Dear Neighbor,
The 2017 Legislature completed its budget work early this morning and has adjourned, with $650 million in tax relief and significantly more funding for transportation at the top of the list as far as major accomplishments.
Tax relief and funding for roads and bridges have been two of my top priorities this session and it is satisfying to see major victories come in both of those areas. Those are the bills that will define this session in the history books: $650 million in tax relief and $300 million for transportation the next two years alone without raising taxes.
The House and Senate concluded a brief special session by passing the final bills that form the state’s 2018-19 budget. In all, the Legislature passed seven bills during the special session: taxes, transportation, state government, health and human services, K-12 education, capital investment and labor standards.
The tax bill provides the largest tax cut in nearly two decades, with more than $650 million in tax relief for Minnesota families in 2018-19 and roughly $750 million in relief in 2020-21. This includes relief for seniors on Social Security, college graduates with student loan debt, and property tax relief for farmers and Minnesota businesses.
Minnesota was one of very few states that was fully tax our seniors’ Social Security income. It was long overdue to right that wrong and the fact we accomplished that will provide meaningful relief to seniors.
In addition, the Legislature approved the largest investment in road and bridge infrastructure in state history, with billions more going toward transportation over the next 10 years without an increase in the gas tax or license tab fees.
Overall, the Legislature sent 10 budget bills, a $995 million bonding bill and a labor standards bill to the governor’s desk for his signature. He is expected to enact them and I encourage to do so in short order.
I will follow up with more updates soon to take a look at some highlights of the other areas of the budget we passed. There is some good stuff for Greater Minnesota. I also plan to touch on some of the legislation I authored and/or advocated for that reached the finish line.
Have a good weekend, be safe over Memorial Day and we’ll be back soon. I look forward to coming home from the Capitol and spending more time talking face-to-face with the people in our district.
Sincerely,
Matt