Wishing you a wonderful Memorial Day weekend as we take time to remember and honor those who lost their lives serving our nation.
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Last weekend the Legislature adjourned, capping off one of the most productive two years in recent memory. Over the last biennium, we have had signed into law 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 increases for education, and reforms to lower health care costs and increase choice for Minnesota families. To build off those successes, lawmakers passed and sent a compromise tax conformity and education funding bill, a bonding bill, a supplemental bill and a pension bill to the governor's desk for consideration.
First, our tax conformity and education plan was part of a meaningful effort to find compromise with the governor who expressed he would not sign a critically-needed tax conformity bill without additional funding for schools. The federal conformity portion of our legislation protected taxpayers, simplified Minnesota's tax code, ensured 99.8 percent of filers would be held harmless or see a tax cut next year, and provided the first income tax rate cut in nearly two decades. It also made available more than $225 million to help students—nearly $100 million more than what the governor requested, providing new money and additional flexibility for school districts facing budget shortfalls.
In the supplemental budget bill, legislators again compromised with the governor—nearly 70 percent of the objections raised by the governor were removed or amended, meeting him more than halfway. The bill contained shared priorities like ensuring safe schools, repairing roads and bridges, tackling the opioid epidemic, protecting aging and vulnerable adults, increasing penalties for distracted driving, and preventing a cut to caregivers of disabled Minnesotans.
Unfortunately on Wednesday, Governor Dayton vetoed both of those bills which will have a significant and negative impact on Minnesota families, taxpayers, schools and citizens across the state.
Here is a brief list of just some of the people that are affected by Governor Dayton’s decision to veto:
- Victims of elder abuse
- Victims of opioid addiction, and medical professionals
- Victims of distracted driving
- Special education and Head Start students
- People dealing with MNLARS hassles
- Deputy registrars whose businesses are floundering after MNLARS
- People who need mental health support, particularly farmers and students
- Students who need help to afford college
- People who need job training and businesses that need skilled workers
- K-12 students who won’t benefit from school safety funding
- Taxpayers who will have a difficult time filing their taxes next year
- Voters concerned about election security
- Minnesotans concerned about privacy, data breaches, and cyber security
- CPAs and tax professionals who will be dealing with very complex tax filings
- Low-income working families who rely on federal child care subsidies
- New teachers who need licenses, and schools who want to hire them
- Schools that need adjustments to fully fund special education
- Patients who care about transparent pricing for health care and prescription drugs
- People with disabilities, and their caretakers, who would be affected by a 7% cut to the Disability Waiver Rate System
I am still hopeful that Governor Dayton will still act positively on the infrastructure-heavy bonding bill we sent him. The majority of funding is dedicated to brick-and-mortar projects such as roads and bridges, water infrastructure and statewide asset preservation, and also includes $32 million for the construction of three new veterans homes in Greater Minnesota.
But as I stated earlier, even though I am incredibly disappointed in the governor’s veto, I believe we have delivered a number of positive accomplishments for Woodbury residents, families and taxpayers over the past two years. It is a privilege to work for you in St. Paul, and I will continue to advocate for our shared priorities at the Capitol.
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As always, if you have ideas about what you would like to see happen this session or need assistance on a matter of state government, I welcome you to contact me. Please don’t hesitate to call (651-296-1147), email (rep.kelly.fenton@house.mn) or stop by my office.
Sincerely,
Kelly
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