| Friends and neighbors, With just five weeks left in session, Senate Republicans have been laser-focused on the issues that matter most to Minnesota families, especially making life more affordable. Senate Republicans have released a package of bills aimed at delivering real relief on property taxes, car tab fees, and taxes on tips and overtime. These are practical steps to put more money back in your pocket and help families keep up with the rising cost of living. On the other side of the aisle, Democrats’ big priority this week was passing a bill to ban cryptocurrency kiosks. They’re calling it a major win in the fight against fraud. The truth is, it has nothing to do with the hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars actually being lost every year. It was political theater. I offered a simple amendment to limit the massive amounts of cash being flown out of MSP Airport, money that’s potentially tied to the kind of fraud that’s ripping off Minnesota taxpayers. Democrats voted it down. On a positive note, April 25 is National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. I encourage you to safely dispose of any unused medications at one of the many drop-off sites around the state. As always, thank you for reading and for staying engaged. Thanks for reading, |
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| This week, Senate Democrats introduced Senate File 5000, a bill that increases school safety aid for public and charter schools on a per-pupil basis. However, nonpublic schools would be forced to compete for limited competitive grants, with no guarantee of receiving funding. Priority for those grants would go to schools with lower financial capacity. I pushed back against this legislation that fails to provide equal school safety funding for private school students. All students deserve equal school safety aid, whether they attend public, private, or tribal schools. Minnesota Democrats and Education Minnesota have consistently neglected to provide meaningful school safety funding for private schools. This two-tiered system unfairly puts a minority of students at risk and has real consequences. We saw that last year in the tragedy at Annunciation Catholic School. It’s time to put student safety ahead of politics and union power. There are approximately 653 nonpublic schools in Minnesota and less than 5% have endowments. Under the bill’s structure, private and religious schools will compete for limited competitive grants, with priority given only to those with the lowest financial capacity. As a result, many schools are likely to receive no funding at all. I offered an amendment to include nonpublic schools in the same per-pupil safety aid formula as public schools, rather than making them apply for limited grants. Senate Democrats voted down the amendment. The very same students that lived through the horrors of the Annunciation shooting will be disadvantaged by this bill. It’s shameful to leverage their tragedy as a political talking point and then to force them to compete for school safety aid that should be available to all students. SF 5000 was heard in the Senate Education Finance Committee on Wednesday, April 8, and advanced out of committee. It now heads to the Finance Committee. |
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| Senate Republicans have released a package of bills designed to deliver meaningful tax relief and make life more affordable for working Minnesota families.
These proposals target three major issues: property taxes, vehicle registration fees, and taxes on hard-earned wages. Property Taxes: Caps annual increases at the rate of inflation plus a portion of population growth, giving homeowners predictability and relief from skyrocketing bills. These bills focus on practical, immediate relief instead of more government spending. By reducing the tax burden on families, we can help Minnesotans keep more of their hard-earned money for groceries, housing, and everyday expenses. Minnesota families deserve relief, not bigger government. I’m proud to support these commonsense measures that put people first. |
| FRAUD: State employee under investigation for falsifying documentation |
| FULL STORY |
| National Prescription Drug Take Back Day |
| National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 25, provides residents with an opportunity to safely dispose of their unused or expired medications at local collection sites. For residents who want to safely dispose of medications outside of this biannual event, MyOldMeds offers a free, year-round locator that connects people to 605 secure disposal sites across Minnesota. The easy-to-use locator helps quickly find nearby drop-off locations just by entering their zip code. The site also includes a Minnesota resource page with guidance on proper disposal practices and safe medication management. |
| MN Fraud Files |
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Originally created during the eight-year term of Gov. Mark Dayton, Center of the American Experiment’s Scandal Tracker was reopened to account for the ever-growing list of frauds and scandals perpetuated under the Tim Walz administration. Your one-stop resource for everything related to state government fraud in Minnesota |
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In Liberty, Michael |
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| Contact Me
Hearing from constituents helps make me a better legislator. Never hesitate to reach out if you have a question or concern. I can be reached via email at sen.michael.holmstrom@mnsenate.gov or at 651-296-5981. My legislative assistant, Zachary Queensland, is also a great resource for information. He can be reached at zachary.queensland@mnsenate.gov or at 651-296-0769. |