Happy Mother’s Day!
I hope you can spend time with mom this weekend and visit one of the many restaurants in our area as you celebrate everything that mom’s do in the lives of their families.
This week, I recorded three separate videos touching on a handful of subjects that are playing an important role in the final 10 days of the legislative session.
The 2021 legislative session is supposed to end on May 17th, and there is still a lot of work to be done. One of the main items holding up negotiations is Democrats’ insistence on raising taxes.
It's time for Democrats to drop their demands for billions in tax hikes on families and businesses. With a $4 billion surplus ($1.6 billion state surplus + $2.6 billion in federal money coming), we can put together a responsible, bipartisan budget that funds our priorities without raising taxes.
Click here or the photo below to watch a brief video on this topic.
Now that all of the Democrats’ omnibus finance bills have received initial approval from the House, conference committees have been meeting in hopes of reaching agreement between the House and Senate with 10 days to go until our May 17th adjournment date.
Click here or the photo below to watch a video to hear my thoughts on this process.
Finally, on Thursday, Governor Walz announced roll backs of his COVID-19 restrictions including ending the statewide mask mandate no later than July 1st and eliminating indoor capacity limits on May 28th.
For more information and to read his latest executive order detailing the changes, click here.
This is a step in the right direction, but I am extremely disappointed that he still refuses to give up the emergency powers.
Time and again, Governor Walz has failed to engage the legislature and stakeholders when making decisions that impact millions of Minnesotans and our state’s economy. It is clearer than ever that his emergency powers must end. It makes no sense for a single person to be making decisions for the entire state, especially this late into the pandemic.
Click here or the photo below to watch a brief video discusses the need to end the peacetime emergency.
Staying in Touch
That’s all for this week’s update. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me to share any thoughts, concerns, or questions you may have. I can be reached by phone at either 651-296-4929 or 701-361-1909. I can also be reached via email at rep.jeff.backer@house.mn.
Have a good day,
Jeff