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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Kelly Fenton (R)

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Legislative Update

Monday, February 29, 2016

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Minnesotans received some positive news on Friday—the state is facing a $900 million surplus and there is a healthy appetite among House Republicans to return much of that surplus to hardworking middle-class taxpayers, as well as invest in transportation.

On Friday, the Minnesota Office of Management and Budget released their economic forecast, revealing our state's projected surplus. Thanks to House Republican fiscal restraint last session, money was left on the bottom-line and under state law, $594 million already went into the state budget reserve, leaving the remaining $900 million for legislators to delegate. With that money, my number one priority is tax relief.

This surplus shows state government has collected too much from Woodbury taxpayers, and I would like to see much of that money returned to you. Last session, I supported a tax bill that would direct $2 billion in tax relief to middle-class families, college students, aging adults, veterans and job creators. With provisions like a new Minnesota personal or dependent tax exemption, many Woodbury families could have seen more than $500 in savings if that legislation had been signed into law.  

Our tax plan called for phasing out the social security tax for people living on a fixed income, eliminating the income tax on military pensions for our veterans, expanding student loan debt relief and increasing pre-kindergarten education deductions to name a few, and would have positively impacted individuals and families throughout our community. With a significant surplus now available, it's time we ensure that your family budget is a government priority and we return your hard-earned money through tax relief.

But of course, comprehensive tax legislation was not the only thing left on the table at the end of last session. Thanks to the governor's previous insistence on a regressive gas tax increase, a transportation package to fund road and bridge improvements was blocked and put on hold until 2016. 

Improving our infrastructure is a top priority for our community, and I will be advocating for my legislation again next session that funds a safety study at the 494/694/94 interchange in Woodbury which will help jumpstart much-needed improvements to that stretch of highway. 

Additionally, House Republicans advanced a long-term 10-year, $7 billion transportation plan last session that would have fixed more than 15,000 lane miles of road and 330 bridges statewide—all without a tax increase. I would like to see that pushed forward again this year and signed into law. What’s more, now that the governor has backed away from his gas tax proposal, the legislature has the opportunity to pass transportation legislation that will make long-term investments in infrastructure improvements across the state. 

Overall, with this surplus, there is a lot to be optimistic about heading into the 2016 legislative session on March 8th. As always, if you have ideas about what you would like to see happen this session, I welcome you to share your thoughts with me. Your input is valuable and guides me toward supporting legislation that best serves our community. Please don’t hesitate to call (651-296-1147), email (rep.kelly.fenton@house.mn) or stop by my office.

Sincerely,

Kelly