Dear Neighbors,
The annual February budget forecast was unveiled on Thursday by state economists showing once again that Minnesota is facing a looming deficit beginning with the next budget cycle.
The report also showed a higher budget surplus for the rest of the current two-year budget cycle, but with the looming deficit on the horizon, it’s hard to imagine any substantial spending taking place during this year’s legislative session.
Remember, last year, House and Senate majorities and Governor Walz spent the entirety of the then-historic $17.5 billion budget surplus, raised taxes by nearly $10 billion, and grew overall government spending by 40%. The concerns we raised last year that their out-of-control spending would set Minnesota on a path of economic hardship fell on deaf ears.
Thursday’s report shows that our concerns were correct.
Update on School Resource Officers
There was good news this week as a bipartisan agreement was reached on a fix to the School Resource Officers (SROs) issue that resulted in many districts removing SROs from middle and high schools.
I expect the bipartisan agreement to be on the House Floor for a vote next week.
While I wish this would have been done sooner, I am nevertheless happy to see this bipartisan solution.
Gun Control Hearings
On Thursday, two gun control bills received hearings in the House Public Safety Committee. The first bill would turn victims of property crime into criminals themselves if they fail to report a stolen firearm to the authorities within an arbitrary timeframe. The second bill would make changes to state law governing how firearms must be stored in the home. This legislation creates significant problems related to the usage of firearms in a home defense scenario.
As a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment, I am opposed to both bills and will continue to stand for the right of all law-abiding Minnesotans to own firearms.
Staying in Touch
Stay tuned for more updates from St. Paul as the legislative session unfolds. In the meantime, please continue to reach out to my office for any questions, comments, or concerns about the bills, ideas, and issues that matter to all of us at the Capitol! Also, please make sure to share this link with anyone who may be interested in signing up for my newsletter: https://rb.gy/5slax9.
Contact me by phone at 651-296-4936 or via email at rep.spencer.igo@house.mn.gov.
Have a great day,
Spencer