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State Representative Rick Hansen
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-6828
For more information contact: Ted Modrich 651-296-5809
NEWS COLUMN
MINNESOTA GOP: DISTRACTED, DISENGAGED, DISINGENUOUS
(SAINT PAUL) — On the Sunday morning before the end of the legislative session, I was at the local pancake breakfast. Constituent after constituent asked, “What are you people doing up there?" Others commented on the stunning lack of compromise from my Republican colleagues. Folks are disappointed, frustrated, and in some cases, downright annoyed.
And as a member of the minority, I’m frustrated too. As a member of the minority in the Minnesota House of Representatives it’s my job to do my best to improve, and polish the legislation proposed by the majority party. Being a member of the loyal, but vocal, opposition is our job. Unfortunately in this session, there’s been little to nothing to improve. This has been a lost session: no balanced budget, no workable reforms, and no smart policy changes. The majority’s crowning achievement has been to put a constitutional amendment on the 2012 ballot that will only serve to divide Minnesotans.
We came into this session facing a record budget deficit and struggling economy. It was and still is my priority to work together to reach consensus on a balanced budget that encourages broad prosperity. The minority has tried to work on behalf of middle-class families this session that have been squeezed by rising property taxes, insurance premiums, and state fees over the past decade. That is because broad prosperity is best preserved by fair taxes, strong public schools for our children, affordable college tuition for Minnesota students and their families, access to affordable health care and creating good-paying jobs.
While that was my priority, the Republicans have been distracted by divisive issues and protecting special interests and the richest 2% of Minnesotans. Despite repeated offers of compromise, the Majority/Republicans have disengaged and refused to budge from their destructive all-cuts approach to the budget.
In order to protect the wealthiest 2% of Minnesotans, here are some of the consequences of the GOP all-cuts budget:
Increases property taxes by $1.3 billion due to local property tax relief cuts, reduction in the renters’ credit, and the elimination of the Market Value Homestead Credit.
Guts protections to our clean water and natural resources, while cutting funding to keep state parks open.
Eliminates more than 30,000 jobs – most in the private sector.
Makes deepest cut to higher education in state history, resulting in tuition hikes, decreased course offering, and the elimination of hundreds of staff and faculty.
Grows the size K-12 classrooms by cutting K-12 education by $50 million, creates winners and losers for our children with disproportionate cuts across the state, and deeply cuts special education.
Eliminates health care for 145,000 Minnesotans, reduces services for seniors and the disabled, and significantly cuts hospitals which eliminates jobs the cost of insurance premiums.
Reduces victims’ services, affecting the availability of domestic violence and sexual assault survivor programs, as well as, services for victims of child abuse.
Cuts transit services that many with a fixed income—including seniors, the disabled, and students—rely on to get to work, school, the doctor, grocery stores, and church.
This budget is clearly not the direction we want to take our state. Minnesotans have overwhelmingly told us that they want a compromise and a budget solution that follows a balanced approach of some revenue, and some cuts. That’s exactly what Governor Dayton has proposed and exactly what the Republicans have repeatedly rejected.
I remain committed to securing a budget that moves our state forward instead of in reverse. That means passing a budget that supports middle class taxpayers, grows small businesses, educates our children to compete in a 21st century global economy, and takes care of elderly and disabled Minnesotans.
As always, and especially now with the budget impasse, I’d appreciate your input. Please feel free to send me your comments, concerns and suggestions. You can reach me by phone at 651-296-6828 or email at rep.rick.hansen@house.mn. You can also send mail to my office, room 247 in the State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155.
Rick Hansen
State Representative
District 39A
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