Dear Neighbors,
The legislative session kicked off Tuesday, and I expect this to be a busy session as we work on a number of key priorities for folks in Northwest Minnesota and across the state.
First, one of the top priorities this session will be federal tax conformity. Congress passed a major overhaul of our federal tax code, and right now the Department of Revenue estimates that with full conformity our state will collect hundreds of millions more in revenue. House Republicans will be working diligently to ensure all those dollars go back to taxpayers—not state government. Furthermore, while the impact of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act won’t affect filers until 2019, doing this now ensures fewer complications for tax filings next year. I will keep you updated as we work to pass more tax relief this session, and ensure hardworking Minnesota taxpayers can take full advantage of tax relief at both the state and federal level.
Another issue we will be addressing this session is the new Minnesota Licensing and Registration System or MNLARS, which launched earlier this summer. As you may have read about or experienced firsthand, MNLARS failed from the beginning, and folks are facing major problems trying to do simple tasks like renew tabs or transfer titles. This failure is unacceptable, especially as taxpayers have already paid nearly $100 million to build the program. The Dayton Administration is asking for another $43 million on top of that this year to fix it. All those responsible for this massive failure must be held accountable, and I will be working to find fiscally-responsible solutions this session. Minnesotans deserve and should expect a basic, functioning licensing system.
Next, the second year of a biennium is often considered a “bonding year” at the Capitol, and legislators will consider a capital investment bill this session. The February forecast will give us a better indicator of our state’s finances and the likelihood of a bonding bill, but House Republicans will insist that any bill passed this year is a reasonable size and focuses on our state’s key infrastructure and transportation needs.
In addition to those issues, as Chair of the Environment and Natural Resources Committee, I will continue to explore ways to reduce burdensome regulations and bureaucratic regulatory runarounds—something especially important for rural communities and job growth in our state. Addressing the safety and well-being of seniors, education reforms, pipelines and health care reform will also be on the agenda over the next few months.
2017 was one of the most productive sessions in many years. We passed a robust middle-class tax relief bill that put more money back in the pockets of families, farmers, local businesses, seniors and students. We also passed an influx of funding for road and bridge improvements, invested more money in our classrooms, helped stabilize our individual insurance market with needed reforms and passed a capital investment package that focused on critical infrastructure needs. I think we can build on last year’s achievements this session and do more positive work for the people and shared priorities of Minnesota.
Feel free to contact me anytime if you have questions, concerns or ideas about what is happening at the Legislature this session. I look forward to hearing from you!
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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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