Historic tax relief, transportation funding increase are signature accomplishments of 2017
ST. PAUL – Rep. Jim Knoblach, R-St. Cloud, is applauding $650 million in tax relief, a significant increase in transportation funding and investments in education as top accomplishments of the 2017 Legislature, which completed its budget work and adjourned early Friday morning.
“Tax relief and funding for roads and bridges were two of the House’s top priorities this session and we delivered,” Knoblach said. “The bills we passed for both of those areas are historic and will really define this session as an overwhelming success. Of course there are some things we would have liked to have done that fell to the cutting-room floor, but that’s the nature of reaching compromise in a divided government.”
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 the 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 education budget which passed provides $1.35 billion more for K-12, a 2-percent increase in each of the next two years. That includes $50 million more to allow districts such as St. Cloud’s continue the early-learning programs started last year.
A $995 million bonding bill which was approved by the Legislature provides $18.6 million for work at SCSU’s Eastman Hall and $19 million for Phase 2 of improvements on the St. Cloud Correctional Facility’s intake and loading dock.
In addition, Republicans championed and the Legislature approved the largest investment in road and bridge infrastructure in state history, billions more over the next decade for transportation without an increase in the gas tax or license tab fees. The bill provides $300 million more in transportation funding during the next biennium alone.
“I am pleased we were able to reach a compromise with the governor on transportation,” Knoblach said. “The House’s position has been that we can provide more funding for roads and bridges without raising taxes if we uphold it as the budget priority that it deserves to be. It is good the governor ultimately agreed and Minnesotans will be pleased with the results.”
In all, the Legislature sent 10 budget bills, the bonding bill and a labor standards bill to the governor’s desk for his signature.
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