STATEMENT ON BUDGET FORECAST

St. Paul – 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.”

Rep. Steve Drazkowski (Republican-Mazeppa), Rep. Tim Miller (Republican-Prinsburg), Rep. Cal Bahr (Republican-East Bethel), Rep. Jeremy Munson (Republican-Lake Crystal), and Rep. Erik Mortensen (Republican-Shakopee) are members of the New House Republican Caucus. 

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