Dear Neighbors,
It’s been another busy week in St. Paul as legislation has started moving through the committee process. Only three weeks into the legislative session, we have started to see some of the priorities of the House Democrat majority take shape.
Most alarmingly, Democrats are moving a bill that would impose a massive six-year tax increase on Minnesota businesses at a time when the state’s budget surplus is approaching $8 billion. The tax increases would come because this bill would go only part of the way towards restoring the state’s Unemployment Insurance fund to solvency.
Even the Walz administration has confirmed that the proposal on unemployment insurance would result in six years of tax increases on Minnesota businesses.
With inflation soaring to 40-year highs, supply chain issues, workforce challenges, and more, we need to stop House Democrats from punishing businesses with six years of higher taxes at a time when Minnesota has a record-setting $7.7 billion surplus.
Stay tuned on this as we have a March 14th deadline to get something passed to prevent the tax hikes.
Keeping Kids in Schools
Last week, Democrats advanced a bill through the Education Policy Committee that would make it easier to close schools to in-person learning with as little as one-day notice, with zero required in-person learning options.
Students have had their academic progress devastated by two years of distance learning — we need to be focused on keeping kids in the classroom, not making it easier for schools to close with as little as one day's notice.
I will be fighting hard to make sure schools stay open for in-person learning and that parents have control over their student’s education. Our schools are better served when parents are fully engaged in this process.
Staying in Touch
Please do not hesitate to reach out to me to share any thoughts or concerns you may have about state government or the job I'm doing as your representative. It would be great to talk with you. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-8237 or via email at rep.brian.daniels@house.mn.
Have a great day,
Brian