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2017 Issue Document

Friday, April 21, 2017

Budgets reflect our values, but Republicans are making the wrong choices





We should invest in the things that make Minnesota’s economy strong, Minnesotans successful, and our state a leader—like education. But instead of putting Minnesotans first, Republicans are choosing to prioritize tax cuts for corporations and the well-connected. House DFLers are fighting to improve incomes and quality of life for all Minnesotans—no matter where they live in the state.We are committed to Minnesota values: community, fairness, and accountability.



Education



Message: All Minnesota kids deserve access to a quality public education and the opportunity to get a post-secondary education without being saddled with student debt for decades. Instead of upholding that commitment, Republicans are choosing to prioritize private schools and the well-connected over investing in E-12 education or lowering student debt for Minnesotans.



Facts about the Republican E-12 bill:



• Despite a $1.65 billion budget surplus, Republicans are making the choice to underfund our schools, causing teacher layoffs, larger class sizes, and less resources for students.

• Minnesota schools are currently funded at levels below the year 2002. We won’t continue to lead in education without significant investments for kids of all ages, let alone cuts to school   budgets.

• Republicans are using our kids as a bargaining chip in budget negotiations, eliminating pre-K for thousands of Minnesota’s earliest learners and depriving them of a strong start.



Facts about the Republican Higher Education Bill:



• Minnesota has a world-class higher education system, but continued underfunding has strained the system and made the costs of college out of reach for far too many students and their families.

• Just over a decade ago, Minnesota was in the middle of the pack when it came to the amount of debt a student would have upon graduation. Today, Minnesota is ranked fifth-highest because of bad choices like the ones included in the Republican bill.

• Despite a $1.65 billion surplus, the House Republican Higher Education bill comes in $150 million lower than Governor Dayton’s. Their choice to underfund education will lead to tuition increases for four year students.



What the DFL would do differently:



• All Minnesota kids deserve the best education possible and a college degree without crippling student debt. Ensuring that it’s within reach must be our top priority.

• House DFLers support an expansion of free early-childhood education, but House Republicans want to eliminate the successful voluntary pre-kindergarten program across the state.

• House DFLers are proposing a 2.5% funding increase for schools this year and next, but House Republicans wouldn’t even fund schools at the cost of inflation (1.25%)—causing cuts.

• House DFLers want to address the statewide teacher shortage head-on by incentivizing careers in education, but House Republicans want to allow people who have no student-teacher experience to qualify for a teacher’s license –lessening the quality of our kids’ education.

• House DFLers would freeze tuition for all undergraduate students, increase state grants, and provide credits to help students and families handle student debt. Getting a degree is forcing too many Minnesotans to delay major life events such as getting married, having children, and buying a home or a car.



Taxes



Message: With a $1.65 billion surplus, Republicans spend $1.3 billion of that on tax cuts, mostly for businesses and the rich. This will set Minnesota’s budget up for failure in the very near future, sacrificing long term fiscal security for shortsighted political gain. Because of these wrong tax cuts, Republicans are choosing to underfund Minnesota schools, and cut health and human services, environmental protections, and more.



Facts about the Republican Tax Bill:



• Instead of investing in education, the Republican tax bill cuts $161 million for about 800 families.

• The Republican tax bill freezes business property taxes, helping out corporations instead of the rest of us.

• The Republican tax bill prioritizes private schools, incentivizing resources to be diverted from our public

schools.



What the DFL would do differently:



• House DFLers would prioritize smarter tax investments that would help more Minnesotans including the Working Family Credit, Local Government Aid, County Program Aid, and Township Aid. These are notably absent from the Republican bill, which doesn’t put Minnesotans first.

• House DFLers would make taxes fairer for everyone instead of helping out those who are already doing better than most Minnesotans.

• The House DFL knows too many Minnesotans are working hard without getting ahead. That’s why House DFLers wouldn’t spend hundreds of millions on tax cuts for the rich and well-connected. We would invest the surplus in the things that have made our economy strong, Minnesotans successful, and our state a leader—like education.



Public Safety



Message: The state of Minnesota has a responsibility to keep Minnesotans safe and ensure justice and fairness for everyone, but the Republican plan puts the wants of corporations and the insurance companies first, instead of all Minnesotans.



