This month I thought I would provide a brief rundown of a few key issues I’ve been hearing about a lot in my conversations with you each day. If there is something on your mind you do not see listed here, please give me a call or shoot me an email. I’d love to hear about it!
Cost of living, spending, taxes, and fees: This is still the top issue I hear in my conversations with you around the district. Inflation is cooling a bit, but grocery bills, rents, and other necessities are still putting stress on family budgets. Despite headlines about good job numbers or good economic trends, credit card bills are at record highs and it is still hard for a lot of people to afford daily life.
We had a chance to ease that pressure. We started the last budget cycle with an $18 billion surplus – enough to provide real relief to the people of Minnesota. But that surplus is gone now, because Democrats spent it all instead. I would have preferred to use that surplus to provide more relief for working people, because many middle-class families – especially in Greater Minnesota – are feeling left behind.
Meanwhile, taxes and fees are also on the rise. Democrats raised about $10 billion in taxes in 2023, many of which have fallen on people who are already struggling. Gas tax increases, sales tax increases, vehicle registration fees, and a new payroll tax are all hitting wallets hard.
Education: In 2023 we once again passed historic funding increases for schools. But many schools are still facing budget challenges because heavy mandates ate up most, if not all, of those funding increases. Districts have had to turn to referendums, property tax hikes, and cuts to keep their budgets in the black.
Despite the increased spending, test scores are lagging and kids are still struggling to meet basic grade-level expectations in science, reading, and math. Simply throwing money at education without thoughtful planning or new ideas isn’t helping our kids succeed.
There was some good news though: One of the most important actions we took this year was restoring Student Resource Officers in our schools. Ensuring that our kids (and their teachers and staff!) are safe while they’re at school is critical, and having these officers back in the buildings gives parents peace of mind.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS): Another positive note from the last session was the bipartisan agreement on emergency medical services. passed $24 million in one-time funding for EMS providers, and those funds will be distributed by December.
We also created a new Sprint EMS pilot program for a few counties, which will test deploying paramedics in SUVs equipped with advanced life support. The idea is to speed up emergency response in rural areas because these “sprint medics” can respond faster than traditional ambulances, assess the situation, and determine if full ambulance transport is needed. It will hopefully reduce delays and unnecessary ambulance calls.
While the aid package and pilot program are both good starts, one-time funding isn’t a permanent solution. We have to address the long-term problems in our EMS system, including staffing shortages and coverage gaps. This is critical to ensuring that every Minnesotan, no matter where they live, has access to reliable emergency services. I am hopeful it will be a bipartisan priority again next year.
Looking Ahead: The next session starts on January 14, 2025, and the state’s two-year budget will be the big focus. We’ll get a new budget forecast in December, but one thing is clear: we can’t repeat the spending spree of the last budget. Running through the entire $18 billion surplus and raising an additional $10 billion in new taxes and fees was shocking, reckless, and unsustainable. Families are still feeling the squeeze of inflation, and recent reports show that Minnesotans’ paychecks are worth nearly $6,000 less than before the pandemic. Our next budget should reflect the reality that working families need real relief, not more government spending or a larger bureaucracy.