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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Cindy Pugh (R)

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Commentary: Successful biennium but vetoes were disappointing and will harm Minnesotans

Friday, June 8, 2018

Commentary: Successful biennium but vetoes were disappointing and will harm Minnesotans

Despite the governor’s recent “veto spree,” the Minnesota Legislature just completed one of the most productive two-year periods in recent history. I am proud to have been part of the Republican majority in the Minnesota House, which delivered significant tax relief, implemented health care reforms that lowered costs and increased choices for Minnesota families, increased education funding and which achieved record-setting investments in road and bridge infrastructure throughout the state. The work of the last two legislative sessions was not only a reflection of “the will of the people” of Minnesota but the priorities of the vast majority of its citizens as well.

Unfortunately, Gov. Mark Dayton’s vetoes of two of our bipartisan bills (which would have benefited millions of Minnesotans) will harm those same individuals. I am profoundly disappointed in the governor whose vetoes appeared to have been without regard for the consequences his actions would have on the good people of Minnesota.

One of these bills was the critical, bipartisan tax conformity and education funding bill which was a result of major compromise between legislative Republicans and Dayton. The bill protected taxpayers — holding 99.8 percent harmless — simplified Minnesota’s tax code and provided the first income tax rate cut in nearly 20 years. It also made available more than $225 million to help students — nearly $100 million more than the governor requested — and included “new” money while offering additional flexibility to school districts to address budget shortfalls or school safety measures of their choosing.

The other was the bipartisan supplemental spending bill. In fact, almost 70 percent of the objections raised by the governor were amended or removed altogether — meeting him more than halfway. The bill contained shared priorities like tackling the opioid epidemic, protecting aging and vulnerable adults, and preventing a 7 percent cut to caregivers of disabled Minnesotans. You can count me among those members who were holding onto a glimmer of hope that the governor would sign our bills.

The tax, education and supplemental spending bills we sent to the governor built on the tremendously successful accomplishments from the 2017 session, which 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, as well as reforms to lower health care costs and boost health care choices for Minnesota families.

Fortunately, there was nothing the governor could have done this legislative session to negate the historic accomplishments of our last session!

Though disheartened by the governor’s vetoes, I remain optimistic that the next governor of our great state will put that which is good for Minnesotans above partisan politics.

Bonding and pension bills signed into law

I was very pleased to learn that Dayton signed our bonding bill, which included, among many other projects, $541 million for transportation, $178 million for asset preservation of state-owned property, $208 million for refurbishment of higher education facilities, $28 million for mental health crisis centers, $32 million for three veterans homes in Greater Minnesota and $25 million for safety improvements to Minnesota schools.

In addition, I secured $9 million in funding to complete the critical Highway 101 project in Chanhassen, our home of 30 years, which has been a top priority for Carver County for a very long time!

Lastly, but critically important to tax payers across the state, was the governor’s signature on the pensions bill, which reflected three years of bipartisan work and will go a long way toward ensuring the state will be in a better position to honor its future obligations to its over 500,000 state workers. According to Minnesota Management and Budget, this legislation will eliminate $3.4 billion from the state’s unfunded pension liability and improve the sustainability of pensions for police, volunteer firefighters, teachers and public employees.

It’s expected to save Minnesota taxpayers $57 million in fiscal year 2019 and $263 million in the next biennium. Minnesota’s unfunded public pension liability was an issue I went door-to-door on in 2012 and have been talking about ever since. This bill offers a good start at changing the trajectory on public pension liabilities; however, much more reform will be required in the years ahead.

Time will tell what the 2019 legislative session will bring; however, given the governor’s vetoes on critical legislation this session, it’s clear there will be much work to do! I’ve greatly appreciated hearing from so many of you and look forward to continuing to receive your thoughts and concerns regarding unresolved issues of significance to you and your families. Thank you for the honor and privilege of serving you and House District 33B in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

  • Rep. Cindy Pugh