To the editor of the Richfield Sun Current:
A recent letter to the Sun Current questioned my evaluation that Minnesota’s economy is on the upswing.
The author highlighted a handful of anecdotes from business owners who condemned the state legislature’s decision to raise income taxes on the wealthiest two percent of Minnesotans – a decision that enjoys support from the majority of our state’s residents.
For example, he referenced a study by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce in which more than 70 percent of the respondents said that the increase in income taxes and new regulations are ‘job killers’ and present roadblocks to job creation.
Respectfully, I disagree with the author’s “doom and gloom” economic assessment.
Instead of using sources such as a study conducted by an organization with partisan interests like the author did, I based my evaluation on data from nonpartisan Office of Management and Budget.
The data show that as of August, Minnesota regained all the jobs lost during the recession. Those are the facts.
While we certainly have more work to do to put people back to work, the steps the legislature took in 2013 – such providing all-day Kindergarten for every child, increasing funding for our schools, and freezing college tuition – will make our economy stronger right now and over the long haul.
Building a highly educated workforce that can compete in a global economy will help attract and retain major employers. We were able to make investments in our children’s education largely by asking Minnesotans who are extremely well off financially to chip in a little more.
Despite the opinions of a few, the facts show that Minnesota’s economy is healthy and growing – and that we have every reason to be optimistic about our future.
Sincerely,
Linda Slocum
State Representative (DFL – Richfield and Bloomington)