Friends,
Today is the first day of the 2018 Session and I am looking forward to continuing to work for our community in St. Paul. It's been an eventful first year in the legislature and I am proud of the work we've been able to accomplish and the changes we are making to make the legislature a better place to work.
As part of that effort to improve the environment at the Capitol and in the wake of some sexual harassment issues that came to light over the last several months, we have created a new subcommittee to deal with these issues. The Subcommittee on Workplace Safety and Respect will be chaired by Majority Leader Joyce Peppin and comprised of members of both parties. This is a welcomed development and I am glad we are taking the issue of workplace safety seriously.
In addition to the formation of this subcommittee, every member of the House will take part in an all-day mandatory sexual harassment training the day after we begin the 2018 session. I am confident these actions will help make the Capitol a place where everyone can feel safe and respected at work.
Rep. Barr meeting with school district officials from Districts 197 & 199
Interview with House Information
Earlier this year, I sat down with nonpartisan House Information Services to preview the upcoming session and talk a bit about my first year in the legislature. Click here or below to watch the quick interview.
Tax Relief & Reform
During the 2017 Legislative Session, we passed the first meaningful tax relief for Minnesotans in nearly two decades. My House colleagues and I worked hard to deliver significant tax relief and ultimately passed into law $650 million in tax relief for Minnesota families over the next two years, and $790 million in 2020-2021. Specific relief includes:
- Nearly 284,000 senior citizen tax returns (single and married filing jointly) will receive tax reductions; 72,000 of those will no longer pay state income tax on their social security benefits.
- A family of four making $50,000 a year will receive an additional $1,200 toward their child care expenses.
- 65,000 students will receive an average of a $414 reduction in their taxes through a new tax credit for student loan payments.
Then in late 2017, Congress passed major tax reform at the federal level. Due to these major changes at the federal level, we must make changes at the state level to conform to the federal code. Part of what we must do is to work to make sure Minnesotans do not experience tax increases due to changes required to comply with the federal reform.
If we do not conform our code to the federal changes, Minnesotans looking to file their taxes next year will face a complicated mess on par with the MNLARS situation detailed next.
MNLARS Update
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety rolled out their new computer system, MNLARS, in 2017. Immediately there were major problems as thousands of Minnesotans couldn't renew tabs and other basic functions of government.
When the MNLARS system was failing, the Dayton administration insisted for weeks that problems were being overblown and things would be quickly corrected. However, the Department of Public Safety is now asking for an additional $43 million on top of almost $100 million already spent over the past 10 years to begin to fix this problem.
This is an unrealistic request and Minnesota taxpayers should not be saddled with the bill to clean up the mess. During this upcoming session, we must determine who is responsible and make sure they are held accountable so nothing like this happens again.
If you have had or encounter a problem with the MNLARS system, such as difficulty renewing your vehicle tabs, please use this form to let us know what is going on. We are working with DPS to resolve issues and help fix the system.
Rep. Barr with River Heights Chamber annual meeting celebrating 115 years
In Case You Missed It: Tour around 52B!
Late last summer, we put together a video that highlights some of the great and beautiful parts of District 52B, which encompasses Inver Grove Heights, Sunfish Lake, parts of Mendota Heights and Eagan. I think it turned out very well and am proud to represent such a fantastic place to live. Check out the video here!
On this day in History
In 1792, President George Washington signed into legislation an act that renewed the United States Post Office as a cabinet department to be led by the postmaster general. It guaranteed inexpensive delivery of newspapers, protected the privacy of citizens, and granted Congress the ability to expand the postal service to new areas of the nation. Read more here.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas with me. You can schedule a time to meet with me in my office anytime by calling me at 651-296-4192, or share your thoughts by emailing me at rep.regina.barr@house.mn.
Have a great week!
Regina