It’s no secret that Minnesotans are massively over-taxed—we’ve been hearing as much for as long as I’ve been at the Legislature. Inflation is reaching the highest point it’s been at in nearly 40 years—the prices of gas, groceries, and energy are soaring, and there seems to be no reprieve in sight. We also recently found out that our state has a budget surplus of over $9 billion, a clear example of over-taxation. This begs the obvious question: why are Minnesotans still being subjected to some of the highest taxes in the country? At the beginning of this Legislative Session, Senate Republicans promised to address this concern by providing permanent and meaningful tax relief. With last week’s vote for the Senate Tax Bill, we are making good on that promise.

First and foremost, the bill we passed is a massive tax cut bill. It 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. We’re also providing taxpayers with a staggering $8.43 billion in relief over the next three years. This is truly the biggest tax cut in Minnesota history, and it couldn’t come at a better time. I’ve heard complaints from constituents across the district—folks simply can’t fathom why taxes have been so high, and why the outdated social security tax continues to exist when most states have done away with it. This bill is a direct answer to the concerns we’ve been hearing for years. We’re working to provide the most substantial tax relief Minnesotans have ever seen.

We are importantly reducing the first-tier tax rate. It’s unfathomable that Minnesota’s lowest tax bracket is still higher than the highest tax bracket in 24 other states. Over 2.4 million filers will benefit from this historic rate cut, with an average savings of $759. A typical family making $100,000 would see a savings of $1,064—we want more of your money to stay in your hands. Folks can manage their own money much better than the government can.

The real highlight of this bill is the full elimination of the tax on Social Security income. Minnesota is one of just 13 states still taxing these benefits. Impacting taxpayers with just $25,000 in income, the Social Security Income tax hits more than 407,000 Minnesota filers. None of our bordering states tax these benefits. In fact, our unfriendly tax structure is pushing lifelong Minnesotans to neighboring states for retirement. This is shameful—we should do whatever we can to keep our seniors here. Eliminating the Social Security tax would put $1.6 billion back into the hands of beneficiaries, with an average benefit of $1,254.

The bottom line is that we are keeping a promise we made to Minnesotans: no tax increases and long-awaited tax relief. We should be making life more affordable by providing as much relief as possible, and that’s exactly what this bill will do. We need to provide meaningful relief that sets the grounds for economic growth. This is an excellent bill that provides permanent tax relief—in stark contrast to our Governor’s plan that just provides one-time wealth redistribution checks. We are ensuring that hardworking Minnesotans get to keep more of their own money.