The 2014 Legislative Session is Underway

Yesterday marked the start of the 2014 Legislative Session.

It is an honor to be back at our state capitol serving as your voice and working to build on the progress Minnesota made in 2013.

With a projected budget surplus of over $800 million, we have an important opportunity to help individuals, families, and businesses who have not felt the economic recovery.

To start, I support new tax cuts for middle class Minnesotans by enacting federal tax conformity, which would make our state tax code simpler and get rid of unnecessary burdens like the so-called “marriage penalty.” Last year, my colleagues and I passed tax conformity legislation in the House, but it was not included in the final state budget.

In addition, we need to repeal three business-to-business taxes, including the warehouse tax, farm equipment repair tax, and the telecommunications equipment tax. Our state’s strong economic outlook and projected surplus means we can pass these tax cuts for businesses and middle class Minnesotans while still maintaining a fiscally responsible and structurally balanced budget into the future.

I also support raising the minimum wage to help working Minnesotans provide for themselves and their families. Right now, we have the third lowest wage in the entire country, with the last increase under former Governor Pawlenty happening nearly a decade ago. During that time, wages have not kept up with increasing costs of things like gas, groceries, housing and other necessities. Increasing the minimum wage will give hardworking Minnesotans more economic security and stability that they need and deserve. Republicans and Democrats have worked together to increase the minimum wage in the past. I hope we will again now.

With a two-thirds “supermajority” vote needed to pass any capital investment legislation this year (more commonly known as bonding), both DFL and Republican lawmakers will need to team up to approve a final bill. I’m looking forward to working with colleagues from both sides of the aisle to repair and improve state assets like roads, bridges, and facilities at our public colleges and universities while at the same time creating good jobs.

Another challenge we must address is the disproportionate barriers to economic security facing women in Minnesota. For example, women in our state on average earn only 80 cents for every dollar a man makes. In addition, women make up two-thirds of individuals earning at or below the minimum wage. That’s why I’m supporting a series of bills called the Women’s Economic Security Act to ensure women have equal opportunities to succeed. Some of the Act’s top goals include closing the gender pay gap, expanding paid sick leave, increasing access to high-quality and affordable childcare, and helping women-owned small businesses grow and thrive.

I’m also focused on efforts to make government better, faster, simpler and more efficient for people and businesses – an idea Governor Dayton coined as the ‘Unsession.’ I’m hopeful that we can take some serious steps to cut red tape for businesses and streamline our state government by improving services, shortening wait times, and eliminating old and outdated rules.

Please stay in touch during this year’s Legislative Session by sending me your questions, comments or other feedback. You can reach me by phone at (651) 296-5387, by email at rep.will.morgan@house.mn, or by postal mail at 401 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.

I also encourage you to chat with me in person at one of my upcoming Listening Sessions. The locations and start times for each event are as follows:

Listening Session #1
Saturday, March 1 from 10:30am-12:00pm
Jo Jo's Rise and Wine (12501 Nicollet Avenue in Burnsville)

Listening Session #2
Tuesday, March 4 from 6:30-7:30pm
Brunswick Zone Bowling Alley (11129 162nd St West in Lakeville)

I hope to hear from you soon!