By Rep. Jeff Howe
Thank you to all the area people who participated in the online survey I recently conducted in order to gain input on a number of important legislative issues.
The responses indicate local citizens want our government to ease off in areas like taxing, spending and regulations.
The most lopsided response is 96 percent indicating we should not spend $90 million to build a new Senate complex in St. Paul. I agree with those respondents, who will be disappointed to learn a House committee recently voted to approve this project and send it on its way.
Participants also express strong support for repealing three excessive taxes that were passed into law last year. A full 75 percent say we should repeal taxes pertaining to telecommunications equipment purchases, equipment repairs, and warehousing and storage. Thankfully, those people were heard and helped to convince the majority to agree those mistakes should come off the books.
Another tax question pertains to transportation funding. A 53-percent majority wants a greater percentage of existing General Fund dollars spent on roads and bridges. Other responses are that we do not need to increase funding for transportation (20 percent), that we should raise the gasoline tax by 15 percent and tie it to the consumer-price index (15 percent) and that we should add a 5-percent sales tax on wholesale gasoline (9 percent).
Gov. Mark Dayton and fellow Democrats recently passed a law raising our state’s minimum wage to $9.50 per hour (for large employers by 2016). This $9.50 option receives the least amount of support in my survey, with 89 percent favoring either a lesser increase or no increase at all. Interestingly, a stalemate between House and Senate Democrats on this issue broke just after House Democrats agreed to build that new $90 million Senate building.
Slow enrollment in MNsure has been a concern since the new government-run health insurance program started up last October. A whopping 95 percent of survey respondents say they have not attempted to sign up for MNsure. Disclaimer: This survey started approximately one month before MNsure’s March 31 enrollment deadline.
Other issues at the Capitol are simmering on back burners to some degree. A 51-percent majority of survey responses say our state should allow doctors to prescribe marijuana to patients and another 67 percent say counties should have the option of allowing Sunday liquor sales. Finally, an overwhelming 78 percent oppose adding a 10-cent recycling deposit to the purchase of beverage containers like cans and bottles.
Thanks again to all those who participated in this survey. This information is very helpful to me. You can visit www.house.mn/13A to check out the complete set of responses.
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