Friends and neighbors,
This week at the Capitol, Senate Republicans made good on an early session promise to give back Minnesota’s historic $9 billion budget surplus with the largest permanent tax cut in state history.
Last session, the Minnesota Legislature passed a $52 billion state budget, which included $1.1 billion in funding increasesfor education — the largest formula growth in 15 years. This session, therefore, serves as a supplement budget year, and with such a large surplus, it’s clear Minnesotans are being overtaxed. I strongly believe it is time to give this money back.
With working Minnesotans facing record inflation and their budget being squeezed more every day by soaring prices for gas, groceries, and energy, we need immediate and permanent tax relief. The bill, therefore, provides taxpayers with a much-needed $8.43 billion in relief over the next three years.
The landmark tax bill approved by the Senate reduces the first-tier tax rate for all filers from 5.35% to 2.80% and fully eliminates the state income tax on all Social Security benefits.
Kiplinger Magazine ranks Minnesota as ‘not tax-friendly’ for retirees and eliminating the Social Security income tax is a request I regularly hear from constituents on. I believe it is long overdue to stop taxing Minnesota seniors twice on this important benefit.
Additionally, Senate Republicans this week called on the Minnesota House of Representatives to immediately pass emergency agriculture aid to address the ever-growing Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) crisis, which has already impacted 21 infection sites and over one million commercial birds across the state.
To address this, Senate Republicans successfully offered an amendment to HF 3217 to allocate an additional $1 million to the agricultural emergency account at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to respond to HPAI. The bill passed the Senate unanimously and will provide critical support to our farmers.
Public safety is another important issue my Senate Republican colleagues and I have been working to address this session. And recently, the Judiciary and Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee passed its comprehensive public safety bill to hold criminals accountable and keep Minnesota’s communities safe.
The work of our law enforcement officers plays a central role in maintaining law and order and addressing our state’s rise in crime. Therefore, the bill focuses on law enforcement officers’ recruitment, retention, education and training, and equipment. This will help address the staffing struggles facing law enforcement agencies across Minnesota.
Additionally, the bill responds to growing instances of violent criminals becoming repeat offenders and frequent decisions by prosecutors and judges to go easy on criminals. Key provisions are included to improve transparency for the decisions that lead to early releases and failures to charge to the fullest extent possible.
In response to our state’s dangerous upsurge in violent crime, this bill also toughens penalties for criminal activity. Key ‘tough on crime’ provisions were adopted to increase penalties for repeat offenders, carjackers, and violent crimes involving firearms.
I have personally heard from the Sheriff in the Buffalo area who has dealt with carjackings, and that our community’s proximity to the Twin Cities makes us vulnerable to these crimes. We must ensure tough penalties are in place to deter criminals, and I believe this comprehensive public safety bill will help ensure just that.
I want to hear from you, my constituents, on issues that are important to you. Please feel free to reach out to my office with any concerns or ideas you may have. As session moves forward, I will keep your thoughts and concerns in mind as legislation comes before me. You can contact my office at sen.bruce.anderson@senate.mn or 651-296-5981.
Sincerely,
Bruce Anderson