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State Representative Tara Mack
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-5506
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EMAIL UPDATE
Gov's vetoes set stage for special session
Greetings from the Capitol!
We had some very long floor sessions that lasted through the weekend before we adjourned at midnight Monday, having passed a balanced state budget. Tuesday afternoon the Governor vetoed the budget bills, setting us up for a special session.
The budget proposed by the Legislature lives within the state’s means by not exceeding our $34 billion in available revenue; this marks a 6-percent increase in spending over the current biennium. Our budget spends what we have in the state checkbook without raising taxes and allows us to fund the state’s priorities and provide tax relief while holding classrooms, nursing homes and veterans harmless from funding reductions from what they currently receive.
In addition to the budget, we passed permit reform, alternative pathways to teacher licensure, photo id, and significant reforms in health and human services.
I am proud of the work we did this session; we balanced the budget without raising taxes, cut red tape, and reformed education, health care and the way state government operates. It is disappointing to see this good work overshadowed by a special session that does not need to happen.
Looking ahead, more work remains to resolve the budget. There is a stark difference between the governor’s proposal to raise taxes in order to spend $2 billion more than we expect to have in revenue and the Legislature’s proposal to live within our means. Despite our differences, we are committed to working with Gov. Dayton to resolve the state’s budget problem and hope to expedite negotiations to resolve the budget differences.
As we move forward, I will continue to represent working families, small business owners and the future of Minnesota’s economy. Thank you for the privilege of serving our great community.
Please have a safe Memorial Day weekend as we remember our true American heroes. The debt of gratitude we owe our service members is immense and I hope you are able to attend any of the weekend observances that are scheduled.
As always, I welcome your thoughts on the issues. Keep sending those emails to rep.tara.mack@house.mn.
Have a great weekend!
Tara
News Items
- 2013 survey results - (Posted: May 17 2013 5:08PM)
- Rep. Mack's 2013 survey - (Posted: Apr 22 2013 4:37PM)
- Budget news, health insurance exchange and more - (Posted: Mar 22 2013 12:00AM)
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