Dear Neighbors,
I hope you and your family are having a fantastic summer so far!
My Office’s Annual Three Week Non-Partisan Summer Policy Internship wrapped up last week! This year's students were engaging and did a terrific job working on a complex solid waste piece of legislation that will improve our recycling and reuse of precious materials in Minnesota. This legislation has been introduced at the legislature and the students did a lot of important research and worked with local and National businesses and advocates!
While Session does not resume until February 12, 2024 – there are a couple of important pieces of info that have come up since session ended. Here’s what you should know:
New Laws
New laws went into effect on July 1 and August 1st as a result of our work from the legislative session. These laws will have a lot of positive benefits for our state and I can't wait to see them work! The nonpartisan office of House Public Information has a summary of the new laws here:
Included in the August 1st batch of laws is the legalization of cannabis. This exciting new law creates a safe framework for the consumption of cannabis and immediately sets us on a path of restorative justice with minor cannabis offenses expunged immediately and felonies are now able to be considered for expungement. You can learn everything you need to know about how this new law affects you, here.
Funding for Local Nursing Homes
On August 1st nursing homes received $173 of new state funding as part of a bipartisan agreement to stabilize a sector of the economy that is facing financial hardship. Local nursing homes will receive another significant one-time payment on Aug. 1, 2024. This includes $566,404 for Edenbrook of Edina.
Property Tax Refund Filings Due August 15
I know that property taxes have been rising for many households in recent years. Because of this, I prioritized using some of the state’s surplus to offer property tax cuts at the state level and put money back in the pockets of Minnesotans.
Here are some of the highlights:
- We adjusted the special property tax refund so that if your property taxes increased by more than 6% from 2022 to 2023, you’ll qualify for a refund of up to $2,500, regardless of your income level.
- We increased the Homestead Credit Refund and Renter’s Property Tax Refund by 20.572%.
- We permitted homeowners who have an ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) to qualify for homestead status and claim the Homestead Credit Refund.
- We expanded the eligibility for the Senior Citizens Property Tax Deferral program so more seniors can age in their homes.
I provide more detail about each program below. In some cases, you must file a Form M1PR by August 15 to qualify. In other cases, the Minnesota Department of Revenue will automatically adjust your refund to the higher amount.
Qualifying for the Special Property Tax Refund, Homestead Credit Refund, and Renter’s Property Tax Refund
Many taxpayers file Form M1PR when they submit their income tax return (Form M1) by the April 15 income tax filing deadline, but Form M1PR is not due until August 15.
If you have not filed 2022 Form M1PR yet: Review the 2022 Form M1PR instructions at bit.ly/2022M1PRinst to see if you qualify for these refunds. If you qualify, complete the 2022 Form M1PR. You should file, postmark, or drop off the form by August 15, 2023.
If you filed a 2022 Form M1PR before June 14, 2023: Whether you need to take any action depends on how you filed your return.
| If You Filed As A | Then |
| Renter, nursing home resident, or adult foster care resident | You do not need to do anything. DOR will increase your Renter’s Property Tax Refund by 20.572% and send you the additional refund automatically. |
| Homeowner or mobile home owner, and you claimed a Special Property Tax Refund when filing | You do not need to do anything. DOR will increase your Homestead Credit Refund by 20.572%, recalculate your Special Refund, and send you the additional refund automatically. |
| Homeowner or mobile home owner, and you did not claim a Special Property Tax Refund when filing | Review the updated 2022 Form M1PR instructions to see if you qualify for the special refund. You should qualify if: - You owned and occupied your home on January 2, 2022 and January 2, 2023
- Your net property tax on your homestead increased by more than 6% from 2022 to 2023
- The increase was at least $100
If you qualify, file 2022 Form M1PRX, Amended Homestead Credit Refund (for Homeowners) and Renter’s Property Tax Refund, and complete the Special Refund section. |
| Homeowner or mobile home owner, and you do not qualify for the Special Property Tax Refund | You do not need to do anything. DOR will increase your Homestead Credit Refund by 20.572% and send you the additional refund automatically. |
You can find more information on how to file for the Property Tax Refund on the Department of Revenue webpage.
Stay in Touch
Please continue to contact me anytime at rep.heather.edelson@house.mn or 651-296-4363 with your input or questions. You’re also welcome to follow me or ‘like’ my official Facebook page for additional updates.
Thank you for the honor of representing our Edina and Bloomington residents and families in the Minnesota House!
Sincerely,
Heather Edelson
State Representative