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State Representative Patti Fritz
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-8237
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
NEWS COLUMN
DFL PLAN COULD BRING OVER $500 THOUSAND TO OWATONNA IN 2006
For the first time in over three years, the Minnesota Department of Finance recently projected a state budget surplus. The bulk of that money will be used to pay back the schools for the accounting shifts that were used to balance the state budget. At a time when schools are facing historic heating bills and transportation costs, this money comes at a good time.
In addition to the $700 million that will go back to the schools, there is also $337 million going into the Tax Relief Account. What happens to the money in this account is not automatic. Instead, the State Legislature will decide how best to use it when we convene on March 1st.
Over the past three years, budget cuts that were passed by this Administration have created financial shortfalls in our towns and cities. Most notable were the cuts to Local Government Aid (LGA) and school funding cuts. To make up for these cuts, property owners have stepped up and paid the price. In fact, over the past three years, property taxes have increased by over $1 billion, and could increase by as much as $588 million in 2006. It only makes sense to me that some of this surplus should be used to help offset these increases.
This week, House DFL legislators introduced a plan that would use a portion of the surplus to help property owners. The plan provides close to $120 million to buy back cuts to LGA and Market Value Credit aid. It also enacts 15% across-the-board increases to Homeowner Property Tax Refunds, Special Homeowner Refunds and Renter Property Tax Refunds-$48 million worth of refunds which will be sent directly to Minnesota taxpayers.
I am in favor of this plan, and believe that it puts the money right where it should be, into property tax relief. In fact, under this plan the city of Owatonna could receive an additional $573,046 in 2006. While Minnesotans have shown time and time again that we are willing to pay for the things we value, such as education and health care, we also know that the price is high. All of us would appreciate relief from this rising bill. Personally, I can't think of a better way to spend the state's surplus money.
Please feel free to call or write if you have ideas or concerns you want to share about state or local issues. I can be reached by phone at 1800-292-0012 or 1-651-296-8237, by mail at 231 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155 or via e-mail at rep.patti.fritz@house.mn.
News Items
- STATE REP. PATTI FRITZ PARTICIPATES IN START OF LEGISLATIVE SESSION - (Posted: Jan 9 2013 3:32PM)
- Rep. Fritz: Homeowners, Farmers Need Property Tax Relief - (Posted: 2012-05-01 00:00:00)
- Rep. Fritz: Let’s Vote on a Bonding Bill that Benefits All - (Posted: 2012-04-19 00:00:00)
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