Facts about the Republican Public Safety Bill:



• In a time of surplus, Republicans are choosing to underfund critical services such as bomb squads, criminal investigation analysts, correctional officers and security upgrades at our correctional institutions—but found the funding for tax cuts for corporations and well-connected.

• Republicans would put Minnesota in business with a for-profit private prison corporation with a terrible track record. Private prisons profit off people’s mistakes, instead of helping inmates reform their lives and rejoin society. Private prisons increase recidivism, endanger staff and offenders, and lack necessary treatment and programming.

• The Republican anti-protest provision of this bill is aimed at curbing free speech and throwing protesters in jail. The rights of Americans to assemble are guaranteed under the First Amendment and the government should not penalize Americans for exercising this right. This is very likely unconstitutional, and is un-American.



What the DFL would do differently:



• House DFLers take seriously the responsibility to ensure all Minnesotans in every community are safe. To this end, DFLers would fully fund our state’s public safety needs including at correctional institutions, give necessary tools to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and increase the number of probation officers to ensure productive reentry to the community, among other things. DFLers would also make necessary investments in our underfunded judicial system, including the addition of public defenders to make their caseloads manageable. We would also ensure that Minnesota doesn’t enter the private, for-profit prison industry or stifle free speech.



Transportation



Message: Instead of a long-term solution to a $20 billion transportation funding need, House Republicans passed a one-time band-aid bill that shifts $450 million a year away from education and health and human services, relies heavily on bond borrowing, increases fares and cuts metro transit and contains no dedicated, sustainable road and bridge funding for the future.



Facts about the Republican Transportation Bill:



• Provides no new long-term constitutionally dedicated funding for transportation.

• Relies heavily on borrowing ($1.3 billion) with debt service paid long into the future.

• Starts Minnesota on a slippery slope where general fund dollars are diverted from education, nursing and home health, and vital state services.

• Creates several roadblocks to funding construction of the Southwest and Bottineau LRT lines and does not provide funding for the Orange BRT or Gold BRT lines.

• Divides Minnesota by cutting urban Metro Transit services and providing new funding for Greater MN transit and Suburban Transit Providers.

• Fails to address Minnesota’s statewide transportation needs.



What the DFL would do differently:



• House DFLers are committed to a long-term, sustainable transportation plan that meets the needs of all Minnesotans.



Environment



Message: Now, more than ever, Minnesota needs to protect our environment & natural resources, but Republicans are choosing to roll back environmental protections that could harm Minnesota for generations.



Facts about the Republican Environment Bill:



• House Republicans are choosing to cut funding and roll back environmental protections that preserve outdoor spaces and improve clean air and water.

• This is another veto-bait attempt by Republicans. The bill includes 80 pages of controversial policy and significantly changes Governor Dayton’s bipartisan buffer initiative.

• The bill does a big favor for the Chamber of Commerce—cheapening permitting for industries and cities by lightening regulations that are in place to protect our environment.



What the DFL would do differently:



• House DFLers would prioritize Minnesota’s long tradition of environmental stewardship for our air, water and land. We would keep environmental protections to ensure everyone has access to safe and clean drinking water, and we would invest in Minnesota’s parks and open spaces.



Jobs and Energy



Message: Minnesota has a budget surplus, yet the Republican Jobs Bill cuts job creation efforts, consumer protections, workforce housing, efforts to close racial and economic disparities, and rolls back Minnesota’s renewable energy progress.



Facts about the Republican Jobs Bill:



• This bill goes back on Minnesota’s promise to fix racial economic disparities. Republicans are cutting and shifting millions away from equity efforts that ensure all Minnesotans have opportunities to get ahead.

• This is a bill that only the Koch brothers could love. It attacks our clean energy economy and eliminates the Renewable Development Fund, which encourages renewable energy, reduces the solar mandate for huge energy companies, and deregulates oil and natural gas pipelines.

• This bill denies educational and business opportunities in Greater Minnesota by failing to adequately address the need for rural broadband and shortchanging jobs programs.

• This bill cuts millions from the two most successful jobs initiatives Minnesota has– the Job Creation Fund and the Minnesota Investment Fund.

• This bill threatens our economic security by closing several trade offices, which help farmers and businesses sell their products overseas.



