By Rep. Harry Niska
The 2024 legislative session has started, and I am eager to continue advocating for the best interests of District 31A residents as we tackle significant issues in the coming months.
It has been my pleasure meeting with numerous local groups and individuals during the legislative interim to rehash what happened in 2023, get up to speed on current issues and look ahead to what’s in store for 2024. Here’s a quick snapshot:
The 2023 session included some major local victories, including enactment of legislation I authored for local capital investment projects. We successfully obtained $6.1 million to address water contamination in the Red Oaks neighborhood of Andover and $3.2 million for a Ramsey water treatment facility.
Furthermore, Republicans stood up for seniors and nursing homes by delivering $300 million more than Democrats had proposed for them. This crucial funding will help our long-term care industry at a time nursing homes are in peril.
On the other hand, substantial concerns for our state in general have arisen regarding last session’s developments. Let’s start with the unsustainable path of taxing and spending Democrats in full control created for Minnesota. Last spring, they spent the $17.5 billion surplus and raised taxes by $10 billion to hike government spending by 40 percent.
In addition, the Democrats’ $730 million renovation of the State Office Building near the Capitol broke ground in recent months. At $730 million, the Democrats’ office makeover is eight times the cost to taxpayers as the new Senate building – which was constructed within the last decade for $90 million.
We must restore balance in St. Paul to eliminate wasteful government spending and deliver permanent tax relief so people can better afford groceries, gas, and other everyday essentials. A more balanced approach at the Capitol also would help us to avoid myriad problems that were created by a rushed, activist-driven agenda last session.
In fact, some of our first items of business this session will be to clean up hasty mistakes full-control Democrats made last year. There is a $400 million error in last year’s omnibus tax bill to correct and a separate issue compromising safety in our schools that remains unresolved. The latter came to a head at the start of the school year when school resource officers were pulled from schools all around our state after new law enacted by Democrats limited their ability to de-escalate potentially volatile situations. We need corrective action to make sure we are doing all we can to keep our children, teachers and school staff safe.
Meanwhile, three changes Democrats rushed into law currently are under preliminary injunctions in federal court. These challenges relate to Postsecondary Enrollment Options, pharmaceutical pricing and campaign spending. On top of that, employers around our state remain unclear over new state laws regarding employee leave and are wary about being subjected to litigation.
Republicans strongly urged Democrats to acknowledge their new laws did not hold muster and were likely to be overturned by the courts, all the while costing Minnesota taxpayers more in legal fees. The party of full control did not heed those warnings. So here we are. I remain ready and willing to work across the aisle and help clean up the mess they have created.
A more balanced approach in St. Paul would do wonders for our state. I will continue fundamentally working to achieve a simpler, smaller, less intrusive government instead of these radical changes made by full-party control that please activists but do not serve in the best interests of District 31A residents and beyond.
As always, your input is welcome on these and other issues.
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