Dear Neighbor,
Hope your summer is going well. Just wanted to touch on a couple of quick things as this week we reach 60 days since the end of the 2022 session, the point when legislative email updates like this one must be placed on hold until after the November election.
I’ll keep doing my best to represent the people of this region and can communicate individually with people, just won’t be able to send broader messages for a few months.
As for other business, price increases continue to weigh on the minds of people I am talking with in our area. The 40-year inflation we are experiencing is really putting family budgets in the vice, making it all the more concerning permanent, meaningful tax relief was not approved during this year’s legislative session.
You may recall Senate Republicans proposed more than $8 billion in tax relief last session, while House Democrats were looking to spend $21 for every $1 in tax cuts. Those dollars should to go directly back to taxpayers instead of being spent on programs, but the Democrats wouldn’t agree with that approach and the state still possesses vast surplus dollars.
I will continue pushing for major tax relief, which likely will be front and center in discussions when the Legislature convenes in January with many new members in place. The Biden-Walz economy has been devastating to households and I look forward to working on legislation that will help keep more of your hard-earned money in your pocket.
We also need to get serious about stopping the wave of violent crime that has been rippling through our state. While Minneapolis-St. Paul may be ground zero for the uptick in lawlessness, we also are seeing the impacts here in Greater Minnesota. Higher crime is impacting our broader region, placing additional strain on local law enforcement at a time resources already can be thin.
Last session, Republicans put forward a package of bills which focuses on improving public safety in three key areas: crime prevention and accountability for criminals; police recruitment and retention; and holding the criminal justice system accountable. But, again, House Democrats did little more than provide lip service to these issues during the 2022 session. Public safety should be another top priority for the new Legislature in 2023.
I’ll keep working on these issues and, as always, welcome your input. Please stay in touch and I hope to see you around the area soon.
-Steve