Dear Friends,
It is so wonderful having the State Office Building open once again to the public! This week I had meetings with several constituents to discuss issues important to them, including Herby, Linda, and Bob. Thank you for stopping by!
Keeping an Eye on the Surplus
I came across an article this week that warned how Minnesota’s $9.3 billion surplus might quickly disappear if government does not act prudently. Soaring inflation, a supply chain crisis, and now the growing conflict in Ukraine are contributing to higher prices and economic uncertainty. The Federal Reserve has indicated higher interest rates are on the way to fight inflation. Recent history tells us that when interest rates go up recession follows.
A $9.3 billion surplus doesn’t mean that it’s time to spend more. In fact, we need to reign in the size of government by cutting spending and enacting permanent, meaningful tax relief. We need to end the social security tax and find ways to cut taxes so Minnesota’s families and businesses can thrive. We can use the surplus to help our job creators who were most hurt by the pandemic, especially our small businesses, who are now paying higher taxes because of Democrat inaction on refunding the unemployment insurance trust fund.
We have an opportunity in our state to make changes that will enable our families and businesses to thrive for years to come. I look forward to working with my colleagues on permanent, meaningful tax relief to help all Minnesotans.
“Gas Station Inflation”
The Center of the American Experiment has a new report out – “Gas Station Inflation” – which discusses the DFL’s problematic California Fuel Standards proposals. This plan would make the cost of gasoline and diesel fuel increase by 20 cents per gallon in the near term and up to 54 cents per gallon by 2035. Minnesota households would be paying, on average, an extra $210 to $570 per year, every year to fill up their cars.
These gas increases will hurt rural families, single-parent households, and newcomers to Minnesota as a higher portion of their budgets are already spent on energy costs. None of these costs will go toward improving our roads and bridges and there will be ZERO measurable environmental benefits.
At a time when Minnesotans are seeing record prices at the pump, it is so tone-deaf that the Governor is pushing this plan, and that the House DFL is holding hearings on the California Fuel Standards. This week in the Climate and Energy Committee the House DFL held an informational hearing on this proposal where they refused to allow opponents of the California Fuel Standards to testify and they only let Republicans ask two questions. I called out Chair Long for his refusal to hear opposition on a bill that would cause Minnesotans’ gas and energy prices to skyrocket. Citizens have a right to participate in their government and that hearing did not uphold our democratic principles.