Dear Neighbors,
I hope you’re out enjoying the great summer weather this week. For this week’s update, I wanted to talk about a big local issue, as well as give a review of the historic tax relief package we passed into law this year.
Nurses Meeting
On Wednesday, I met with a group of local nurses to hear their thoughts and get their input on the proposed restructuring of the Albert Lea and Austin Mayo Clinic hospital sites. This is such an important issue for our area, and hearing from all of those impacted by this is important to me. I appreciated the important input of our local nurses, as they hold a unique perspective on our hospital and its services. I will continue to be in contact with and work with all stakeholders on this issue, and will be a resource in whatever way I can for our community. When I know more about this developing situation, I’ll be sure to keep you updated. Thank you to these nurses for sharing their thoughts and suggestions with me, and thank you to them and all of our other local nurses for their caring and compassionate service to our community!
Tax Relief
Last year’s tax bill was vetoed, which meant it was even more important for us to deliver this overdue tax relief to middle class Minnesotans. We worked hard with the Senate and Governor’s office to come to an agreement on $650 million of tax relief for farmers, working families, senior citizens, recent college grads, and many more. Here are some of the highlights of our bill:
- Long-awaited relief for our senior citizens, with nearly 284,000 senior citizen tax returns (single and married filing jointly) projected to receive tax reductions
- 72,000 of those will no longer pay state income tax on their social security benefits
- Relief for families struggling with child care expenses
- A family of four making $50,000 a year will receive an additional $1,200 toward their child care expenses
- Addressing college affordability
- A credit for families saving for college using 529 Savings Plans
- 65,000 students will receive an average of a $414 reduction in their taxes through a new tax credit for student loan payments
- Lightening the unequal property tax burden on farmers
- 240,000 farmers will receive property tax relief to reduce their disproportionate share of school district debt service
- Bringing property tax relief to rural communities by aiding our local governments with $30 million in local government aid and $50 million in county program aid in the next two years
- Helping make our local businesses more competitive by providing relief from an “extra” state business property tax for our Main Street businesses, which means more money to invest back into their business and their employees
Please Contact Me
As always, please call or email if you have questions on anything we passed this session. Thanks for all of your recent questions and suggestions; they’re very helpful.
Enjoy your weekend!
Peggy