Dear Friends and Neighbors,
The 2018 session ended after the Minnesota Legislature reached a May 21th constitutional deadline to complete our work for the year. We started out this session with bipartisan agreement to act on many issues important to Minnesotans: the opioid crisis, elder abuse, tax conformity, sexual harassment, school safety, and more. The Legislature had an opportunity this year to protect elders and vulnerable adults; make schools safer and class sizes smaller, lower health care costs, tackle distracted driving, reform gun safety laws, and address a $3 billion backlog of statewide construction projects. Minnesotans from every county and all walks of life visited the Capitol and urged lawmakers t find common ground to accomplish this important work.
After 12 weeks of meetings, hearings, and debates, the Legislature passed bills that I am proud to have supported and some that missed the mark on crucial policy issues important to Minnesotans. Without approval of state emergency funding for our schools, budget shortfalls will create instability for at least 52 local school districts that could lead to teacher layoffs and larger class sizes, denying our kids the individualized attention they need to learn and grow.
As a member of the Senate Tax Committee my priority this year was to ensure that Minnesotans were not overburdened wit the filing process or overtaxed due to the interaction of Minnesota state tax law and the recently passed federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA). The urgency of passing tax conformity for the sake of our Minnesota taxpayers cannot be overstated. However, the tax bill was not signed into law. The tax bill that the Legislature sent to the Governor during the final hours of the session was vetoed because it contained provisions that jeopardized the fiscal stability of the state. It made certain funding allocation that were unfavorable to our schools and compromised our state budget reserves.
Last year, I voted for a tax bill that cost $650 million, which provided tax cuts to many Minnesotans. This year I could not support the tax bill that would cost an additional $140 million and balloons to over $500 million in the out years due to the automatic tax cuts that would trigger no matter what the economy forecast were to look like in the future. These triggers are simply not prudent fiscal policy. The Governor also requested $138 million in emergency school aid. Instead of dedicating part of this year’s $329 million budget surplus for this critical need, the bill simply re-shifted dollars already available to schools in a manner that wasn’t equitable for all districts and took $50 million from the state budget reserves to backfill school trust land payments. Funding our schools and keeping our children safe should be a core value paid for by the general fund not shifts in a tax bill. Unfortunately, this year’s tax bill simply continued the dangerous trend of spending more than the state can afford and I cannot support a bill that will most certainly lead into a budget deficit.
I will continue to advocate for a balanced budget with fiscal stability that is imperative for a state’s economy. As your Senator, you have my commitment to continue the work across the aisle and be a responsible steward of your tax dollars. I will continue to advocate on your behalf in the Minnesota Senate to ensure your voice is heard. I want to thank all of those who have reached out to us to share your perspectives and ask questions. I value your input and it humbles me to represent you in the Minnesota Senate.
Sincerely,
Melissa Franzen