Thank you to the Grand Rapids city officials who came to St. Paul to meet with area legislators recently. I appreciate you taking time to discuss state and local issues with us.
Dear Neighbor,
Greetings from the House where, come Monday, we’ll be entering the final six weeks of the legislative session.
On one hand, that’s for the better that adjournment is near because it will put a stop to the parade of radical proposals Democrats have been pushing this biennium.
On the other hand, it means some important, bipartisan bills could die on the vine as time runs out. For example, a bill I have authored to bring consistency to search-and-rescue efforts so local agencies are compensated for ice rescues the same as they are for water rescues has not received a hearing in the House despite requests. It would be a shame for this bill to stall despite bipartisan support. When common-sense proposals like this fall by the wayside, it’s the kind of thing that sours people on politics and it also speaks volumes regarding mismanagement of our state these days.
In other news:
More spending
It was just last spring when Democrats used their full control of the Capitol to blow the $18 billion surplus and raise taxes by $10 billion to increase state spending by 40 percent.
The Democrats in St. Paul recently announced they have reached an agreement to spend at least $512.5 million more in 2024-25. Yes, as ridiculous as it sounds, they are back for even more of your money – even as we face a shortfall in the next biennium.
This additional spending is irresponsible and unaffordable. It is the exact opposite of what we should be doing to address our potential deficit and acknowledging warnings from state officials to be cautious when budgeting.
But, instead of getting spending under control the Democrats want to spend all they can while they still have total control of the Capitol, once again increasing spending at an even more unsustainable pace.
Minnesotans deserve better and we need more balance at the Capitol. If we’ve learned one thing over the last year or so, it’s that today’s Democrats are NOT your parents’ DFLers. Instead, this is a group of extreme legislators which is catering to radical activists from the left at the expense of most Minnesotans.
Greater MN ambulance funding
Despite that half a billion dollars in new state spending, the new proposal fails to fully fund the critical needs of our emergency medical services across the state, providing $16 million for rural EMS – far short of what is needed. Ambulance providers are struggling under the current “fee-for-service” model, which has left rural areas of the state with decreasing access to ambulances and other EMS options.
I will continue working with fellow legislators to advocate for more aid to licensed ambulance service providers in Greater Minnesota. One bill establishes an aid program for licensed ambulance service providers, administered by the commissioner of revenue and makes a one-time appropriation for the program.
If the Democrats must spend more money, the least they can do is put it toward core public safety services such as EMS instead of handing it out to more non-profit political allies and other pet projects.
Until next time, have a good weekend and please stay in touch.
Sincerely,
Ben