Dear Neighbors,
First off, congratulations to the Willmar Wrestling team that won consolation at this week’s state wrestling tournament in St. Paul. What a great team season for you all, it was so fun following your progress throughout the year. Good luck to all the individual grapplers from area schools this weekend!
It’s been a busy few weeks here at the legislature as I continue working hard to make sure that the priorities of Kandiyohi County are well represented.
This week, we received word that the state’s budget surplus remained unchanged and still stands at $17.5 billion. As I’ve been saying since day one, a budget surplus this size is proof that you are being overtaxed. I continue to push hard for permanent and meaningful tax relief that will help put money back into your family budgets and make Minnesota more welcoming to small businesses.
Now that we know exactly where the state’s budget forecast stands, I expect budget negotiations to pick up. The first committee deadline is March 10th and there will be a lot of work done in committees as the majority rushes to get bills their first hearings.
As always, I will be doing everything I can to make sure the budget is reasonable, within our means, and meets the needs of Minnesotans.
In addition to the budget, I am working hard on finding other options to provide family leave benefits for workers without raising taxes on Minnesotans and destroying small businesses. What is currently being proposed in House File 2 is careless and not reasonable. I am afraid that it will do more damage than good, and new taxes that take money out of your paycheck is not what folks are asking for.
I’m also working to help local law enforcement and County Attorneys have more ability to prosecute and punish individuals that are trafficking and selling fentanyl in Minnesota. My bi-partisan working group on this issue is making good strides and I expect we will see new statutes that will punish those that knowingly sell deadly pills to Minnesotans.
Staying in Touch and Upcoming Town Hall
Senator Andrew Lang, Representative Dean Urdahl, and I will be hosting a town hall meeting on April 1st. More details to come regarding time and location, but please mark your calendars for April 1st.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with your ideas and suggestions. I can be reached at rep.dave.baker@house.mn.gov or you can call 651-296-6206.
All the best,
Dave