Historic tax relief, transportation funding increase are signature accomplishments of 2017
ST. PAUL – Rep. Bud Nornes, R-Fergus Falls, is pointing to $650 million in tax relief and a significant increase in transportation funding as the top accomplishments of the 2017 Legislature, which completed its budget work and adjourned early Friday morning.
“The people of Minnesota are truly going to like this budget we put together,” Nornes said. “The House prevailed on two of its very top priorities this session: providing tax relief and increasing funding for roads and bridges. The accomplishments we made in both areas, with $650 million in tax relief and $300 million more for transportation during the next two years, are really what will be remembered about the 2017 session.”
The Minnesota House and Senate concluded a brief special session by passing the final bills that comprise the state’s 2018-19 budget. In all, the Legislature passed seven bills during special session: taxes, transportation, state government, health and human services, K-12 education, capital investment and labor standards.
The Republican-led tax bill will mean more than $650 million in tax relief – the largest tax cut in nearly two decades – for Minnesota families in the 2018-19 biennium and roughly $750 million in tax relief in 2020-21. It includes relief for seniors on Social Security, college graduates with student loan debt, and property tax relief for farmers and Minnesota businesses.
“The tax relief for seniors is especially important,” Nornes said. “For too long Minnesota has been an outlier among states in that it is one of very few to fully tax Social Security income. The bill we passed will correct that problem and leave more money in the pockets of seniors each month.”
In addition, Republicans championed and the Legislature approved the largest investment in road and bridge infrastructure in state history, billions more for transportation over the next decade without an increase in the gas tax or license tab fees.
In all, the Legislature sent 10 budget bills, a $995 million bonding bill and a labor standards bill to the governor’s desk for his signature.
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