Dear Friends,
Today the House and Senate passed a tax bill that goes a long way toward undoing the mistakes made by the majority in 2013. This bill repeals the three business-to-business taxes passed last session, the gift tax, and conforms much of Minnesota's tax code to the federal code restoring important tax deductions for Minnesotans.
This was by no means a perfect bill. It did not extend the marriage deduction retroactively for tax year 2013 to 640,000 families who would have received an average deduction of $112 per return. The business-to-business tax repeal was not retroactive, meaning the government will keep $55.9 million in already-collected taxes since they began July 1, 2013. With a $1.2 billion surplus, we could have provided refunds to these businesses. I believe there's more we can do to correct the mistakes of last session, and will continue to support efforts to take corrective action.
If you have not yet filed your tax return, the Department of Revenue is asking that taxpayers wait until Monday to file. If you have already filed your taxes, the Revenue Department will automatically review your return to ensure you receive the deductions you are eligible for.
If you have questions about how the federal conformity provisions or tax repeal may impact your tax return, please contact me, and I will do my best to get you an answer or help connect you with someone at the Department of Revenue who can provide expert advice.
Upcoming Job Fair
Coming up on Thursday, March 27th at the Eagan Civic Center is the Get Jobs fair. If you or anyone you know is seeking employment, job fairs can be a good place to start. For more information on the Get Jobs Fair including the list of more than 95 companies registered for the event, please visit http://mn.gov/deed/events/get-jobs/index.jsp
Flood Insurance
With all the snow from this past winter beginning to melt, the Minnesota Commerce Department is urging Minnesotans to review their flood insurance needs.
Flood damage is not covered under a standard homeowner's policy, so the Commerce Department recommends reviewing flood maps to determine whether or not flood insurance would be a good investment for your home. There is limited time to review updated flood maps. Homeowners should act quickly – flood insurance takes 30 days to go into effect.
Each homeowner's situation is different, but I would urge you to take a moment, and read the Department of Commerce news release so you can take precautions if it makes sense for your home.
District 57B Day
Just a reminder to register for the District 57B Day at the Capitol. This is a chance for an up-close look at the average day at the Capitol, with a tour, discussion and update on the 2014 session, and a House floor session. You can invite friends and neighbors on the Facebook event. You can register for the event by clicking here, or by following the link on the Facebook event.
Constituent Visits
Thanks to the parents, staff, and students from District 196 Early Childhood & Family Education for stopping by my office to talk about early childhood education. I loved the handmade posters the children made for me! To learn more about ECFE, visit: http://www.district196.org/ec/
And thanks to District 57B constituents who were part of the Business Professionals of Minnesota Association College Division who visited to talk about their organization's efforts to prepare students for the business workforce. To learn more, visit: http://www.mnbpacollege.org/
And thank you to the many more constituents who came to visit me about important issues, from Minnesota Utility Investors to SEIU members! If you are planning on visiting St. Paul and would like to schedule a meeting, please contact my office at rep.anna.wills@house.mn or by phone at 651-296-4306.
Have a great weekend,
Anna Wills
State Representative, District 57B