Final Week of Session

Dear Friends and Neighbors, 

I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful spring weather! The first green buds, flowers, and cherry blossoms are so spectacular! I always say my favorite season is fall until spring comes around again! :)

Our last week at the Capitol has been one of waiting. As I write this update on Friday morning, we are still waiting for the Governor, House DFL Speaker Melissa Hortman and Senate Republican Leader Paul Gazelka to come up with a final budget agreement so the conference committees can finish their work. The big sticking point is whether or not they will raise taxes on Minnesota families.

Governor Walz and the House DFL have proposed a $12 billion tax increase. The Republican House and Senate are arguing there is no need to raise taxes when we currently have a $1 billion surplus. In fact, the most recent state revenue report for April showed that state revenues were up an additional $573 million above the amount forecasted for 2019!

The continuing increases in state revenue are a sure sign that the Republican tax cuts of 2017 is working!  Since Republicans cut $1 billion in taxes for Minnesota families in 2017, the economy has been booming and state revenues have actually increased by nearly $3 billion. Governor Walz's proposal to increase taxes on Minnesota families and businesses is not necessary and would actually put a damper on the economic growth we are enjoying.  

The "big ticket" items that make up this $12 billion tax increase will hurt Minnesota families. Here's a quick breakdown of the main tax increases:

• $1.77 billion increase from a 20-cent/gallon increase in the gas tax from 28.5-cents/gallon to 48.5 cents per gallon; This is a 70% increase in the gas tax and would give us the 4th highest gas tax in the country!
• $2.55 billion increase in healthcare costs by re-instating the "sick tax", which is set to expire in December. This adds 2% to every doctor, dentist and eye care visit, as well as 2% to the cost of every medical procedure. This disproportionately hurts the sickest among us the most as their costs for cancer treatment, diabetes, surgery, etc. are higher, so they pay the most in this tax.
• $1.13 billion increase in vehicle registration tax 
• $985 million metro area sales tax for light rail
• $4 billion tax increases in the DFL tax bill 

According to the Governor's own Department of Revenue, his proposed $12 billion tax increase is regressive and the burden would disproportionately fall on lower-income Minnesotans. The Governor's overall budget proposal would be an 8.6% increase in state spending, although Minnesotan's average hourly wages increased only 0.5% in 2018. Although we rank 10th highest in the country for our average hourly wage of $28.40/hour, our rate of wage growth is 45th in the country.

Minnesota families cannot afford to pay more for gas, healthcare, property taxes, and motor/recreational vehicles. Our wages are not rising enough to keep up with inflation, let alone with an 8.6% increase in government spending. The overall state and local tax burden on Minnesotans is currently 11.63% of income. Under the DFL plan, their tax burden would increase to 12.39% of income.

With the 4th highest tax rate in the country and a $1 billion budget surplus, Minnesotans are already taxed enough. I hope the Governor and House DFL will accept the Senate's budget proposal to increase spending on important priorities without raising taxes.

Waiting for the Deal

We've had a somewhat erratic schedule this week as we have been waiting for the deal to get done! That has given me some unexpected time to explore - including my first trip to see the golden horses on the top of the Capitol! I was also very honored to attend the Peace Officers Memorial Observance on the Capitol lawn, honoring the 286 fallen officers and their families who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our state.

What I Learned

Watching the conference committees work this past week has been fascinating and I have learned a lot. Contrary to what many believe, it does not take a numerical majority of the Conference Committee members to add something to the final Conference Committee bill. It takes a majority of the House Conferees and a majority of the Senate Conferees to get it in the final version.  

Here's the basic process. The House and the Senate each appoint the same number of conferees to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill - let's say 5 each. To get something from the House version or the Senate version in the final combined bill it takes not the agreement of 6 of the 10 on the Committee, but 3 of the House and 3 of the Senate.  So, 5 House members plus one Senate member can't add something - it has to be agreed to equally by both bodies.

This distinction is very important and ensures that whatever comes out of the conference committees has genuine bicameral support (and bipartisan) support, which makes it much more likely the full House and Senate will accept the final conference version of the bill.

Photos from the Week

Law enforcement officers & their families gathered at the Capitol to honor their fallen colleagues and loved ones at Peace Officers Memorial Day on Wednesday

Rep. Robbins and Rep. Lisa Demuth with Maple Grove Police Department Officer Fillingane.
He recently biked 224 miles from VA to DC in honor of fallen MN Officer Arendt from Sterns County.

Rep. Robbins at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee dinner this week with former Senator Rudy Boschwitz and his wife, Ellen, as well as Eighth District Congressman Pete Stauber.

Please Contact Me 

Many of you have already been in touch to discuss your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you. Thank you for sharing your ideas! Please continue to contact me to discuss any legislation put before the House or any other matters to which I can be of assistance. You can set up a time to visit me at the Capitol by calling me at 651-296-7806 or by email at rep.kristin.robbins@house.mn. My office is located on the second floor of the State Office Building in room 225.

I hope you all have a fun weekend! 

Kristin

Like and follow my Facebook Page for updates throughout the week: Facebook.com/RepKristinRobbins