Dear Neighbors,
Last Thursday, Minnesota’s Management and Budget Office released their November Economic Forecast, revealing a projected surplus of $1.871 billion for Fiscal Years 2016-2017.
State law requires that $594 million of this surplus be put into the state budget reserve, thus leaving an overall projected balance of $1.206 billion.
This news lays the groundwork for the upcoming legislative session as lawmakers, groups, and constituents have begun discussing what should be done with the surplus.
Simply put, such a large surplus is an indication that Minnesotans are overtaxed. This comes as no shock as Democrats raised taxes two years ago by $2.1 billion.
Given this, I am committed to bringing meaningful tax relief to hard working Minnesotans. Last session, the House passed a tax bill that would have brought relief to middle class families, college students, seniors, veterans, small businesses, and more. I would expect similar legislation to be revisited this coming session and am hopeful that we will be able to bring much needed relief to Minnesotans and their families.
In addition to providing tax relief, I would like to see some of the surplus go towards addressing our transportation needs.
At the end of the day, we need to remember that this surplus is your money, not the government's. I encourage you to contact me via email at rep.sondra.erickson@house.mn or phone at 651-296-6746 to share your thoughts and ideas for what should be done with the surplus.
Town Hall Meeting
I am hosting a town hall meeting on Wednesday, December 16 at the Isle City Hall in Isle to discuss ideas for the creation of an enterprise/innovation business zone in the lake area to help with lake recovery and to increase the tax base of the area.
The DNR’s mismanagement of Lake Mille Lacs has put a strain on businesses in our communities. I am looking forward to hearing feedback and discussing ideas with constituents about what we can do to boost our local economy and relieve stress on our local businesses.
The town hall is scheduled to begin at the Isle City Hall at 7 pm on Wednesday, December 16 and is free of charge.
I hope to see you there.
Staying in Touch
As always, please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or comments about issues that are important to you. Please contact my office via email at rep.sondra.erickson@house.mn or by phone at 651-296-6746 to discuss your ideas for how we can make Minnesota a great place to live, work, and raise a family.
Sincerely,
Sondra