ST. PAUL – State Representative Rod Hamilton (R-Mountain Lake) said the 2022 legislative session ended with little fanfare as agreements on tax relief, public safety, and other provisions were not reached.
“It’s disappointing once again the legislature didn’t come to an agreement in time, especially when the end should be of no surprise because it’s outlined in the state’s constitution,” Hamilton said.
Hamilton said an overall supplemental budget framework that would have utilized Minnesota’s budget surplus was agreed to by House and Senate leadership. But when it came down to allocation specifics within that framework, consensus could not be found.
The good news, according to Hamilton, is that the surplus funding did not need to be allocated this session, as state government is fully funded through June 2023 and there is no danger of a government shutdown.
“That means, in absence of a special session, whichever party wins the election in November will decide what to do with the state surplus,” Hamilton said. “Based on what we saw this year, Republicans will focus on tax relief while Democrats will focus on program spending. The only difference is, next year an agreement has to be reached as it is a budget year. Stay tuned.”