Dear Friends,
The 2014 legislative session has come to an end, and I would like to give you an update on some of the important things that happened to end this session.
Politicians Want a Pay Raise
Earlier this month, the legislature voted to put a constitutional amendment to voters in 2016 that would raise legislator salaries. The bill passed the House with no Republican support, and I strongly opposed the measure.
The question put to voters will be misleading, asking voters if legislators should no longer be able to set their own salaries. People may think that legislators are raising their own salaries every year, but the truth is they have not been raised since 1999.
If voters approve the initiative, an unelected board will be able to give politicians in Saint Paul a pay raise and legislators will not have to answer to constituents about their salary increases. This constitutional amendment puts self service before public service, and what’s more, it will take away money from vital areas of state government like education and public safety.
Medical Cannabis
The 2014 legislature also approved legislation that will make Minnesota the 22nd state in the nation to legalize medical cannabis.
This medical cannabis law will be one of the strictest in the nation and will limit what illnesses are eligible for a cannabis prescription to include cancer, Glaucoma, HIV, Tourrette’s, Epilepsy and MS to name a few. This isn’t for unidentifiable pain or writer’s cramp—these are serious and often chronic diseases that deserve the best treatments available.
Hearing the heart wrenching stories about people who need medical cannabis as an option to alleviate pain or manage seizures helped spur action on medical cannabis this year. I was a strong supporter of this legislation and am glad to see it signed into law.
Second Omnibus Tax Bill
Last week, the legislature passed a second omnibus tax bill which remedies more of last year’s mistakes when taxes and fees were unnecessarily increased by $2.4 billion.
The bill has a number of positive provisions and included $103 million in tax deductions for fiscal years 2014-15. This legislation was strongly bipartisan and passed unanimously in the House.
Offering more tax relief is a positive step for our state, but there is still more to be done. I am hopeful the legislature will return next year to further improve our state’s economic climate and stop overtaxing hardworking Minnesotans.
Bonding Bill
The second year of a biennium is usually considered a bonding year—when the state borrows money for infrastructure and building projects across the state. This year there was a cash bill which spent approximately $200 million and a bonding bill which borrows and spends another $846 million.
It is unfortunate that these bills did not prioritize infrastructure needs across the state and instead wasted taxpayer dollars on things like convention centers and snow making equipment. Minnesota taxpayers deserve to have their money spent wisely, and I do not believe these bills had the right priorities.
Here are some of the highlights of the spending bills:
Bonding:
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$126.3 million for the continuation of Capitol Restoration
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$55.395 million for Minneapolis, St. Paul projects (Brian Coyles Center, Hennepin Center for the Arts, Nicollet Mall, Children’s Museum, Palace Theater, Ordway, TPT Building Renovations, Sculpture Garden)
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$38.613 million for roads and bridges
Cash:
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$50.743 million for roads and bridges
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$22 million for Lewis and Clark Regional Water System
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$35 million for Rochester Civic Center Expansion
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$14.5 million for Mankato Civic Center
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$11.56 million for St. Cloud Convention Center
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$6.95 million for NorShor Theatre in Duluth
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$3.4 million for snow making equipment in Duluth
Supplemental Spending Bill
A supplemental spending bill was also passed at the end of session, increasing government spending by $262.73 million in this biennium and another $842.34 million in fiscal years 2016-17.
With so many projects and spending initiatives in this bill, it is no surprise that the good provisions like increased funding for education are far outnumbered by the bad like a costly Obamacare bailout.
I opposed this bill for the simple reason that it increases state spending in a number of areas where it is not needed and risks putting us back into deficit for future bienniums.
To close, I would like to once again thank you all for the honor and privilege of being your state representative for the past two years. Although the legislature is no longer in session, please know that my office is always available should you need assistance with a state agency or would like to share ideas on how to improve state government.
I will continue to fight for you in Saint Paul, representing the people and priorities of our district.
Sincerely,
Tony