Dear Neighbor,
The 2022 legislative session began Monday. It’s not a budget year and the state is fully funded for the biennium so we need turn the state’s $7.7 billion surplus into tax relief and get out of Dodge without spending more tax dollars on government programs.
House Republicans already have introduced numerous bills providing tax relief. I am co-authoring legislation to end the state tax on Social Security and to spare our businesses from the unemployment insurance tax increase a lack of state action will cost them. That’s just for starters. We also are working on numerous other bills to provide other forms of tax relief with the state’s massive over-collection of taxes, and I will take a closer look at them as we make our way through the session.
In the meantime, public safety also will continue be a major topic of discussion because we need to get a grip on the wave of violent crime in our state. And, as always, I will continue working to defend our constitutional rights this session, from upholding the Second Amendment to protecting the integrity of our elections. We also must address the issue of racially charged lessons being taught to our children in school and ensure they are learning core subject matter that will allow them to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
Those are all works in progress with much of the first week spent getting the House up to speed with introductory committee meetings and relatively brief floor sessions. One important thing to note is the House still is conducting much of its business remotely. I disagree with that approach and plan to be in St. Paul, physically on the job, as much as possible to do the work area residents expect and deserve.
On that note, I thank the people of District 2B for the continued honor of serving in the House. Constituent input/outreach remains a priority of mine despite obstacles the majority has placed on us by prohibiting the public from accessing our legislative offices in St. Paul. Please call or email me if you would like to discuss any issue that is important to you, or if you would like to arrange a meeting. Feedback helps me continue doing my best to represent the people of our district and always is appreciated.
-Steve