Dear Neighbor,
I hope all is well and that you are making the most of this summer as the days and weeks fly by. It has been nice to see so many people from our area out and about attending local events. Just a few that I have recently attended include the 42nd annual Boy Scouts Lawn Social, the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Lake Wobegon Trail bike path, Summertime by George, Promise Neighborhood fundraiser, the Granite City Days and St. Joseph Fourth of July parade, and a deployment of Charlie Company at the St. Cloud Army Aviation facility. My prayers are with the latter as they make immense sacrifices to defend our great nation.
As for the latest from St. Paul, this week we received yet another positive report showing our state’s economy continues to grow. An economic update from Minnesota Management & Budget indicates that, through the first six months of this year, the state has taken in $348 million (1.6 percent) more than projected in the February 2018 Budget and Economic Forecast.
The Minnesota Department of Management and Budget now projects General fund revenues in FY 2018 to be 4.7 percent greater than in FY 2017. A wide variety of factors are contributing to our state’s growth including tax relief, additional transportation investment, and low unemployment. I believe the decisions we have made at the Capitol the last couple of years are contributing to these strong results. Based on these results and additional funds left over at the end of the 2018 session, I would expect to have another large projected surplus in the next budget forecast.
In other news, I am pleased to have been appointed to the Legislative Budget Office Oversight Commission. The panel provides oversight for the new Legislative Budget Office, which was created this biennium to improve the system of establishing fiscal estimates for how much any given proposed new law would cost taxpayers. This new system is Good Government 101, increasing objectivity and transparency on estimates, while also eliminating any hint of politics as a factor because the LBO is a non-partisan operation. I look forward to seeing positive results delivered through this reform as citizens have a clearer picture of state spending.
On a final note, we are approaching 60 days since the Legislature adjourned, at which point legislators are unable to send email updates such as this until after the November election. I will continue corresponding with constituents on a one-on-one basis and welcome your personal communications.
Until next time, I hope to see you around the district.
Sincerely,
Jim