Dear Neighbors,
It’s been another busy week in St. Paul with several late nights debating and voting on the last of Democrats’ budget bills. Remember, Democrats and Gov. Walz are looking to increase overall government spending by 40%, spend the entire $17.5 billion budget surplus, and raise taxes by nearly $10 billion.
Education Bill
Late last week, Democrats approved their education budget bill. Their bill included 67 new mandates on our schools - most of which are unfunded. While there are increases in funding formulas, school administrators have frequently reached out to note that the increases will barely cover the costs of these mandates, essentially meaning no real new dollars will flow to the classroom.
This bill missed the mark, and I am concerned that it will do little to help Minnesota students improve testing scores and recover from learning loss as a result of pandemic closures and distance learning.
Human Services
On Tuesday, the human services omnibus bill was approved. As with many of the Democrats’ budget bills, I was once again a “no” vote on this package.
At a time when the state has a $17.5 billion budget surplus, Democrats have ignored the crisis our nursing homes are facing by failing to provide the funding they need to keep their doors open.
Despite warnings from the nursing home industry, and even the Star Tribune, Democrats are dedicating only 0.03% of their $72 billion budget proposal to helping nursing homes and supporting seniors.
Nursing homes across our state are closing, 15 facilities since 2020 alone, pushing many of Minnesota’s seniors farther from their homes and loved ones. More than 1.3 million Minnesotans are now aged 65 or older. This bill does not keep up with the needs of aging Minnesotans and fails to make any meaningful steps to address the nursing home crisis in our state.
Public Safety
Wednesday, the Public Safety bill was approved. Again, I was a “no” vote on this bill.
There has been a dramatic uptick in violent crime across Minnesota due to the defund the police movement and “soft on crime” prosecutors that are failing to hold criminals accountable. This bill continues these failed policies and will do little to keep Minnesota safe.
The bill makes thousands of incarcerated felons eligible for early release, reduces sentences for violent offenders, fails to invest in law enforcement, and provides more than a hundred million dollars to unproven and unaccountable non-profit organizations.
It also included two controversial gun control proposals that place additional burdens on law-abiding Minnesotans looking to exercise their 2nd Amendment rights and fail to uphold due process.
As a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, this was another reason to vote “no” on the bill.
Taxes
On Thursday, the House approved this year’s Tax Omnibus Bill. Despite a record-breaking budget surplus of $17.5 billion, Democrats are looking to raise taxes by nearly $10 billion—including $2.2 billion in this bill.
In the bill, they fail to fully repeal the state’s unfair tax on social security benefits. This directly breaks campaign promises that so many Democrats made last fall.
Additionally, they are looking to radically change the way the state governs electronic pull tabs. This move will financially devastate hundreds of charities across Minnesota, including some right here in our community, that depend on revenue generated from e-pull tabs. This is unnecessary and will unfairly harm local charities.
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