The end is near….

There are just four days remaining in the 2013 legislative session before the required May 20th end-of-session deadline.  Although Governor Dayton and Democrat leaders announced some of the taxes they would increase this past Sunday and again Thursday night, only two of the nine budget bills that make up our state government spending have been brought to the Senate for final approval.  And, we still do not have a final, complete tax plan.

The short amount of time left in the legislative session is concerning because we will not have time for public input and debate on these important bills. Governor Dayton and Democrat legislative leaders are not including any Republicans in their closed-door meetings to discuss the budget proposals.

What we know of the DFL budget is that everyone will pay more (at least $2.05 billion more) in taxes and more in fees. Hardworking taxpayers will likely pay higher gas taxes, higher utility costs due to new government mandates, more for health insurance and more in fees.

Before government takes another dime from hardworking taxpayers, we should go line-by-line through our state’s budget and cut the waste. We should see how we can spend better.

Despite high gas prices, Democrats still push additional gas taxes

Senate Democrats passed the Transportation Finance Bill that raises taxes on Minnesota families by $1 billion over the next four years. It includes a 5-cent per-gallon gas tax increase, an annual county wheelage tax of up to $20 per vehicle, a $3 increase for drivers’ licenses, and a 1/2-cent Metropolitan sales tax for transit. Final details of the bill have yet to be worked out with the House and the Governor. This is another example of how everyone will pay more under the Democrat’s budget, not just the wealthy!

Childcare Provider Unionization Bill passes

One of my favorite news articles from the week started this way “While we slept, Republicans in the Minnesota Senate fought all night Tuesday for families and child care providers”  The story highlights how, after 17 hours of debate, Senate Democrats passed a bill to unionize home daycare providers. 

While we lost this battle, the principle in question was worth the fight. This bill is unwanted, unnecessary, and seeks to unionize self-employed individuals. Union dues will be collected from hardworking parents by raising the cost of childcare. A poll showed 86% of childcare providers are already opposed to this effort. I will continue to fight to keep the government and unions out of childcare. 

Despite the best efforts of Republican senators to improve the bill, nearly every amendment was defeated on a party-line vote. These amendments included allowing families to observe contract negotiations, exempting nonmembers from paying union dues, and disclosing information to providers about what unionization means for their business. 

Under the bill, even daycare providers who choose not to join the union would still be forced to pay union fees, be subject to the terms and conditions negotiated by the union, be effectively deemed employees of the state, and have their personal information given to unions. In response to AFSCME's testimony that this bill is about "raising subsidy rates," Republicans expressed concern that this bill would result in increased costs for families and taxpayers alike. Next, the bill will be heard in the House of Representatives.

Energy Bill passes Senate - will increase utility costs

The  Senate  took  up  a  Commerce  and  Economic  Development  budget  bill  this  week  that  included language creating a new mandate requiring utility companies to use solar energy. This mandate will make utilities more expensive for consumers. While I could support a cost-effective renewable energy policy, I opposed this piece of special interest sausage-making. Some areas of Minnesota will bear the cost of this  mandate and others will not. According to initial reports, half of Burnsville will pay for this mandate while the other half does not.  The bill exempts large iron mining and forestry related companies on the Iron Range from the cost impact of a solar mandate.  At  the  same  time  it  fails  to  relieve  oil refining,  food manufacturing,  sheet metal and medical device companies from the solar mandate in other regions of the state.