By putting the needs of hard-working Minnesotans ahead of special interests, the legislature delivered progress for the people of our great state. There is much more work to do in the years ahead to keep Minnesota on the right track, but the steps we took are proving a good recipe for economic growth and fiscal stability. I was proud to serve you during the highly productive 2013-2014 legislative session and help expand prosperity for Minnesota’s working families by:
Investing in education
In order to attract and retain major employers that provide good jobs, we must equip our workforce with superior skills and knowledge that cannot be matched anywhere else. That’s why the legislature made education our biggest priority of the 2013-2014 session. We approved all-day Kindergarten for every child, more preschool scholarships for low-income families, additional funding for every school tied to rigorous achievement standards as well as a two-year tuition freeze and more financial aid for college students.
Balancing our budget
The legislature put Minnesota’s fiscal house back on stable footing for the first time in over a decade. State lawmakers eliminated a $627 million deficit, repaid nearly $1 billion borrowed from our schools by the previous legislature and invested in priorities like education that will help our economy grow. We did raise some taxes to make that happen, but largely by closing corporate tax loopholes and asking the wealthiest Minnesotans to chip in just 2 percent more in income taxes – a fairer approach than cutting funding for our schools, health care and infrastructure. As a result, the legislature ended a decade of deficits, helped generate a $1.2 billion surplus and ensured a structurally balanced budget into the future.
Expanding economic security for women and their families
Women in Minnesota earn on average 80 cents for every dollar men earn doing similar work. This hurts our economy by robbing women of income to support themselves and their families. To begin closing that gap, the legislature passed the Women’s Economic Security Act, which establishes new pay equity requirements for state contractors receiving taxpayer dollars. In addition, we strengthened workplace protections for pregnant women and nursing mothers, expanded opportunities for women to obtain high-wage jobs and increased unpaid parental leave for both moms and dads from 6 weeks to 12 weeks.
I was also proud to author a new law designed to save lives in the fight against breast cancer by requiring mammography results to disclose and inform women about additional risk factors like dense breast tissue.
Creating jobs and growing our economy
The facts show our economy as a whole is getting stronger. From the time the 2013-2014 session began, employers have added over 60,000 jobs, restoring all the jobs lost during the Great Recession and adding thousands more. Our 4.5 percent unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the country. Numbers like that show we are heading in the right direction, but we must remain focused on creating even more jobs, especially in northern Minnesota. With the first minimum wage increase in nearly a decade, more funding for local nursing homes and community-based services, investments in job training, incentives for business expansions and improvements for our roads, bridges and highways, Minnesota’s economy will continue to improve.
Cutting taxes for working families
The legislature used a significant portion of the $1.2 billion budget surplus to cut income and property taxes for more than two million Minnesotans, including married couples, working families, homeowners and Minnesotans with student loans. The deadline to apply for a property tax refund is Friday, August 15. You can find instructions and eligibility requirements at www.revenue.state.mn.us or by calling the Department of Revenue at 651-296-3781 or 1-800-652-9094.
Positioning Minnesota for a brighter future
The legislature put Minnesota on the path to a brighter future. I am especially pleased we passed legislation I authored to benefit our local communities, such as state bonding dollars to help finance the Reif Performing Arts Center renovation and improvements at Itasca Community College, including a better biology lab in Wilson Hall and the construction of a new campus-wide biomass heating system.
To keep our state on the right track in the years ahead, I support providing every 3 and 4 year old with access to high quality early education, building a better transportation system by improving our roads and bridges, expanding high-speed internet service in northern Minnesota and taking steps to reduce the financial burden of historically high levels of student debt.