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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
Reform 2.0 meeting successful
Dear Neighbor,
I want to thank the people who attended the recent Reform 2.0 meeting at City Hall in Burnsville this past week. My fellow legislators and I who co-hosted the event appreciate all the good ideas we received.
The meeting revolved around a package of bills we are preparing to improve the way our state operates to make the most of our tax dollars. It is quite clear new efficiencies are needed so we can maximize the impact of money provided by our hard-working taxpayers and uphold our priorities. I continue welcoming ideas from citizens, business people and local government officials as to what we can do better.
Here are just a few suggestions provided by local citizens at the Burnsville meeting:
? Provide more incentives for state agencies to identify ways they can operate more efficiently and reward agencies for coming in under budget.
? Have the state stop doing things our cities and counties can do themselves; the closer our tax dollars stay to home the stronger return we get on our investment.
? Revamp our state's cumbersome permitting process which ultimately costs taxpayers, slows business growth and stymies job creators.
? Quit taxing retirement income so we stop chasing retirees to other states.
? Businesses start with Dollar No. 1, establish priorities and stick with them when they formulate a budget; the state should do the same.
? Eliminate unfunded mandates the state puts on local governments which restrict budget flexibility and often cost local taxpayers.
I want to remind folks we did pass legislation this year to help gauge the effectiveness of government so we can make adjustments where needed. The new Sunset Commission will assess 12 key performance factors and use its findings to recommend ending, continuing or reorganizing each aspect of state government.
We all are still feeling the pinch of our recession and we cannot ask hard-working Minnesotans to pay more in taxes when there are efficiencies to be found. As a member of the Health and Human Services Reform Committee, I will be particularly be involved with reforming an area where key reforms were enacted this year, but much more work remains.
Beyond the Burnsville meeting, I will continue meeting with area citizens, local government officials and business leaders in our communities to receive their ideas for what the state can do better. I always welcome your input and you can reach me by emailing rep.tara.mack@house.mn or by calling my legislative office at (651) 296-5506. I also encourage people to participate in the reform process by logging on to the Reform 2.0 Facebook page. There is ongoing dialogue on a number of subjects.
Have a great weekend!
Sincerely,
Tara
News Items
- April 6 Legislative Update - (Posted: 2012-04-06 00:00:00)
- March 30 Legislative Update - (Posted: 2012-03-30 00:00:00)
- March 23 Legislative Update - (Posted: 2012-03-23 00:00:00)
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