Dear Neighbors,
First, congrats to the Burnsville boys hockey team for knocking off St. Thomas Academy last night and punching their ticket to The Tourney!
For most of you, the weekend has already started. Before you head out and enjoy the warm weather tomorrow, I wanted to update you on our state’s current budget forecast.
This morning, Minnesota Management and Budget (MMB) unveiled their fiscal years 2016-2017 forecast. MMB predicts a $900 million surplus; down somewhat from November’s $1.2 billion projection. The slowing economic growth was partially caused by a reduction in sales tax collections. In 2015, House Republicans acted as a safeguard against the spend-heavy policies of Minnesota Democrats. By preventing Democrats from using every penny last session, we saved our state from spending ourselves into a deficit.
One way to remedy the shrinking surplus is to provide tax relief for families across the state. Our current tax proposal puts more money in the pockets of senior citizens, recent college grads, and military veterans. More money each paycheck means an increase in purchasing of goods and services. That seems like a win-win to me.
The legislative session starts in just over a week. Please continue to call and email with any questions or suggestions.
Have a great weekend,
Drew