State rep.-elect Robin Brown received her committee assignments this week. Brown, a newly elected member of the Minnesota House serving Albert Lea and surrounding communities, &8220;could not have been more pleased&8221; with her committee assignments.

Brown is slated to serve on five House committees, including as vice chairwoman of the Property Tax Relief and Local Sales Tax Division, a division of the powerful House Tax Committee. She will serve on the Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Committee; E-12 Education Policy; the Education and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division and the K-12 Education Finance Division.

&8220;These committee assignments fit perfectly with needs and makeup of our district,&8221; said Brown.

&8220;Improving education was the No. 1 reason I ran for election. To serve on three education committees is a great honor. It&8217;s also an opportunity I will not pass up to bring our communities’ needs to the table as we set the state education budget.&8221;

Brown also sought a place on the Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Committee because of the importance of farming and rural economic development to her district.

Brown was selected as one of only a handful of freshmen members of the House to serve as vice chair of a committee.

Her duties will include chairing the Property Tax Relief and Local Sales Tax Division when Chairman Paul Marquart is absent. The Property Tax Division will oversee the property tax relief programs, assessment practices and local options sales tax.

&8220;Property tax relief will be one of the top legislative priorities in the 2007 session,&8221; Brown said.

Brown will be sworn into office on the first day of the 2007 legislative session, Jan. 3.

&8220;Now that I have my committee assignments, I’m anxious to roll up my shirtsleeves and get to work.&8221;