Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Legislative News and Views - Rep. Cal Bahr (R)

Back to profile

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE FROM REP. CAL BAHR - DISTRICT 31B

Friday, February 26, 2021

Yield sign

State Budget Forecast

Today, the Minnesota Management and Budget office announced that Minnesota state government has a projected budget surplus of $1.6 billion in the next biennium. In response, the members of the New House Republican Caucus made the following statement:

“While government has grown rich through this pandemic, working people have grown poor. The $1.6 billion surplus does not indicate that businesses are coming back, starting up again, or becoming stronger. Instead, the surplus demonstrates that state government is taking too much money from the people. Despite this, Governor Walz insists on raising taxes by an additional$1.6 billion. Our state government does not need any extra revenue. Instead of increasing taxes, state government should be sending the surplus back to the people. We should eliminate the tax on Social Security,get rid of the state income tax on PPP loans, and stop taxing Minnesotans when they get sick. Government must yield and return this money to the people. Millions of Minnesotans received stimulus payments and supercharged unemployment payments from the federal government.

In Minnesota,state government taxes that money as income.This has temporarily inflated state tax revenues but robbed Minnesotans of money that was meant for them. This is wrong. All of this has occurred while Governor Walz has shut down countless businesses across the state. Whole industries are still closed, yet the Governor wants to keep raising taxes. He has shown no indication that he will reopen Minnesota. The Governor’s actions are devastating our state. Governor Walz needs to reopen Minnesota. Together we need to cut taxes and give people the opportunity to succeed.In the long-term, our economy, our tax revenues, and the well-being of every Minnesotan will be in a better place if we cut taxes and reopen Minnesota.”

Why Are We Paying People with Gift Cards?

This week, I re-introduced a bill that would prohibit the government from handing out gift cards in return for survey responses. This is a wasteful use of taxpayer money. It's your money and it should be spent responsibly and wisely. Below is a video we made explaining the problem and why I introduced the bill.

You can read through the bill here: HF 1220

 

Bahr - No Gift Cards

 

Choose Freedom,

CalSig

Cal Bahr
State Representative, 31B

Coming up Next Week

  • We may see some of the various Legislative Reforms for Chapter 12  Emergency Powers Statutes get drafted together in committee - including my bill, HF1346. I am in discussions to have it considered in whatever final draft Rep. Pelowski moves out of his committee.
  • I have received a lot of calls and emails from my community about HF 604 - the mask mandate. Let me assure you that I do not support the mandatory wearing of masks and will be voting against any bill that would require you to wear one.

Contact:

We are still attempting to provide regular contact remotely regardless of our COVID-19 restrictions so If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us - please email my Legislative Assistant, Barbara, at barbara.smith@house.mn.

Watch the Minnesota House on Public TV

Video: Streaming Website. Also you can watch committees and Floor Sessions on YouTube.