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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Bud Nornes (R)

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House roundup

Friday, May 4, 2018

Dear Neighbor,

Before we get into legislative news, I want to mention that I was pleased to take part in this year’s National Day of Prayer yesterday at the Capitol. This is an event I am proud to support and you can click here for more about its purpose and some historical background.

As for official business, school safety and tax relief are two of our top priorities in the House and we passed bills to help in both regards over the span of just several days.

The education package was approved late last week. On Monday passed bipartisan tax legislation which would simplify Minnesota’s tax code and provide additional tax relief to middle-class Minnesotans. The legislation also delivers the first income tax rate cut for Minnesotans in nearly two decades by reducing the second tier income tax rate.

The bipartisan support each of these bills have gained really bodes well as we now begin negotiating our positions with the governor and the Senate. It’s going to be difficult for the governor to continue his push to raise taxes on households of all income levels when so many members of both parties are supporting the House plan to provide real relief.

Without the House reforms, conforming to the federal tax code would cause nearly 970,000 filers to pay more. Instead, the House bill delivers the first income tax cut in nearly 20 years and more than 2.1 million Minnesota filers will benefit from a tax cut in tax year 2018.

In contrast to the House’s legislation to simplify and reduce taxes, an analysis conducted by the Minnesota Department of Revenue shows that tax changes proposed in Gov. Mark Dayton’s supplemental budget would raise taxes on Minnesotans of every income level, and make Minnesota's tax code more regressive.

Transportation is another area of broad interest and the House has passed a finance package which appropriates $385 million to transportation needs this year. This includes:

  • $250 million for highways statewide through Trunk Highway bonds
  • $145 million in Trunk Highway bonds and $10 million in cash for Corridors of Commerce program projects
  • $25 million for county roads, $6.6 million for city roads, $2 million for township roads
  • $7 million for Small Cities Assistance Program for cities under 5,000
  • $75 million for trunk highway rail grade separation projects
  • $9 million to deputy registrars for MNLARS reimbursement aid
  • Establishes the Freight Rail Economic Development Program
  • Defines the operating costs definition for LRT spending

Have a good weekend and I will do my best to pass along the latest developments as we work our way through the final full two weeks of the 2018 session.

Sincerely,

Bud