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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Sheldon Johnson (DFL)

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Legislative Update 1-30-15

Friday, January 30, 2015

Dear Neighbor,

This week Governor Mark Dayton released his budget for the next two years. With a budget surplus and a growing economy, he continued to build on the progress of the last two years by putting forward a fair budget.  His budget makes college more affordable, invests in early childhood education, job training, transportation and transit infrastructure.  It also includes tax breaks for hard working, middle class families with children, and keeps seniors from being kicked out of their homes due to property taxes.

We also saw the release of the Governor’s transportation plan.  Minnesota faces a $6 billion transportation funding deficit over the next ten years if funding remains flat.  The Governor proposes to meet our long-term transportation and transit needs by raising the wholesale gas tax, raising license tab fees over four years, adding half a cent to the metro sales tax to pay for metro transit improvements and making MnDot use the funds it has more efficiently.  In contrast to that, the House Republicans offered a one-time funding increase of $200 million, over four years, that didn’t invest in transit.

The Governor has proposed a fair budget and an honest transportation proposal.  They build on the progress of the last two years and address Minnesota’s long term needs.  I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House and the Senate to make sure Minnesotans get the most out of our budget surplus. 

Please don’t hesitate to let me know what you want to see from this legislative session.  I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4201 or by email at rep.sheldon.johnson@house.mn

Sincerely,

Sheldon Johnson