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Dear Neighbor,
Minnesota Management & Budget issued a new state economic forecast yesterday and it indicates that Minnesota has a $1.3 billion budget surplus projected for 2020-21.
I guess a surplus is better than a shortfall, but the bottom line is the state took $1.3 billion too much from Minnesota taxpayers and the right thing to do is to give it back.
For instance, we could use it to repeal the tax on health care the governor and House Democrats demanded be extended. If that’s not something the liberals can swallow, the least we could do on behalf of taxpayers is to use these funds for infrastructure work.
This is $1.3 billion that could be used for projects without having to bond. We’d get important work done without incurring interest while also increasing local revenue – a win-win-win situation for taxpayers.
In any case, the surplus is a result of the state over-collecting … not because the state just didn’t do a good enough job of spending taxpayer dollars. This should not be viewed as $1.3 billion found in the couch cushions for legislators to just spend on more and more government growth. This discussion and decisions to follow should make for an interesting 2020 session.
On a more somber final note, prayers go out to the three National Guard soldiers who died yesterday’s helicopter crash southwest of St. Cloud. Let’s also keep their families in our prayers through the tragic losses they’re suffering. Reports from this morning show investigators are making their way to the scene.
Sincerely,
Shane
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