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State Representative Paul Thissen
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-5375
For more information contact: Michael Howard 651-296-8873
Press/News Releases
Thissen statement on economic forecast
House Minority Leader Paul Thissen released the following statement regarding the updated economic forecast. The forecast showed an additional $323 million for the remainder of the biennium. By law our available balance is $0 because those funds must start paying back school borrowing. Minnesota schools are still owed $2.4 billion .
“The economic forecast is a good opportunity for us to consider what would have happened had Republicans made different budget choices. Had we balanced our budget responsibly, without gimmicks, one-time fixes and billions in school borrowing, I would argue Minnesota would be better off. And we certainly wouldn’t be facing another billion dollar deficit next year.
It’s helpful to consider this, because Republicans have guaranteed we will face the same budget choice next year. We still owe our schools more than $2 billion and face a $1 billion structural deficit. All told Minnesota will be more than $4 billion in debt beginning in 2013.
With another deficit, we’ll have to decide whether to do the same thing and borrow more from our kids, raise more property taxes, and protect special interests. Or we could choose differently, and pass a budget that truly solve our deficit and strengthen middle class families instead of nickeling and diming them.
We should choose differently.
The fact is, Republicans failed to balance the budget. Worse, they are unwilling to acknowledge what their budget did to middle class Minnesotans or fix any of their mistakes. We probably can’t undo all the damage caused by the Republican budget this session, but we shouldn’t become a do nothing legislature.
Democrats have introduced bills to reduce property taxes for middle class Minnesotans. We have introduced bill to create jobs and support our small businesses. But we have seen no sense of urgency by Republicans to focus on these bread and butter issues that matter to Minnesotans.
I hope we can make the most of our time left, focus on issues that matter to Minnesotans, and start working together on jobs and supporting middle class Minnesotans."
News Items
- Speaker Thissen to Establish Select Committee on Controlled Substances and Synthetic Drugs - (Posted: May 29 2013 1:15PM)
- Minnesota House Finishes 2013 Session with Balanced Budget, Historic Investments in Education, Job Creation, Property Tax Relief - (Posted: May 21 2013 12:44AM)
- Governor Mark Dayton & DFL Legislators Hold Invest in Education “Pep Rally” with Minnesota teachers, parents and students - (Posted: Apr 21 2013 4:21PM)
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