Dear Neighbors,
It was a busy week in St. Paul with a number of issues being discussed and debated. Here is a brief recap.
Fireworks Bill Passes House
On Monday, the House approved legislation that expands the sale of legal fireworks to aerial and audible devices like bottle rockets, firecrackers and Roman candles. Their purchase would be limited to June 1 to July 10 each year. Cities and townships would have the ability to restrict and/or prohibit the sale or use of these fireworks.
As many know, especially folks in our area of the state, Minnesota’s ban on fireworks is of little effect for the countless Minnesotans that travel to North and South Dakota to purchase fireworks in the weeks leading up to the Fourth of July.
According to some studies, Minnesota loses roughly $5 million in sales tax revenue every year when people cross the border to purchase fireworks.
House Budget Targets
Last week, House leaders released supplemental budget targets. These targets reflect our continued focus on keeping state spending in line with family budgets. With state government fully funded from last year’s budget, our proposal calls for no net increase in spending.
More specifically, our proposal makes some adjustments to various areas of the budget, but spending vs. reductions end up evening out to zero.
Included in our adjustment is an additional $35 million for broadband expansion in rural Minnesota. This funding coupled with federal dollars means that Minnesota will see over $100 million in broadband expansion dollars next year.
Most importantly, our proposal does not spend any of the $900 million budget surplus—instead leaving it for much needed tax relief and road and bridge funding.
Protecting against Fake “Job Opportunities”
Some experts believe that for every legitimate job there are at least 60 scams, and that's disheartening news. But there are common sense ways to protect yourself. Being scammed at the same time you're looking for a new job is additional stress no one needs. Learn more about job-search-related scams and what you can do to avoid them.
Staying in Touch
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I was able to attend this year’s Minnesota Prayer Breakfast on Tuesday. It was a great morning of fellowship, prayer, and food.
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Last week I attended a breakfast event with the Morris Chamber of Commerce.
That’s all for this week’s update. Please be sure to contact me if you have any questions or concerns regarding these issues or anything else related to state government. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4929 or via email at rep.jeff.backer@house.mn.
Have a great weekend,
Jeff