Dear Neighbor,
Before we get into legislative news today, let’s congratulate the Montevideo and BOLD boys basketball teams for advancing to the state tournament this week! It’s great to see local communities rally to support our teams.
As for the latest from the House:
Return surplus tax dollars
A House Republican bill allowing citizens to decide whether a portion of future budget surpluses should be returned to taxpayers was defeated in the House this week. It fell 67-67 in a party-line vote.
Regardless of where you stand on the nuances of this particular bill (H.F. 4), this is a discussion we need to have after what we saw unfold in 2023. That was the year Minnesota had an $18 billion surplus, and the legislature had a prime opportunity to deliver historic, meaningful tax relief. Instead, the former Democrat trifecta spent $18 billion and increased taxes by $10 billion along the way to raise state spending by 40 percent overall.
Minnesotans were – and still are – struggling with higher costs of daily goods and services. Almost nobody was asking for a 40-percent increase in ongoing state spending that will cost taxpayers even more year after year.
This needs to be fixed by placing more guardrails to protect taxpayers and make Minnesota more affordable for the long haul. It doesn’t have to be a partisan issue because it’s just common sense. If the state collects more tax dollars than necessary to support its budget, those dollars should go back to the taxpayers instead of legislators treating it as a license to spend even more.
CPA bill advancing
A bipartisan bill I have authored to help cut down barriers in the path of becoming a certified public accountant is moving through the committee process and, hopefully, is available for a vote of the full House soon. The bill (H.F. 1458) has received broad support so far, and awaits a hearing in Ways and Means – the last stop before the floor. Look for more details on this proposal as we make progress.
National Ag Day
 National Ag Day was this week and I want to thank farmers in our area for tirelessly working to feed our families, fuel our economy, and keep our local communities going. No matter the season – or the weather – you provide the food and resources to keep our state and nation moving. I truly appreciate your efforts, and thanks again for all you do. Tied House The House is back to 134 members and a 67-67 split after a recent special election took place to fill a vacancy. All committees now have balanced membership, except for Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Policy, where House Republicans retain a 5-3 majority. Republican Rep. Lisa Demuth also will continue serving as Speaker for the duration of this term. None of those things change the fact our biggest responsibility for this session is to set a new two-year state budget so we can adjourn on time May 19. There will be difficult decisions to make to square away our $6 billion shortfall, but it all starts with getting state spending back in line after the former party in control launched the budget into orbit. Until next time, have a great weekend and please stay in touch. Sincerely, Scott |