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

Legislative News and Views - Rep. Eric Lucero (R)

Back to profile

Disappointed with Gov. Dayton

Friday, May 25, 2018

Dear Friends and Neighbors,


With the 2018 regular legislative session now concluded, this will be the last of my regular weekly email updates, but I will continue sending updates periodically throughout the year. I will be active around our community and I look forwarding to seeing you! Have a fantastic summer forming memories with family, friends, and loved ones!!

House Image

Rep. Lucero with firefighters Brian Kottke and Ken Warpula, recipients of the First Responder Award for the City of Hanover, this week in Rogers at the Fifth Annual First Responders Luncheon to honor our communities' police officers, fire fighters, EMS personnel, and other individuals who provide exceptional response and service in emergency situations.


GOV. DAYTON’S VETO SPREE

We adjourned the legislative session this week and Republicans did our job working all session accomplishing A LOT by passing many bills to help hard working Minnesota families and businesses. In his typical nature however, Gov. Dayton disappointed many by vetoing most of the legislation that would have benefited Minnesotans. Video of Gov. Dayton failing to articulate an explanation for his vetoes can be viewed here.

Gov. Dayton’s needless vetoing most of the bills will result in preventing much needed reforms such as enabling greater school safety, as well as will inflict significant hardship and tax increases on most of us during next year's tax season.

House Image

Rep. Lucero and Sen. Kiffmeyer attending the St. Michael City Council this week to give a legislative wrap-up of the recently concluded legislative session. During the meeting the recent awarding of Corridors of Commerce funding to expand I-94 to three lanes between Saint Michael and Albertville was also celebrated.


EXODUS FROM MINNESOTA CONTINUES

In the same week Gov. Dayton vetoed the tax cut and conformity bill, Mosaic Company’s founding CEO penned a Letter-to-the-Editor regarding last week’s announcement Mosaic, presently headquartered in Plymouth, MN, would be relocating out of Minnesota.

Few dispute the fact Minnesota’s burdensome tax and regulation environment is very hostile toward businesses, entrepreneurs, and other job creators. Mosaic’s departure is yet another in a string of employers closing or leaving during Gov. Dayton’s time in office due to Minnesota’s hostility, and taking many good paying jobs with them. In response to the announcement, Star Tribune and other Democrats rationalize the move as “no big deal.” The fact is the move IS a BIG DEAL and should serve as a wake-up call to Gov. Dayton and other anti-business Democrats.

Below are some of the comments from Mosaic’s founding CEO which can be read in the letter here:

• Minnesota is losing 150 well-paid executives. If the average salary of Mosaic’s headquarters office is $175,000 and state income taxes are 9.85 percent, that is $2.6 million. Property taxes these people pay probably average $20,000 per person. That is another $3 million lost until 150 other well-paid executives move to Minnesota. Now Minnesota has toreplace them — and the $5 million to $10 million they contribute to state government and communities every year.

• Minnesota’s high state and local taxes, now not deductible on federal tax returns, make it more difficult to hire and retain top-quality executives to manage Mosaic. By comparison, Florida has no state income tax.

• Minnesota’s vaunted quality of life isn’t that great, particularly in the winter. Don’t forget that most days of the year, Florida has friendlier weather. That is a factor in many snowbirds’ decisions to head south. Don’t delude yourselves.

• [Mosaic] earned $42 million in the first quarter of 2018 on $1.9 billion in sales. That’s a 2.2 percent profit margin. Few businesses survive and thrive on 2 percent margins. In the first quarter of 2017, Mosaic lost money.

• Amazon didn’t give Minnesota a second look. Not even a follow-up phone call. And nobody at the Star Tribune and in government seemed to care. How many jobs has Minnesota failed to attract and because of its smugness doesn’t even know or care?

• Wake up, Star Tribune and Minnesota. Something is happening here! Consider this a sign of things to come, unless things change. Now, and dramatically. Get competitive or expect more Mosaics and snowbirds to leave.

• To be competitive in a very competitive global industry, it can’t afford this wintry place when it can choose a lower-tax, warmer climate.

House Image

Rep. Lucero with Faamati Winey this week attending the joint event hosted by the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, and the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage.


ENPOWERMENT TO SUCCEED THROUGH INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY

Thank you to Henry Jimenez for the invitation to speak this week at the post-legislative session joint event hosted by the Minnesota Council on Latino Affairs, the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans, and the Council for Minnesotans of African Heritage.

The event was hosted at the Neighborhood House at Wellstone Center located in the heart of Saint Paul and the audience was naturally OVERWHELMINGLY Democrat. I'm committed to using my role as State Representative to help spread the message of truth that genuine empowerment to succeed and pursue happiness come as the result of government protecting individual liberty.

My remarks touched on the importance of Gov. Dayton signing the tax cut and conformity bill into law (which was subsequently vetoed the next day). I also focused my remarks on the truth business tax cuts result in more jobs, natural higher minimum wages from free-market forces rather than from government mandates, increases in contributions to local charities and other non-profits, and the ability for individuals and families to better take care of themselves and their futures with less dependency on government.

House Image

Rep. Lucero reading a resolution on the House Floor commemorating the many contributions of the great American economist Milton Friedman. Milton Friedman spent decades of his career influencing individuals and shaping government policy worldwide to the truth economic freedom is a precondition for political freedom.

STAYING IN TOUCH

As always please contact me to share any issues, concerns, or feedback you may have that will assist me best represent you. The best way to reach me is by email at Rep.Eric.Lucero@House.MN or by phone at 651-296-1534.

Sincerely,
Eric Lucero

State Representative
District 30B
Albertville, Hanover, Otsego, Saint Michael, and the Wright County portion of Dayton