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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Mark Uglem (R)

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News from Representative Uglem 05-15-2015

Friday, May 15, 2015
Dear Friends,
 
We are close to wrapping up the 2015 legislative session. In the next few days, legislative leaders will likely come to an agreement on our state budget, and the House and Senate will finalize conference committee reports to pass to the Governor. We will be working around the clock throughout the weekend to finish up our budget work.
 
One issue that seems to have hit a snag is transportation. It's unfortunate that the Senate and the Governor continue to insist that a gas tax is the only way we can fix our roads and bridges.
 
Republicans have shown that we can fix our roads by investing more than $7 billion over ten years without a tax increase, but that plan has encountered resistance from our friends on the other side of the aisle.
 
Senator Bakk has also indicated that unless a gas tax increase is passed, the Senate will not provide any sort of middle-class tax relief for families. It's disappointing and puzzling with a $2 billion budget surplus why the Senate and the Governor seem insistent on raising taxes for transportation, and are holding tax relief hostage unless a gas tax is passed.
 
I will keep you posted throughout the weekend as talks continue and a budget deal is reached. I'm confident we can come to an compromise agreement that invests in our schools, takes care of our seniors, and keeps government spending from growing faster than family budgets.
 
Take care,
 
Mark Uglem
State Representative, District 36A