SAINT PAUL, MN – Tonight, the Minnesota House adjourned, closing a session of disappointments for Greater Minnesota from the House Republican Majority. After campaigning on the promise to put Greater Minnesota first, the House Majority has passed a bare-bones budget and an education proposal that Governor Dayton has said he’ll veto.
The House majority failed to pass a tax bill, missing an opportunity to provide any kind of income or property tax relief to farmers or families. Many Greater Minnesota communities will be disappointed the legislature did not increase local government aid, which will likely result in property tax hikes. Two years ago Democrats invested in rural property tax relief, holding down property taxes for the first time in 12 years.
“We had a golden opportunity to move Minnesota forward,” said Rep. Mike Sundin (DFL—Esko). “But the Republican majority squandered that opportunity because their priority from the very first day of session was a $2 billion tax give-away to corporations. We won’t be able to invest in families, students, seniors, or improving the economy in rural Minnesota because Republican leaders wouldn’t budge on that.”
In 2013-14, the DFL-led legislature invested $20 million for broadband infrastructure, and made investments in successful job creation initiatives like the Job Creation Fund, MIF, and Trade Offices to help Greater Minnesota businesses and workers. The House majority has reversed this progress.
After making promises about fixing our state’s crumbling transportation infrastructure, the House majority failed to pass a comprehensive transportation package and instead put forward a “lights on” proposal. They also failed to address oil train safety—a major issue for many rural communities along oil train lines.
It was unclear in the chaos on the House floor at midnight whether an Omnibus Jobs/Energy bill had passed the full legislature or not.
“They have shown a depressing lack of leadership,” said Rep. Sundin. “We have had months to work on finding a solution. We’ve given the Republicans ample opportunity to escape the results of their own extremism, through amendments and alternative bills, but they would rather see our Government in a state of dysfunction than reach solutions.”
Perhaps the biggest failure of the session for Greater Minnesota is this year’s education bill, which shortchanges schools and faces a certain veto from Governor Dayton. The House majority has chosen to potentially go to a special session instead of investing in the Governor’s universal pre-K initiative. The 2015 budget does not continue a tuition freeze for the U of MN and MnSCU schools and fails to address rising student debt. The original House Republican budget, once fully phased in, would have invested $29 in tax cuts—mostly for corporations—to every $1 put toward education.
“There is a $2 billion surplus, and that means you make kids a top priority,” said Sundin. “Instead, at every opportunity, the Republican majority has chosen to put corporate special interests first at the expense of our kids, hardworking Minnesotans and our future.”
Rep. Sundin encourages constituents to contact him with any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas on any legislative topic. Rep. Sundin can be reached by phone at 651-296-4308 or by email at rep.mike.sundin@house.mn .
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