Dear Neighbors,
Here is an update from St. Paul.
House File 1684
In the Job Growth and Energy Affordability Committee this week, they heard and passed HF 1684, my bill which can help rural cities bring more workforce housing into their communities.
Brought to me by a number of cities including Roseau, Thief River Falls, Perham and Worthington, the bill allows cities to use economic development TIF funding for workforce housing projects. There are a number of great employment opportunities in Greater Minnesota communities but there is no housing available for the workers, making these great positions difficult to fill.
To be eligible for this funding, cities must meet certain criteria including a report on their community's housing needs based on local employment and housing market conditions.
Workforce housing continues to be an important issue for Northwest Minnesota, and I am pleased this legislation is moving forward.
House Releases Budget Targets
On Tuesday, House Republicans unveiled budget targets for FY2016-17, proposing the state spend $39.949 in General Fund dollars, return $2 billion to Minnesotans through tax relief and place $100 million in the budget reserves.
This plan differs from Governor Dayton's plan which spends $43 billion out of the General Fund (an increase of $3.7 billion over last biennium) and places no money in the reserves. His plan also calls for a gas tax and metro area sales tax increase.
Last session, the DFL-led legislature and governor grew government spending more than three times faster than our economy. This is unsustainable in the long-term and risks plunging the state back into deficits, leaving future governments to make difficult cuts down the road.
The Republican budget targets fund Minnesotans' priorities like education, seniors and transportation without taking more from taxpayers or by precariously growing government faster than your family's budget. In the last twenty years, the state general fund budget has more than doubled, and we must not continue to grow government at such rapid rates, favoring a more balanced, commonsense approach going forward.
In the coming weeks, House fiscal committees will be putting together their omnibus bills, and I will keep you updated on the state budget and government spending as session progresses.
Transportation Proposal
On Monday, House and Senate Republicans unveiled a $7 billion, 10-year transportation plan that will fund our roads and bridges without taking more from hardworking taxpayers. Dubbed the Road and Bridge Act of 2015, the plan will repair or replace 15,500 lane miles and 330 bridges in Minnesota, improving infrastructure in every community from Roseau to Rochester.
The plan is paid for through reliable, long-term funding that doesn't increase the gas tax or take more from Minnesota taxpayers. To fund this $7 billion package, the bill calls for the rededication of transportation-related taxes including the motor vehicle lease sales tax and rental tax, uses a portion of the surplus, finds cost-savings within MnDOT and uses $1.3 billion in Trunk Highway bonds.
Additionally, it doesn't favor the metro area over rural communities. It calls for $1.44 billion for county roads, $583 million for municipal roads, $282 million for small cities, and $60 million for township roads and bridges. Furthermore, there is a substantial investment for the Corridors of Commerce which includes major roads and highways across the state.
I spoke to the press about the Road and Bridge Act on Monday in East Grand Forks, and you can read more about it here.
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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
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