May 19, 2015
SAINT PAUL, MN – Tonight, the Minnesota House adjourned, closing a session of disappointments for Greater Minnesota from the House Republican Majority. After campaigning on the promise to put Greater Minnesota first, the House Republicans passed a bare-bones budget and an education proposal that Governor Dayton has said he’ll veto.
The House majority failed to pass a tax bill, missing an opportunity to provide any kind of income or property tax relief to farmers or families. Many Greater Minnesota communities will be disappointed the legislature did not increase local government aid, which will likely result in property tax hikes. Two years ago Democrats invested in rural property tax relief, holding down property taxes for the first time in 12 years.
“As this session has progressed, one disappointment after another is setting back the progress we made over the last two years,” said Rep. John Persell (DFL—Bemidji). “We could have used the $2 billion surplus to invest in families and kids and improve the economic climate in northern Minnesota, and fund the 5% increase for care providers. Instead, the House Republicans have failed to act on transportation, on tax relief, and on freezing college tuition.”
In 2013-14, the DFL-led legislature invested $20 million for broadband infrastructure, and made investments in successful job creation initiatives like the Job Creation Fund, MIF, and Trade Offices to help Greater Minnesota businesses and workers. The House majority has reversed this progress.
It was unclear in the chaos on the House floor at midnight whether an Omnibus Jobs/Energy bill had passed the full legislature or not, as the final legislation was forced through just moments before the deadline for adjournment.
After making promises about fixing our state’s crumbling transportation infrastructure, the House Republicans failed to pass a comprehensive transportation package and instead put forward a “lights on” proposal. They also failed to address oil train safety—a major issue for many rural communities along oil train lines.
“We had communities all over this state that were looking for us to lead,” said Rep. Persell. “But we have very little to show them, chiefly because Republicans refused to invest in anyone other than the corporations that they wanted to give $2 billion in tax give-aways.”
Perhaps the biggest failure of the session for Greater Minnesota is this year’s education bill, which shortchanges schools and faces a certain veto from Governor Dayton. The House majority has chosen to potentially go to a special session instead of investing in the Governor’s universal pre-K initiative. The 2015 budget does not continue a tuition freeze for the U of MN and MnSCU schools and fails to address rising student debt. The original House Republican budget, once fully phased in, would have invested $29 in tax cuts—mostly for corporations—to every $1 put toward education. Local school districts had all advised Rep. Persell that the Republican education plan would result in teacher layoffs.
“These cuts hurt our kids, and I hope that when we return here next year Republicans will have figured out what the real needs are in all of Minnesota, including listening to rural Minnesotans,” said Persell. “The Republican majority has chosen to put corporate special interests ahead of working people throughout the state. Like that song says, ‘Can you help me understand why the rich man’s busy dancing while the poor man pays the band?’ That refrain pretty well sums up the Republican priorities in Minnesota in 2015.”
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