Dear neighbor,
The Minnesota Office of Management and Budget released the February Economic Forecast showing a $1.2 billion surplus for Fiscal Year 2014-15. This news confirms that Minnesotans are overtaxed and overwhelmed by Governor Dayton and Democrat policies. They took $2.1 billion in new taxes from Minnesotans including taxes on internet purchases, farm equipment repairs, cigarettes and warehousing and increased spending by nearly 10 percent in their overall budget including millions of dollars for a new office building and salary increases for politicians.
The proper course of action now is to return the money to the hardworking taxpayers of Minnesota. Along with other Republican legislators, I support a “Give It Back” package that would return tax dollars to hardworking Minnesotans including:
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Full, retroactive repeal of Democrats’ 2013 business-to-business taxes
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Elimination of the marriage penalty, adoption tax & full conformity to the federal personal income tax code
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Undo the Democrats’ 2013 death tax
In addition to those policy initiatives, I want to right a wrong inflicted by the Democrats during the 2013 Legislative Session. While Democrats managed bring taxes and spending to historic levels, they neglected to prioritize our elderly, disabled, and vulnerable citizens as well as the people who take care of them. I have signed onto a bill that would fund a 5% rate increase for home care providers, long-term care providers and nursing homes that take care of our loved ones. I call on the Democrat leadership to bring this bill to the floor quickly in a “clean” form – meaning the proposal stands alone. Our grandpas, our grandmas, our elderly, our disabled, and our sick deserve swift help from us without political games.
While it’s been a busy week back in St. Paul, I’m looking forward to spending time with family in Alexandria this weekend.
As always, please feel free to contact me by e-mail at Rep.Mary.Franson@House.MN or contact my office at 651-296-3201. You can also send mail to my office address: 211 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.
Sincerely,
Mary