Dear Neighbors,
It’s been a busy week in St. Paul as most of our time has been spent on the House Floor with long debates and votes on massive omnibus budget bills. Below, I will give you details of some of these bills that were voted on this week.
Before I do so, I want to thank Hibbing Mayor, Peter Hyduke, for being my guest at Gov. Walz’s State of the State address on Wednesday night. It was an honor to host Mayor Hyduke and I thank him for taking the time to attend!
Veterans Bill
I want to start first on a positive note by sharing news that we were able to unanimously approve a standalone veterans bill this week. The bill passed without a single “no” vote, 131-0.
This bill is about taking care of the brave men and women that have served our nation.
It is always good to see that despite our differences in St. Paul, our veterans are still an issue that can achieve unanimous support from legislators. Thank you to everyone that has served!
Environment and Energy Bill
On Tuesday, the House approved the Environment and Energy Omnibus Bill. As always, I am constantly looking for opportunities to promote our Northland and champion legislation that will support our communities.
Sadly, this bill missed that mark, and was unable to earn my support.
Overall, the net general fund spending for the climate and energy section of the bill represents a 513% increase over current funding and a 2,286% growth of the Renewable Development Account. The environment portion raises millions of dollars in fees – despite the state's $17.5 billion surplus.
I simply cannot in good conscience vote in favor of a bill that will increase costs on everything from utility bills to hunting and fishing licenses, boating registration, and visiting our incredible state parks.
Click here or the photo below to watch my comments on this bill and the ways it misses the mark.
Transportation Bill
Wednesday saw the passage of the Transportation Budget Bill. This bill raises about $3.5 billion in new taxes at a time when the state has a record-setting budget surplus. Like with other bills across the budget proposal, there is no need to be raising billions in new taxes when the state has a $17.5 billion budget surplus.
Here are some of the proposed taxes in the bill:
- Metro Area Sales Tax Increase totaling more than $2 billion.
- $513 million via a new “delivery” tax that would impact Amazon deliveries, DoorDash, Pizza shops, and everything in between.
- $736 million in license tab fee increases.
- $215 million via a Motor Vehicle Sales Tax increase.
The bill also includes $194 million in spending to pay for a passenger train to Duluth.
I voted “NO” on this bill because we should be looking for ways to return the surplus to you through tax relief while making targeted investments in transportation that improve roads and bridges.
Staying in Touch
Please continue to reach out to me to share what’s on your mind. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-4936 or via email at rep.spencer.igo@house.mn.gov
Have a great day,
Spencer