Rep. Altendorf Legislative Update

WHAT'S NEW?

Last Saturday, I joined 11 other state representatives in attending Pope County Deputy Josh Owen’s funeral to show our respect for his service and support for his grieving family.

As many of you know, he was killed in the line of duty on April 15.

It is impossible to show the powerful outpouring of support in just these pictures. I wish everyone could have been there to see the more than 1,000 people who came to honor this true American hero.

There were hundreds of police officers; a group of them even drove here from Saginaw, MI, where Josh’s family originally called home.

I wish you could have seen the beautiful canine dogs, the people lining the streets for miles, the flags waving in the distance.

During the service, Pope County Chief Deputy Brecht reminded us that the job that these police officers do is noble. They put their lives on the line every day to protect the public. They deserve that respect from all of us.

Amen to that.

LEGISLATION HIGHLIGHTS

TAXES BILL CONTAINS…. MORE TAX INCREASES

House Democrats continued their financial assault on Minnesotans this week by approving their comprehensive taxes proposal, which includes tax increases of $2.2 billion.

It’s yet another move that lacks common sense. Minnesota has a $17.5 billion budget surplus, and yet Democrats are approving another bill that includes billions of dollars in tax increases.

In the case of the taxes bill, Democrats would take the $2.2 billion by creating a 5th income tax tier and forcing corporations to claim all worldwide income on their Minnesota returns.

But again, that’s only one route where they’re trying to take more of Minnesotans’ money. The Democrats have also approved $3.5 billion in transportation tax increases, which would raise the costs of license tab renewals and the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax, increase the sales tax in the Metro Area, and implement a 75-cent delivery tax on items that are dropped off at your front door.

Every Minnesota worker and employer would face higher taxes to fund a new state-run insurance program that covers paid family and medical leave. A separate sales tax increase in the Metro Area would also be implemented in order to fund housing programs.

In all, the proposed Democrat tax increases would total nearly $10 billion even though the State of Minnesota already has $17.5 billion in state surplus funds.

Time and again on the campaign trail last fall, I heard the same thing from residents: give us our money back. With an unprecedented budget surplus, this was supposed to be the year Minnesotans would get a break from Democrats’ never ending tax increase nonsense and would instead receive permanent and significant tax relief. Instead, they’ll be lucky if they get a one-time refund that pays for a week’s worth of groceries and they’ll be forced to watch state government spending increase from $52 billion this budget cycle to $70 billion over the next two years.

AG BILL PROBLEMATIC

We are seeing and hearing about plenty of farming hardships taking place around Minnesota. Unfortunately, the omnibus agriculture bill approved by House Democrats will do little to help.

Agriculture has the reputation as one of the few places bipartisan results are achieved in the Legislature, but this appears to be the most partisan Ag bill in the history of this institution.

If we’re going to be honest, this bill is more about what it does to farmers than for farmers. Additional fees and regulations contained in this bill make Minnesota’s farmers less competitive and less profitable at a time many already are struggling. The point was actually made by Democrats that they would have to cut ag programs unless they raise taxes and fees. This, despite a $17.5 billion budget surplus.

The war on Minnesota agriculture continues.

GOP EDUCATION PLAN vs. DFL

Click here to listen to Principal and GOP Representative Ben Bakeberg from Jordan and Representative Patricia Mueller from Austin, who also is a teacher, explain our House Republican education plan. It contains the same amount of money, but not the new mandates and burdens being pushed on our schools by Democrats. We advocate for local control in school districts and not dictate from St. Paul how to manage schools.