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State Representative Matt Dean
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-3018
For more information contact: Austin Bleess 651-296-5529
OP/ED COLUMN
WRAPPING UP THE SESSION A BALANCED VIEW
By State Rep. Matt Dean,
District 52B
On Tuesday morning, at 12:01 AM, the 2007 legislative session came to a close on time and with a balanced budget.
While many may disagree on the priorities of the session, one clear winner has emerged-the taxpayer. Tax increases on income, paint, beer, light bulbs funerals, gas, hearses and more added up to an incredible $5 billion. Passing those tax increases would have grown government, cut the family budget and killed family-supporting jobs. The Governor stood strong and vetoed these Godzilla-sized tax increases. The Minnesota House had barely enough folks to support his veto, if we all stuck together. Most said we could not do it, but we did.
Although these tax increases were prevented, our budget will grow by 10.1% thanks to a growing economy. Spending this $2.2 billion surplus will allow increases in education spending and healthcare and lessen the pressure for local units of government to raise property taxes.
Another winner for this session is the environment. We put money into protecting our lakes and streams from aquatic invasive species. Investments were made to lessen our dependence on foreign oil and reduce pollution and Co2 emissions.
For me, the best day of the legislative session was my birthday- April 15th. Not because it is tax day, but because that is the day the Boomsite reopened in Stillwater. I, along with Senator Vandeveer, were able to negotiate a deal between the DNR and MNDOT to re-open the Boomsite. The Boomsite is an important asset and we look forward to finding a permanent solution to maintain this National Historic Place so that its use will be expanded and protected.
Suburban schools have traditionally received far less per pupil than those of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. I had hoped that this may be reversed this year. Unfortunately, the disparity actually got worse. It is my hope that we will work to make funding more fair for suburban districts in the future.
Another area in desperate need for improvement is transportation. Political and geographic differences have combined again and prevented a much needed transportation plan. We will have to work harder to find solutions that get more dollars to roads and transit faster. That may mean that we fundamentally change the way plan, build and maintain our roads. Change is difficult, but then so is the status quo.
Suburban school funding and unmet transportation dilemmas are but two of many challenges we will face in the coming years. My experience with the Boomsite has proven to me that common sense can overcome government bureaucracy when people show up. I am optimistic that progress will be made, as more and more regular people get involved in the process.
This session was a productive session overall, and it has been an honor to represent you again in the legislature. I encourage you to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. I can be reached at rep.matt.dean@house.mn or 651.296.3018. Mail should be sent to Rep. Matt Dean, 327 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.
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