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

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Final days of session are upon us

Friday, May 18, 2018

Dear Neighbor,

We are now in the final few days of the 2018 legislative session and the Legislature is scheduled to be at the Capitol throughout the weekend to put the finishing touches on bills we have been working on the last few months so we can present them to the governor for enactment.

Nothing is a done deal until either the governor signs a bill into law or legislators adjourn for good. For example, we continue working on a solution for the tax bill the governor vetoed yesterday. A couple of thoughts on the veto:

First of all, it was disappointing the governor vetoed this bipartisan bill that would simplify Minnesota’s tax code and provide additional tax relief to middle-class Minnesotans. The bill includes the first income tax rate cut for Minnesotans in nearly two decades. Overall, the bill cuts taxes for 2.2 million Minnesotans. Without the reforms in this bill, conforming to the federal tax code would cause 969,490 filers to pay more.

On another note, I found it to be extremely distasteful for the governor to conduct his veto of the tax bill at a grade school in a room full of very young children. It came across as using children as props to deliver a highly partisan message. It’s one thing for people disagree over a tax bill, but lining the podium with the youngest children who have no worldly idea of the issues at hand is appalling.

This issue is not over. We need to get this bill done and the House will continue working to find resolution in the session’s remaining days.

Stay tuned for more on the tax bill and other issues that remain works in progress. I also remain hopeful a bonding bill with funding for local funding also will reach the finish line. It all is part of the legislative process.

Sincerely,

Bud