Our Controversial Flag
Last week, the State and Local Government Committee heard a bill authored by Democrat Senator Mary Kunesh that would redesign the Minnesota State flag. Democrat Rep. Frieberg, said our flag, “depicts a Native American riding on horseback into the distance as a white farmer tills the land, which has racist undertones”.
The legislation would establish a commission to develop a new design. Under the Democrats current plan very few members of the public will be involved in the process of designing our new flag. The commission should include every Minnesotan and represent every part of Minnesota. Not just the select few hand-picked from St. Paul.
Do you think Minnesota needs a new state flag?
Bi-Partisan Calls to Eliminate Social Security Tax
You read that correctly! For 6 months last year Republicans and Democrats alike campaigned on the issue of eliminating the tax on social security income here in Minnesota. So why isn’t it getting done?
- Last year, the legislature came to an agreement to eliminate the unfair tax on our seniors, but Governor Walz pulled the deal after the legislature was going to prohibit the use of Zuckerbucks in our elections. You can watch that here
- On January 11, 2023 the Senate heard a tax bill and my Republican colleagues and I offered an amendment to remove the social security tax. It was rejected on a party line vote.
- Again, last week my Republican colleagues and I tried to bring a bill to the Senate floor and it was again, rejected on a party line vote.
Eliminating this tax would change the budget surplus from $17.6 billion to $17.0 billion. To some, could be considered a rounding error, impacting 473,000 Minnesota seniors with an average tax savings of $1,276 per year.
It is disappointing to see Democrats turn their back on Minnesota seniors after promising to help them. I receive emails daily about this issue. Hard-working Minnesotans are struggling to keep their lights on, afford groceries, and yet with a $17.6 billion surplus we can’t help the people that have given us so much.
“Pervasive Noncompliance”
Those are not the words you want to read from an audit report. Unfortunately, those were the exact words the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA) released its report on the state oversight to taxpayer-funded grants to non-profits. The report “found pervasive noncompliance by state agencies with grants management policies in recent years and statutes provide little authority to enforce agencies’ compliance with these policies.”
We were all shocked at the sheer scope and cost of Feeding our Future fraud under Governor Walz lax oversight, but there is so much more we need to be doing to rein in this massive waste, fraud, and abuse. there are many non-profits who comply with the rules and do amazing work in our communities; without oversight to crack down on the bad actors, their good work will continue to be diminished, and that’s not fair to them.
Contact me
I never take for granted the honor of serving our communities in the Minnesota Senate. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with your questions and concerns. It is my privilege to work for you!