What the DFL would do differently:



• House DFLers would prioritize investment in better economic outcomes and more opportunity for all Minnesotans by focusing on job creation, rural broadband access, and encouraging renewable energy development.



State Government



Message: Minnesota has a budget surplus, yet the State Government Finance bill would arbitrarily cut vital state government services and lay off thousands of hardworking Minnesotans. Republicans are choosing to put tax cuts for corporations and the rich and well-connected ahead of Minnesota’s cyber security, environment, and public services and workers.



Facts about the Republican State Government Bill:



• Lays off workers who serve Minnesotans: The bill will result in layoffs for more than 2,000 state workers who protect our natural resources, keep our bridges secure, ensure our nursing homes are safe, and serve our veterans.



• Puts Minnesotans at risk: At a time when hackers are increasingly sophisticated and ramping up attacks on government data, Republicans refuse to invest in Governor Dayton’s cyber security initiative, putting the data and finance security of millions of Minnesotans at risk.

• Endangers our environment: Now, more than ever, we must protect Minnesota’s environment and natural resources, but this bill will take us backward, eliminating a commission that recommends how to keep our lakes and rivers clean, crippling agencies’ ability to conduct environmental reviews, and taking the ability to implement environmental regulations away from experts and scientists.

• Deregulates our elections: At a time when Minnesotans are sick and tired of outside “dark money” campaign spending and politics as usual, this bill limits the ability for the nonpartisan campaign finance board to set election rules, opening the door for even more influence from corporate special interests.



What the DFL would do differently:



• The DFL would ensure that Minnesota continues to provide quality public services, protect the data of Minnesotans, and make sure that our elections are fair.



Health and Human Services



Message: The budget surplus provides an opportunity to invest in better health care for all Minnesotans, but House Republicans are choosing tax cuts for corporations and the rich and well-connected instead. They are choosing to cut Minnesotans’ health care just weeks after giving the insurance companies millions of dollars in reinsurance, and are ignoring the need for affordable childcare access, raises for home health workers, and much more. These choices will hurt Minnesota families.



Facts about the Republican Health and Human Services Bill:



• Republicans are cutting Minnesota’s healthcare budget by $600 million- causing real harm to patients, caregivers, children and families everywhere in Minnesota.

• The Republican budget uses shifts and gimmicks to account for hundreds of millions more in fantasy savings.

• No Direct Care Workforce raises

• No adjustments to the MA spend down for elderly/blind/disabled Minnesotans

• No increase for families on MFIP

• No funding for child care

• No funding for local public health grants

• No operating adjustment for the Minnesota Security Hospital

• Republicans are handing over our health insurance marketplace to Trump and the Federal Government. This will further threaten stability in the market and cause increases in premiums.



What the DFL would do differently:



• House DFLers would support affordable child care access. Minnesotans lack access to affordable child care, holding families back. We should help working families by making child care more affordable, but House Republicans refuse to do so.

• The House DFL supports a raise for the state’s home care workers. Minnesota is facing a home care worker crisis, with an aging population and stagnant wages for the hardworking caregivers taking care of our seniors and disabled. A raise for these workers would improve care for our loved ones and attract more workers to

the field.

• House DFLers support expanding the MinnesotaCare Buy-In Option. With high healthcare costs in the individual market, we should expand the MinnesotaCare Buy-In option to all Minnesotans in order to provide affordable healthcare coverage and improve access, especially in Greater Minnesota. Unfortunately, House Republicans refused to even give the buy-in option a hearing.



Agriculture Finance



Message: For Minnesota to continue to be an agricultural leader in the country, investment in our farmers and in areas critical to a healthy agricultural economy must be a priority for the state.



Facts about the Agriculture Finance Bill:



• The bill contains several DFL provisions, including funding to develop and expand urban youth ag and urban ag community development, funding for the Farm Advocates Program, and monetary support for the Center for Rural Policy and Development in St. Peter.

• Funding is continued for the Minnesota Agricultural Education and Leadership Council (MAELC) to provide grants in relevant areas.



What the DFL would do differently:



• A larger budget target would have allowed more initiatives and programs vital to the health and growth of Minnesota’s agricultural industry to be included.

• Money for researching the effects of cover crops and additional funding to combat the present, and growing, threat of Emerald Ash Borer could have given farmers additional information on available options and added valuable resources to the fight against invasive species.




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