ST. PAUL – State Representative Bob Dettmer (R-Forest Lake) issued a statement in response to a report published by Minnesota Management & Budget (MMB) last week. The report is MMB’s post-session Consolidated Fund Statement for the 2013 legislative session and details the state’s spending over the next two years as passed by the Democratic Majority and signed by Governor Mark Dayton in May. In the document, both general fund spending and all funds spending for the next four years is projected, and state officials reported the 2014-2015 all funds budget will include the largest budget increase in state history. With Democratic lawmakers in complete control of state government, Minnesota’s total spending will increase by more than $6 billion to a historic high of $67 billion in the 2013/2014 biennium. Here's the statement:
“The unbalanced approach of raising taxes to fuel runaway spending in the state legislature has now become even clearer. This new report from Minnesota’s budget leaders shows just how fast government spending is growing on the backs of hardworking taxpayers. Democrats put into motion unsustainable spending that can’t be continued and ignores our fragile and recovering economic situation. Minnesotans are getting back to work and wasteful state spending has been held flat thanks to smart decisions by the Republican legislature two years ago, but our work to make government more effective and efficient is under attack. The progress towards better budgeting and a healthier private economy is threatened by metro-focused, bigger government policies passed this year.”
You can read the entire report online here: http://www.mmb.state.mn.us/doc/budget/report-cons/may13.pdf (page 3 for FY12/13 and FY14/15 total expenses).
Dettmer is a fourth-term lawmaker from Forest Lake and serves as the GOP lead on the House State Government Finance and Veterans Affairs Committee.