State Senator Mike Goggin (R-Red Wing) this week fulfilled his early session promise to change the way things are done in St. Paul by completing work on a 2017 budget proposal ahead of schedule. On Tuesday, the Senate passed the Education Finance bill, the last of ten budget bills that make up the Senate Republican Advancing Minnesota budget plan.

“When I entered office I was just as tired of the ‘business as usual’ mentality of the legislature as everyone else,” said Sen. Goggin. “That’s why one of my early priorities was to upend the status quo. Setting early deadlines was our way of saying we’re going to do things differently.”

The centerpiece of the budget proposal was a $900 million pro-growth tax relief bill that would benefit every taxpayer in Minnesota, particularly middle income families. Featuring the first permanent rate cut in 17 years, 65% of the relief next year would go to middle class families making between $50,000 and $125,000. It also includes Sen. Goggin’s Senate File 785, which allows investors to claim a credit for investments in Greater Minnesota workforce housing projects.

Senate Republicans also passed a landmark transportation bill that invests $3.7 billion over the next ten years to rebuild and replace roads and bridges across Minnesota – without raising any gas or sales taxes.

“Tax relief and transportation were two issues on everyone’s mind,” continued Sen. Goggin. “Our tax bill will ease the stress on your pocketbook with the first significant tax relief in years, while our transportation bill will ease the stress of your commute by repairing and replacing roads and bridges everywhere.”

Education is a priority recognized by both parties. The Republican Advancing Minnesota agenda continued Minnesota’s commitment to schools with a $1.1 billion increase in funding for E-12 education. 95% of the new money in the bill is for the general education formula.

Minnesota will be facing a new economic landscape in the next few years, as baby boomers begin to retire in large numbers and new advances in technology change the employee-employer relationship. The Senate Jobs bill focuses on private-public partnerships to spur economic growth and train the next generation of skilled workers. It also includes Sen. Goggin’s Helmets to Hardhats program.

Republicans have always prioritized safe communities. The Judiciary and Public Safety bill invests $2.2 billion into public safety, corrections, and the courts to make sure Minnesotans are safe when they go about their lives.

“Setting early goals and meeting them is only half the battle,” added Sen. Goggin. “Now that we’ve passed our budget, we’ll work with the House and with Gov. Dayton to come to a compromise that works for everyone. I am very optimistic we’ll be able to get our work done on time.”

The rest of the Senate Republican Advancing Minnesota agenda includes:

• An Agriculture and Housing bill that invests $220 million to protect Minnesota’s economic future, ensuring growth in Minnesota’s agricultural industry.

• An Environment and Natural Resources budget that streamlines environmental regulations while preserving important programs that safeguard Minnesota nature and wildlife.

• A Higher Education bill that invests $3.17 billion in Minnesota’s students, institutions, and higher education priorities.

• A Health and Human Services bill that increases funding for programs focused on helping people with disabilities develop life skills, caring for the elderly, and ending the cycle of poverty for at-risk kids.

• A State Government and Elections budget that prioritizes transparency and reigns in spending for the government bureaucracy, but includes new funding for election equipment grants, AMBER Alert Systems upgrades, and cyber security.