Dear Neighbors,
The 2016 legislative session has wrapped up. Frankly, the results were a mixed bag as it relates to the future of our state. While we were able to make some incremental progress on some important items, on many others the legislature was, unfortunately, not able to reach a compromise. With adjournment for the two-year biennium behind us, I'd like to highlight some of these items.
Utilizing our $900 million-plus budget surplus, we were able to pass some tax cuts which, while modest, will help Minnesotans and their families. I was proud to have my Working Family Tax Credit heard in the House Tax Committee, and then see expansion of this tax credit enacted into law, and extended to young single workers. Also included was the groundbreaking Student Loan Tax Credit which will provide relief from the student debt crisis, and veterans will see a tax cut with an expansion of the Past Military Service Credit.
Unfortunately, relief from the tax on Social Security income, a provision I supported to assist our seniors who have already done so much for our community and state, was not included in this bill. I urge my colleagues to consider this relief in the upcoming legislative session.
Education is a priority in our community. I was pleased to see that we were able to invest in more funding for our preschool learners, school counselors and other important support staff. Also included was my bill to require more teacher training to ensure our teachers can more easily identify and appropriately refer students with serious mental health issues to the appropriate professionals. More than 50 K-12 students commit suicide in Minnesota every year, including an average of 12 children age ten and under. (This piece of legislation was inspired by a courageous editorial written by a community member whose child was tragically taken from him by suicide.)
Also included was funding for my bill to establish a groundbreaking pilot, based on neuroscience, to help struggling readers through singing. This pilot is brought forward by Rock 'n Read, a nonprofit started and run by two more of our caring community members. I look forward to the results of this pilot and its tremendous implications for assisting us in closing the achievement gap.
Unfortunately, even with almost a billion dollar surplus, no money was appropriated to assist school districts in the metro area with the normal inflationary costs of doing business.
Also, despite the innovative and encouraging tax provision to assist students with their debt loans described above, the student debt crisis will remain with us, and continue to have a crippling hold on many young Minnesotans and their families. As the cost of a degree continues to grow out of control, it's almost unbelievable we couldn't even freeze college tuition at the U of M and MnSCU institutions. As I have door knocked and met with community members, this issue comes up again and again. We simply have to do better so we can attract and retain bright, talented young people in Minnesota.
The Legislature also failed to require any greater sunshine on the dark money pouring into political campaigns. Currently, through a loophole in campaign finance law, corporate special interests are able to funnel money through Super PACs and other outfits to influence elections without disclosing the real source of the money. Voters are wary of this new phenomenon, which harms our discourse and ultimately is not healthy for our democracy. I know in our own district this dark money pours in, and I join the many community members who have contacted me with their dismay, and even condemnation of, this practice.
One of the biggest disappointments of the session is that no compromise was reached so we can begin to fix our transportation infrastructure. Despite the clear and repeated messages from across the entire state saying that we need a long-term, comprehensive, multi-modal transportation system that works for our community members and businesses, an unprecedented bonding/transportation bill, which did not include funding for SouthWest Light Rail, was made available to legislators at 11:15 PM Sunday night, with a looming, constitutionally-mandated midnight adjournment deadline. This is totally unacceptable.
For the second consecutive year, the session concluded under a process full of backroom deals with next to no opportunity for public input. Once again, the final negotiations with leaders from the House and Senate were crammed into the last 24 hours and citizens were left in the dark from the decision making process. Minnesotans are rightfully frustrated by it, and I have been supportive every step of the way of reforms to our legislative process such as ensuring that every bill gets at least 24 hour notice before a final vote. Minnesotans deserve better, and send us to the Capitol to compromise and work together on behalf of our citizenry.
As many of you may know, I will not be returning to the state legislature next year. It has been an honor to serve you in the Minnesota Legislature, and to partner with you in passing legislation that benefits our community and our state. Thank you all for your active participation in our democracy, and the thoughtful insights you have shared with me over the last four years. Because of all of you and your commitment to the greater good, Minnesota is a great place to live.
As always, please feel free to contact me at any time.
Best Regards,
Yvonne Selcer
State Representative