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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Dan Fabian (R)

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Happy Easter!

Monday, April 14, 2014

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

I wish you and your family blessings and peace during the Easter holiday and spring season.

 

Legacy bill buys more state land, lacks maintenance and tax funding mechanism

The House passed a bill that uses Legacy money (that is, your sales tax dollars) to buy more land for the DNR, but it does not incorporate a funding mechanism to pay for maintenance or the taxes on these parcels.

I gave a speech on the floor to discuss the problems that arise when the state continues to use taxpayer funds to buy more and more land.

Namely, it takes away from the county tax base, drives up tax rates for neighboring land owners, and puts strain on the state's General Fund. Quite frankly, this is unsustainable for all parties involved.

Click to watch my speech:

 

Lottery revenue to go toward prevention of aquatic invasive species

Money from lottery proceeds will be used to combat aquatic invasive species, as part of a bill put forward by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).

As a member of the LCCMR, I’ve seen the destruction these species wreak on fisheries throughout the central United States. They’re making their way to Minnesota, and it’s important to figure out a way to stop them.

This bill appropriates funds to create barriers in the Mississippi River. Sportsmen, scientists, and resort owners all tell us if these species get into the Mississippi River past a dam in the Cities, the result will be nothing short of devastating.

The bill also appropriates money for a study on the Roseau River, one of a handful of rivers that has excessively high levels of mercury. We need to find out the cause and how to handle it.

 

$9.50/hour minimum wage increase signed into law

Gov. Dayton signed into law a state minimum wage increase this week. The previous minimum wage was $6.15 per hour, though most employers paid $7.25, the federal minimum wage.

The new rates will be:

  • $9.50 per hour for large employers
  • $7.75 per hour for small employers
  • Beginning January 1, 2018, the minimum wage will be adjusted based on inflation.

From what small, mom and pop business owners in northwest Minnesota have told me—especially those in the restaurant industry—this increase goes too far, too fast. It’s a very personal issue for them. It’s not that they don’t want to pay their workers more; it’s just that it’s already hard enough to make those small businesses work.

Personal testimony and academic studies tell us a large increase to the minimum wage costs job opportunities for the low-skill and young workers (15-24) who make up the majority of the minimum wage workforce. 3-9% of employment opportunities could be lost statewide under this law, and many of the people who will be hurt are high school kids trying to get their foot in the door and build a resume.

Businesses that line our main streets will be even more at odds with our neighbors to the west. (All of Minnesota’s border states pay $7.25 per hour.) They’ve told me that they’ll either have to hire fewer workers or raise their prices but somehow stay competitive with North Dakota.

I understand this is an emotional issue, and it’s not entirely convincing to appeal to facts and figures when talking about it. But we need to consider what this will do to the folks whose blood, sweat, and tears have been poured into their small businesses. As one Dairy Queen owner said to me about increased payroll costs: “How many Dilly Bars can a person sell in Warren, Minnesota?”

I think I’ve been pretty consistent in that my solution to raising wages is to foster a tax-friendly climate that allows businesses to grow and expand. We’ve seen that a strong jobs market raises wages.

I wouldn’t be opposed with us raising the minimum wage to conform with federal standards, but this increase goes far beyond that and puts it on autopilot for the future.

 

Controversial bullying bill becomes law

An anti-bullying bill that school boards, administrators, and parents told us they did not want is now law.

DFL politicians and bureaucrats in St. Paul have written new anti-bullying policy that schools statewide must comply with, mandating unfunded costs of $20-$32 million every year. Their bill also:

  • Creates a new “Climate Center” state agency.
  • Requires schools to comply and conform with the new policy, even if their current policy is successful.
  • Does not require parental notification if a child is accused of bullying or has been bullied.
  • Shifts local school board control to the state.

Folks, we all know that bullying is unacceptable and should not be tolerated in school. As a teacher, parent, and coach, I always made it my goal to make sure school was a safe environment for all students.

I support efforts to deal with bullying, and I’m a strong supporter of our local policies and practices—not a top-down unfunded state mandate. I have great confidence in our staff, administrators, and parents at the local level.

During my conversation with the bill author on the House floor, he said there are many anti-bullying policies around the state that are being used effectively. I followed it up with some other questions and tried to explain that the programs that we have in our local schools are being implemented by our teachers, administrators, parents, and community members—everybody is working together as a team because we recognize that this is an important issue.

I’ve said it before: I don’t believe a bunch of bureaucrats and politicians sitting in St. Paul care more about our students than we do, and I don’t believe they are more well-equipped than we are to deal with these issues on a local level in a personal way.

Click here to watch a portion of my speech:

 

General fund revenue short $67 million in Feb., March

General Fund revenue was short $67 million in February and March, according to a report from non-partisan Minnesota Management and Budget.

Individual income taxes were up, but the sales tax, corporate income tax and all “other” revenues fell short.

 

Visitors

Northwest Minnesota Arts Council

 

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My door is always open to the needs and priorities of our area. Please feel free to let me know if I can be of assistance to you and your family. I am here to serve you!

Dan

**Encourage your neighbors and friends to sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/01A