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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Ben Davis (R)

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Legislative update

Friday, March 24, 2023

Dear Neighbor,

This has been yet another week in the 2023 session where legislative Democrats take extreme positions on bills that do not represent the wishes of most Minnesotans.

In just the last couple of days we’ve seen them unveil a plan to blow through a $17.5 billion surplus and massively increase our state budget, and then pass a bill that will put children in dangerous situations and make Minnesota a magnet for child custody victims.

Here is more:

Democrat budget plan

The House and Senate Democrat majorities and Gov. Tim Walz this week announced they have agreed to a spending plan that would increase Minnesota’s budget by almost $18 billion for the next two-year budget cycle. Simply, they are spending the $17.5 billion surplus – and more – which represents an increase of nearly 40 percent to the state’s current $52 billion biennial budget, bringing our new General Fund spending total to $71.9 billion.

Tax relief accounts for just a small fraction of their budget proposal, and Democrat leaders have not committed to fully repealing the state tax on Social Security. Yet, despite a $17.5 billion surplus, they are committed to increasing sales taxes and license tab fees.

Overall, this budget is another glaring example of how some legislators have become all too comfortable with their one-party rule, treating their paper-thin majority as a mandate. Instead of listening to Minnesotans and proposing a responsible budget with meaningful tax relief, they are going on a spending spree that sends our already unsustainable government spending trajectory into orbit.

This will be an ongoing topic of discussion this session as we continue sorting through the details of this proposal and examine the specifics.

Metro train project goes off the rails

A scathing report the Minnesota Legislative Auditor’s office recently released highlights how the Met Council was not transparent on costs and didn’t hold its construction contractor accountable on the Southwest Light Rail project that is experiencing serious overruns in time and money. From a report:

“The project is a billion dollars over budget – more than double at this point – and has been a concern with lawmakers. It was supposed to be done by 2018 for $1.25 billion, and now it sits at $2.74 billion and is scheduled to be finished in 2027.”

Then there’s this, which just might be Exhibit A for government at its worst:

“The audit also states the Metropolitan Council was obligated to spend additional funds on the project for increased costs than what had already been committed because it didn’t have enough money to finish or halt the project.”

In other words, bad decisions by an unelected, unaccountable body caused more taxpayer dollars to be spent because that unelected, unaccountable body couldn’t even afford to stop construction?

This is unacceptable and is a glaring call for added accountability and transparency in our state.

Gender-affirming care sanctuary state

House Democrats passed a bill around 5:30 this morning that makes Minnesota a sanctuary state for youth transgender healthcare. 

Our number one priority is protecting kids, but this is an extreme bill (H.F. 146) with zero guardrails to protect our children. It also undermines the rights of parents and gives others authority over these life-long, life-changing decisions for children. It will make Minnesota a magnet for child custody victims.

This bill follows a similar structure to their other “sanctuary state” bills in how it explicitly directs our courts and law enforcement to disregard the orders of another state. The silver lining is this bill likely will encounter constitutionality issue with Full Faith and Credit interference with the enforcement of other states’ laws. A merely coherent court could stop this radical proposal in its tracks if, indeed, the Senate approves this bill and the governor stamps it into law.

I just can’t fathom these priorities match what Minnesotans want from their government, including the vast majority of Democrats themselves. It’s simply the product of a Democrat trifecta of power in St. Paul catering to its extreme base while it has the chance and, in some cases, before people realize this is not what they signed up for and hold these legislators accountable.

Sincerely,

Ben