Friends,
On Sunday, House Republicans concluded the 2018 session, passing a compromise tax conformity and education funding bill, a bonding bill, and a pension bill to the Governor's desk for consideration. Earlier Sunday, we passed the supplemental budget bill to the governor's desk.
We worked hard this session to come to a compromise agreement on a wide variety of issues to address the priorities of Minnesota families, and that is reflected in the bills we have put on the governor's desk. We successfully included emergency education funding, school safety funding, tax simplification and relief, and a host of other common-sense proposals to make Minnesota a better place to live. I hope the governor does the right thing and signs our compromise bills into law.
The tax conformity and education plan were part of a compromise effort between legislative Republicans and Governor Dayton. The plan protects taxpayers, simplifies Minnesota's tax code, and provides the first income tax rate cut in nearly 20 years. It also makes available more than $225 million to help students—nearly $100 million more than what the governor requested, provides new money and additional flexibility for school districts to address budget shortfalls.
In the supplemental budget bill, House and Senate Republicans compromised with the governor—more than 60 percent of the objections raised by the governor were removed or amended, meeting him more than halfway. The bill contains shared priorities like ensuring safe schools, repairing roads and bridges, tackling the opioid epidemic, protecting aging and vulnerable adults, and preventing a cut to caregivers of disabled Minnesotans.
A top priority for House Republicans this year was improved school safety and student mental health. The bonding bill passed Sunday night brings the total school safety investment to more than $50 million—double the amount proposed by Governor Dayton.
We also advanced an infrastructure-heavy, geographically balanced capital investment package featuring $825 million in general obligation bonding to fund construction projects throughout the state. The majority of funding is dedicated to bricks-and-mortar projects, such as roads and bridges, water infrastructure and statewide asset preservation. In addition, the bonding bill includes $32 million for the construction of new veterans homes in Bemidji, Montevideo, and Preston, as well as $10 million for the renovation of existing homes.
The bills sent to the governor build on the tremendously successful accomplishments from the 2017 session that included the largest tax cut in nearly two decades, the largest investment in roads and bridges in state history without a gas tax increase, major funding boosts for education, and reforms to lower health care costs and boost health care choices for Minnesota families.
The compromise proposals await action by Governor Dayton in the coming days.
Keep in Touch
Thank you to so many of you who have contacted my office so far this Session! I receive hundreds of emails weekly and value all of your feedback. Thank you also for your patience as I work to respond to each of you.
As always, please don't hesitate to contact me with your comments, questions, and concerns. Email me anytime at rep.anna.wills@house.mn or call 651-296-4306. Stay up to date with what I am up to at the legislature and around our community by following my updates on Facebook at www.facebook.com/repannawills.
Have a great week!
Sincerely,
Anna Wills
State Representative District 57B