Dear Friends,
I wanted to write and tell you about a bill making its way through the committee process that I have deep concerns about. HF950, the Childcare Unionization bill takes the unprecedented step of attempting to unionize individual small business owners.
It is disturbing how Democrat majorities put union interests ahead of the wishes of citizens. A recent survey shows more than 86 percent of the providers themselves oppose forming a union. This is clearly a union-led power grab to add money to their coffers for political purposes. Advocates of unionization suggest that $300 per year is minimal for union dues.
With 11,000 providers being forced to pay dues, that would mean -- at minimum -- $3.3 million for unions. That is money that is being funneled to unions rather than to the providers to take care of our children.
Day care decisions should be between parents and their provider without union interference. Minnesota’s providers should continue working together in opposition of this legislation and even ramp up the effort while there is still time to stop it.
If you are a childcare provider from District 18B, I want to hear from you, and I hope you'll either share your thoughts with me via email at Rep.Glenn.Gruenhagen@house.mn or by calling my office at 651-296-4229.
Democrats Release Budget Targets
This week House and Senate Democrats released their budget targets as we take one step closer to the 2014-2015 biennium budget. The out-of-control tax-and-spend agenda of the Democrats was in high gear, as House Democrat leaders proposed to raise taxes even more than the Governor's plan proposed. Raising $2.4 billion dollars in taxes to fix a $627 million dollar budget gap is irresponsible and unnecessary.
We need more efficient government in Minnesota, not more expensive government. Unfortunately Democrats seem content to put spending on auto-pilot and insist that throwing more money at our problems will solve them. State spending has increased at a rate astronomically higher than both inflation and our population growth. It's time to make some tough choices as we did last biennium, limit the growth of government spending, and get our spending problem under control.
Have a great weekend,
Glenn