REP. GROSSELL STATEMENT ON NOVEMBER BUDGET FORECAST
CLEARBROOK, MN—State Representative Matt Grossell, R-Clearbrook, issued the following statement regarding today's news that Minnesota has a $1.3 billion budget surplus for FY20-21.
“The large surplus is great news, showing we have a thriving economy in Minnesota but it also means we are taking far too much out of the wallets of Minnesotans. One thing we can do once session begins is to repeal the sick tax, which adds a 1.8% tax to the cost of most medical procedures, to help Minnesotans with the cost of their health care.”
As of September 2019, MMB indicated that the state needed just $259 million to fully-fund the state's budget reserve. State law requires up to one-third of the surplus go to the budget reserve until it is fully funded.
Repealing the 1.8 percent provider tax is estimated to cost about $875 million for the remainder of this biennium. Grossell added that the surplus news should eliminate any talk of tax hikes next year at the Capitol.
"It’s now clear as day, the tax cuts at the federal level and past cuts by Republican majorities generate growth—we need to take tax hikes off the table, and look at giving as much of this surplus back to taxpayers as possible."
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