Thank you to the District 11A constituents who stopped by my legislative office Thursday to discuss a number of issues. The input is helpful and it's always good to see people from home down in St. Paul.
Dear Neighbor,
Good day from the House. It’s been another busy week in the House, with most of our time being spent in committee meetings to receive informational presentations and conduct preliminary bill hearings. Here are my latest notes from St. Paul:
Housing
As a realtor by trade and someone who understands a variety of housing challenges people in our district face, I was very interested in a meeting the Housing Finance and Policy Committee conducted this week.
A volatile housing market has driven up costs, especially in recent years where homes were selling incredibly fast. It was rather common for multiple potential purchasers to be desperately bidding against one another, pushing up the price. Now, interest rates are creeping up, raising housing costs another way.
All this is to say housing costs already were an issue in Minnesota and these factors are only adding to the challenge. Our state needs more housing units at more affordable price points. It’s especially true in Greater Minnesota, where it’s hard to attract skilled workers and young families if housing inventory is short – adding to our workforce shortage.
Some of the reasons for high housing costs are out of the state’s control, especially federal interest rates. That simply highlights the need for us to take a serious look at Minnesota’s excessive regulations that continue to drive up construction costs and ultimately increase the price of housing. I'm sure I'll have more to add on this subject in the future.
Tax conformity bill
The most noteworthy accomplishment on the House floor this week was overwhelming bipartisan passage of legislation allowing state taxpayers to take advantage of numerous tax provisions already approved at the federal level.
This so-called federal conformity is needed in Minnesota to ease filing compliance and to help industries that were hardest hit from pandemic shutdowns. This particularly pertains to restaurant, hospitality, and entertainment groups.
With a 132-0 vote on that bill (H.F. 31), it was encouraging to see the House come together with this bipartisan accomplishment early in the session.
I want to work with my colleagues across the aisle and this was a refreshing instance where we all kept our eye on the ball and did what’s right for the people of Minnesota. This was one of those bills where we all got on board because the bill was in the best interest of all Minnesotans. We needed to get this done in a timely manner to make for a smoother tax season and I am pleased we delivered.
At least seven federal bills have been passed into law since Minnesota last enacted legislation to match congressional changes, so it was time to get this done. The Senate agreed and also approved the bill Wednesday, and the governor signed it into law.
Look for more from the Capitol soon. Until then, have a good weekend and please stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Jeff