Hello from St. Paul,
This week, news from the Capitol was rightfully overshadowed by a sad event in Burnsville, as the funeral of two law enforcement officers and a paramedic who were killed in the line of duty took place. When you witness something like this, it reinforces how important life is and why it should be protected. It also serves as a reminder that good people put their lives on the line every day to keep their communities safe. Our thoughts and prayers are with those families who lost their loved ones, and our thanks should always be extended to those who risk their lives to protect ours.
On Thursday, Minnesota’s economic experts found that our state projects a positive balance of $3.7 billion for the remainder of the current fiscal year but also finds a $1.5 billion deficit for the upcoming budget cycle.
This forecast reflects the increased taxes and spending that was approved by legislative Democrats last year. You’ll recall they spent a $20 billion budget surplus, raised taxes by an additional $10 billion, and ultimately crafted a budget that increased state spending by 40%.
Before session ends, lawmakers will be required to balance the budget. This means the $3.7 billion will need to be dealt with in some fashion. The reality is once this budget surplus disappears, we are going to be in dire situation. Any permanent spending that is approved this year will put us into an even bigger deficit, so lawmakers need to be careful.
In my opinion, we need to prioritize current spending and eliminate the areas where we are wasting money. That’s a move that would be most responsible to local taxpayers.
Tuesday was the day precinct caucuses gathered around the state, and despite the nasty weather, a good number of residents braved the conditions to make their voices heard. It’s always good to see those who support the grass roots political process. My thanks to all who attended.
Have a good weekend,
John