Dear Lakeville Neighbors,
Happy Friday! My daughters started their spring break today, and spent the day with me at the Capitol. Neither were very interested in our omnibus bills, but liked hanging out with Rep. Josh Heintzeman’s kids at the office.
Transportation Bill
We released many of our omnibus budget bills this week, and it’s encouraging to see things come together. As a member of the Transportation Finance Committee, I was pleased to see a significant $2 billion invest in the next two years focused on roads and bridges. The House Republican plan uses existing resources to fund this proposal, not increasing taxes like Governor Dayton wants to do. With a $1.6 billion budget surplus, we shouldn’t be raising the gas tax on Minnesota families. I firmly believe in our plan to fix roads and bridges without hiking the gas tax or metro area sales tax.
Earlier today, I joined Minnesota Public Radio with DFL Rep. Frank Hornstein to talk about transportation. Despite our policy differences, we had an engaging, cordial discussion about issues facing our state.
Tax Relief
Part of having a budget surplus means the state’s been over-collecting taxes from Minnesotans. To remedy this, we proposed a $1.35 billion tax relief bill that would help small business owners, working families, senior citizens, and indebted college graduates. This plan is bigger than the Senate’s or Governor’s proposals, and I look forward to advocating for more tax relief for our hardworking residents.
Education Funding
One of the reasons folks move to our area is for the great school system. We’re hoping to continue this trend by investing in our schools. This session, legislators have been working diligently to develop the best plan for education spending that allows us to reach our goal of ensuring every child in Minnesota receives a world-class education and the opportunity to achieve academic success. Our education bill puts more money in schools; $1.1 billion in new funding compared to last biennium. We also have language related to targeted investments for early learning and school readiness.
I’ll be sure to keep you updated as all these bills move forward and are negotiated with the Senate and Governor.
Have a great weekend,
Jon Koznick
State Representative, Lakeville, 58A