Dayton Budget Could Hit Hard
The House and Senate have spent much of this week examining Governor Dayton’s budget bill proposal (HF677) after the House moved to accelerate the bill from one committee to another. The bill raises taxes and creates a disadvantage for Minnesota companies to operate in this global economy. I opposed moving the bill forward and all of my GOP colleagues also voted against the bill.
Locally, the Dayton tax plan will place a new sales tax on memberships, impacting our Marshall YMCA and other fitness centers. It also taxes admissions to events, so attendees to Mustang sporting events will pay more every year. Personal services like haircuts and oil changes will cost families more. Business services used by small companies (accountants, legal, and computer repair) will now be taxed. Overall, the plan asks Minnesotans to pay billions more to state government so it can grow spending. I am concerned that this proposed budget will slow down economic recovery and hurt our area overall.
Tax Law for Canby
This week, I presented my bill to authorize a taxing district for the City of Canby in committee. As I’ve mentioned before, this is a critical piece of legislation to help Canby recover lost costs from a bankrupt developer and protect taxpayers. I hope to have more good news to report on this bill in the coming weeks.
Meeting with Groups
I spent much of this week meeting with many groups and individuals about important topics, including:
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MN Corn Growers Association
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MN Hospital Association
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MN Telecom Alliance
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MN Turkey Growers Association
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MN State Cattlemen’s Association
I visited businesses and stopped by for coffee in Dawson last weekend and heard thoughts from residents on what’s going on in St. Paul. If you have thoughts or questions, I always encourage constituents to contact me.
Reviewing Higher Education Budgets
In the Higher Education Committee, we spent this week reviewing the budget for MnSCU Colleges and Universities with Chancellor Rosenstone. Investing in state colleges and universities, especially our campuses in Southwest Minnesota, is an important priority but requires us to thoroughly examine how state funding and tuition is being utilized. My hope is to keep tuition under control while ensuring maximum funding benefits students and their learning experience.
Please feel free to contact me with any thoughts or concerns you may have. I can be reached at 651-296-5374 or by e-mail at rep.chris.swedzinski@house.mn.
Sincerely,
Rep. Chris Swedzinski