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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Tony Albright (R)

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Legislative Update - Tax Increases Coming Soon

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Neighbors,

Most of our committee work is now over, and this week the omnibus budget bills that will make up the 2014-2015 biennium will come to the House floor for initial passage.

On Monday, we took up the first budget omnibus bill, the Jobs and Economic Development bill. We're also scheduled to take up the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture Finance bill on Thursday.

Good News for Scott County Schools

I’m happy to report that school districts in our area received considerable funding again last year from the School Trust Land program run by the Dept. of Natural Resources. School Trust Land is owned by the state but utilized for various resources to produce revenue that is given back to public schools. Some land is used for forestry, mining, etc. In 2012, the following amounts were granted to these school districts:

Jordan Public Schools - $52,235

Prior Lake – Savage Area Schools - $210,826

Shakopee Public Schools - $217,459

New Prague Area Schools - $108,904

Large Tax Increase Near

While many of you rushed to complete your tax filings in the last week or two, Democrat leaders in the Minnesota House celebrated tax season by announcing their 2013 Tax Omnibus Bill. We currently face a small budget deficit of around $600 million, but the bill proposes taking an addition $2.5 billion from hardworking taxpayers to close the gap and expand wasteful spending. This tax increase would include higher taxes on tobacco products, alcohol (raising the price of a glass of wine or beer), and on higher income individuals (including many entrepreneurs). We should focus on a healthy economy with efficient and effective government policies. This will help spur healthy job growth.

I recently held a roundtable discussion in our district with members of the community and elected officials to talk about my work in St. Paul to streamline government. You can read about this and my thoughts on growing jobs in the Jordan Independent.

“Jobs” Bill Raises Fees to Grow Government

The House passed the first omnibus budget bill of the year last night - the Jobs, Commerce and Housing Omnibus bill – which will spend $436 million on various expenditures in an effort to “grow” jobs through government activities. I did not support the bill because it is drastically larger than this same budget was just two years ago, and it will cost businesses jobs in our state economy.

The bill increases $30 million in new taxes and fees on Minnesotans, including:

  • Insurance Agent Appointments Fee increase
  • Weights & Measures Fee (gas stations, grocery stores) increase
  • Cosmetologist Penalties increase
  • Barbers Fee increase
  • Plumbing Inspection Fee restructuring

And spends money on:

  • A 46% increase in the state’s rental car tax to pay for Explore Minnesota tourism advertising
  • $500,000 in additional assistance to ex-felons through the Network for Better Futures program
  • $360,000 for the Dept. of Economic Development (DEED) to hire marketing consultants and rebrand state programs
  • $300,000 for DEED to travel the state and study the cost of living
  • $140,000 to fund a voicemail program for homeless people that is already funded through local/private money.

The bill also makes unfair changes to unemployment rules for Minnesota workers. While 26 weeks of pay is the typical amount of unemployment assistance laid off workers can receive, my Democrat colleagues are proposing to provide three years of unemployment to “locked out” workers, such as recent factory workers you may have heard about. Minnesota needs a healthy economy where everyone has the same opportunity, everyone follows the rules and everyone benefits.

 

Sincerely,

Tony Albright