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State Representative Bob Dettmer
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4124
For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520
NEWS COLUMN
HANG ON TO YOUR WALLETS
As we near the end of March and the legislature’s Easter Holiday recess, I wanted to take this opportunity to give you an update on what has been happening at the capitol so far. Major spending and budget bills are starting to be released and debated in committees and on the House floor, and the overall state budget debate is starting to gain steam. First a word of warning: grab your wallets as House Democrats are charging hard.
On a rare Saturday House Session this past week the issue of transportation funding took center stage. The Transportation Funding bill was the first major spending bill to be debated and passed by the House this session. At the center of this bill is a whopping $885 million dollar increase in taxes and fees per year. This bill contains a 50% increase in the gas tax, allows counties to impose "wheelage" taxes, increase license fees, taxes new and leased cars, and would allow for a state-wide sales tax increase.
This past Tuesday evening, the House took up debate and passed an "Emergency" Capital Investment (Bonding) Bill. Since this is a budget year at the legislature, historically there have only been bonding bills for legitimate emergencies. In reality there were only two areas that need emergency bonding money. The state prison at Oak Park Heights is in need of some emergency repairs, and the community of Browns Valley is in need of funds to deal with recent flood damage. The total amount for these two legitimate emergency projects was $8 million dollars. However the total amount of this pork-laden bill was $290 million dollars.
These two bills are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the total state budget being proposed by House Democrats. Our state currently has a budget surplus of $2 billion dollars. Governor Pawlenty has proposed a state budget that increases state spending by 9.3% for a total of $34 billion dollars. But this is not nearly enough for House Democrats. In fact they have proposed raising taxes by over $4 BILLION dollars so far this session.
That’s right we have a $2 billion dollar surplus, but House DFL’ers want to raise your taxes by $4 Billion dollars. At this point of the session, I am beginning to question the priorities of Democratic House Majority. Their transportation plan includes a 50% increase in the gas tax and a nearly $900 million dollars in increase taxes and fees. The so-called "Emergency" Bonding bill contains $282 million dollars in pork. Only $10 million was in the bill for roads and bridges, and an astounding $2 million dollars for commuter rail line to Chicago. There was $300,000 to acquire a swamp in Brooklyn Park, $12 million for parks, trails, and nature areas, and $30 million for hockey rink in Duluth along with many other so called "emergency" items.
It seems that the voracious appetites of special interests for state funding are out of control, and I fear House Democrats are buckling under their pressure. It is simply outrageous to contest that in the times of a budget surplus that we need more taxes, and proposing to raise taxes by over $4 billion to meet the demands of special interests is simply reckless. The government has enough of your money to fund its needs.
As session moves forward I am committed to working with my colleagues and the Governor in holding the line on tax increases and producing a balanced and fiscally responsible state budget. Governor Pawlenty has said repeatedly that he will veto any tax increase, including the 50% gas tax increase passed in the House and I trust that he will. Now is not the time to pander to special interests, and now is not the time for massive spending and tax increases. With a $2 billion dollar budget surplus and some fiscal responsibility by the legislature, we can adequately fund the needs of our state government without taking more of your money.
News Items
- LIMITED SPENDING AND COMPETITVE TAXES GROW OUR ECONOMY - (Posted: Jan 11 2013 3:29PM)
- BOB DETTMER SWORN IN TO FOURTH TERM AS STATE REPRESENTATIVE - (Posted: Jan 11 2013 3:28PM)
- April 5 Legislative Update - (Posted: 2012-04-05 00:00:00)
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