To the editor –
State government has over-collected from hardworking Minnesota taxpayers resulting in a surplus exceeding $17 billion. In this time of high inflation and skyrocketing costs, Republicans have heard the voices of Minnesotans and are fighting to bring relief through deep tax cuts. The 34 Senate Democrats with their 1-seat majority have arrogantly ignored the 33 Senate Republicans all session, and by extension the 49% of Minnesota who voted against Senate Democrats.
Senate Democrats have rejected well over 150 reasonable, common-sense Republican-authored amendments on the Senate Floor because most legislation needs a mere simple majority to pass. A super majority is needed however to increase the state’s debt level. This means Democrats require Republican votes to achieve the super majority of votes needed to pass a bonding bill.
Senate Republicans have made it very clear from the beginning of session the state budget surplus must be used to enact tax cuts before increasing the state’s debt by passing a bonding bill. Rather than do what is right by first cutting taxes for hardworking Minnesotans, last week Democrats sought to pass a bonding bill first. Needless to say, the Democrat bill was defeated because it failed to garner a single Republican vote. I voted NO to the bonding bill because the people of our community want tax cuts first before increasing the state’s debt.
Rather than work with Republicans in good faith to reach a compromise, the Democrat Chair of the Senate Capital Investment Committee, Sandy Pappas, has been attempting to bully Republicans, including me, into supporting her bonding bill. Chair Pappas’ office even went behind our backs and called local officials to whine Republicans weren’t doing her bidding. This unprecedented behavior by Democrats insults our entire community.
After the bonding bill vote failed on the Senate Floor, Democrats came unhinged and launched retribution against residents of Republican districts by removing our critical projects from a scheduled hearing at the last minute. The Chair Pappas even acknowledged it was payback. Democrats have turned the Minnesota Senate into pay-to-play.
I will not be bullied by abusive Democrats but instead will continue standing strong that our top priority must be providing relief to the working people of our great state.
Senator
District 30
Rockford Township | Hanover | Saint Michael | Albertville | Otsego | Elk River | Nowthen | Western Oak Grove