in 23 0.17
Total votes 13,586 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold
2016 Minnesota State House - District 43B[20]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Leon Lillie (incumbent) 12,017 59.52
Republican Nathan Hansen 8,123 40.23
Write-in 49 0.24
Total votes 20,189 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold
2018 Minnesota State House - District 43B[21]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Leon Lillie (incumbent) 11,253 62.31
Republican Rachael Bucholz 6,788 37.59
Write-in 19 0.11
Total votes 18,060 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold
2020 Minnesota State House - District 43B[22]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Leon Lillie (incumbent) 12,651 56.70
Republican Jordan Herzog 8,330 37.33
Veterans Party - Minnesota Antonio Nerios 1,309 5.87
Write-in 22 0.10
Total votes 22,312 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold
2022 Minnesota State House - District 44B[23]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic (DFL) Leon Lillie (incumbent) 9,197 56.60
Republican William Johnston 6,260 38.52
Libertarian TJ Hawthorne 785 4.83
Write-in 8 0.05
Total votes 16,250 100.0
Democratic (DFL) hold

Personal life

Lillie is married and has three children. His brother, Ted Lillie, a Republican, was a member of the Minnesota Senate from 2011 to 2012.[1] He is Lutheran.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Minnesota Legislators Past & Present – Legislator Record – Lillie, Leon M". Leg.state.mn.us. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Rep. Leon Lillie (44B) - Minnesota House of Representatives". www.house.mn.gov. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  3. ↑ "About the Funds". Minnesota's Legacy. Retrieved February 2, 2023.
  4. ↑ Dunbar, Elizabeth (February 10, 2017). "Retired from House, McNamara still has hand on Legacy". MPR News. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  5. ↑ Anderson, Dennie (January 17, 2019). "Habitat funding amendment was a bet that paid". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  6. ↑ Van Berkel, Jessie (May 28, 2022). "Minnesota legislators dedicate $159M to outdoor areas". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  7. ↑ Aslanian, Sasha (August 30, 2012). "GOP-led panel rejects contracts for 27K Minn. public workers". MPR News. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  8. ↑ Pheifer, Pat (October 6, 2017). "Party-line vote recommends Minnesota Legislature rejects union contracts with 30,000 state workers". Star Tribune. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  9. ↑ Pugmire, Tim (April 15, 2015). "House Republicans want to slash state govt. spending". MPR News. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  10. ↑ Bakst, Brian (February 22, 2018). "MN Legislature closes book on Dayton veto fight, approves funds". MPR News. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  11. ↑ Pugmire, Tim (May 12, 2020). "State workers may lose pay raise as economy tanks". MPR News. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  12. ↑ Nelson, Tim (April 8, 2011). "Lawmakers submit bill for new Vikings stadium". MPR News. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  13. ↑ Nehil, Tom; Palazzolo, Alan (May 8, 2012). "House Stadium bill: How they voted". MinnPost. Retrieved April 22, 2023.
  14. ↑ "2004 Results for State Representative District 55A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  15. ↑ "2006 Results for State Representative District 55A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  16. ↑ "2004 Results for State Representative District 55A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  17. ↑ "2010 Results for State Representative District 55A". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  18. ↑ "2012 Results for State Representative District 43B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  19. ↑ "2014 Results for State Representative District 43B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  20. ↑ "2016 Results for State Representative District 43B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  21. ↑ "2018 Results for State Representative District 43B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  22. ↑ "2020 Results for State Representative District 43B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
  23. ↑ "2022 Results for State Representative District 44B". Minnesota Secretary of State. Retrieved February 22, 2023.
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