Greetings from the Capitol-
Governor Reverses Business Tax Plan, Other Tax Increases Remain
In response to last week’s positive budget forecast showing Minnesota’s budget deficit has been greatly reduced, Governor Dayton took his business-to-business tax plan off the table today as he prepares to offer a revised budget plan next week. While this is welcome news to the millions of Minnesotans that would have been affected, other tax increases on the middle-class remain likely as various bills move forward in the legislature.
For example, the House and Senate voted this week to pass the Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange which will cost all Minnesotans more as insurance premiums increase to implement Obamacare. The exchange bill spends over $100 million just to set up the new agency and does little to control costs, privacy or safeguard consumer choice. Additionally, there are several proposals to drastically raise the state’s minimum wage, which can hurt small and family-owned businesses trying to stay profitable.
School Trust Lands Chair
On Tuesday, I was elected to serve as Chair of Minnesota’s Legislative Permanent School Fund Commission, the joint commission that provides legislative oversight for school trust land use throughout Minnesota. The commission is required to review statutes and recommend any changes necessary for provident utilization of school trust lands, and to report annually to the legislature with recommendations for management of school trust fund lands to secure long-term economic return for the permanent school fund. I was chief author of legislation in 2012 to create the 12-member commission and increase the amount of money realized through a wider effort in land investments. You can read more here.
New Bill Limits Criminal Access to Firearms
I am supporting a bill with bipartisan lawmakers that fights crime while protecting the Second Amendment. The bill focuses on keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, punishes those who illegally sell firearms to ineligible people, improves reporting of court-determined mental health disqualifications, and provides the state and federal criminal background check systems with complete information on individuals that are ineligible from possessing firearms and the duration of the ineligibility. This important legislation is supported by the Minnesota Sheriffs Association and gun-rights advocates.
District Day at the Capitol – Save the Date
Please mark April 25th on your calendar and join others from our District for a day at the Capitol. In conjunction with Sartell-St. Stephens Community Education, there will be a day trip with transportation to and from St. Paul to tour our historic Capitol building, visit committee meetings, and meet with Senator Michelle Fischbach and me. More details to come!
Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in the Minnesota House.
Sincerely,
Tim