Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Legislative News and Views - Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen (R)

Back to profile

Legislative Update

Friday, November 17, 2017

Hello from the State Capitol,

On Thursday, the Minnesota Supreme Court declined to rule if Governor Dayton’s veto of funding for the Minnesota Legislature was unconstitutionally coercive because funding was available to extend legislative operations into the next legislative session.

To say the ruling is a disappointment is an understatement. Highlighted by our new, and historic, tax relief laws, the Minnesota Legislature completed one of the most successful legislative sessions in recent memory in 2017. There’s little doubt Governor Dayton vetoed legislative funding in order to play a partisan political game and to distract from the accomplishments of a Republican-led legislature this session.

Its unfortunate the governor wanted to reverse policies he personally agreed to with legislative leaders, yet that’s exactly what happened.

As a result of Governor Dayton’s veto, members of the Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC) adopted a resolution Thursday to take funds intended for non-partisan purposes and use them to continue legislative operations with the hope those funds will be replaced in the future. Again, it’s disappointing we had to go down this road, but when a governor attempts to eliminate what is supposed to be a co-equal branch of government, steps need to be taken in order to ensure residents maintain their voice at the State Capitol.

As other partisans attempt to portray 2017 as the year of the legislative funding veto, just remember lawmakers enacted needed reforms to our health care system which has been devastated by Obamacare and MNsure, and assisted Minnesotans who were struggling with their health insurance costs. We provided historic levels of funding for roads and bridges across our state using existing funds and not raising taxes. And our $650 million middle-class tax relief proposal includes Social Security tax relief for senior citizens, a first-in-the-nation tax credit for college student loan payments, property tax relief for every small business owner as well as farmers facing school bond referendums, and improved dependent care tax credits for working middle-class families.

As always, I am available to answer any legislative questions you may have. Feel free to contact me at rep.glenn.gruenhagen@house.mn or by phone at 651-296-4229.

Sincerely,

 

Glenn