Friends and neighbors,
As many of you know, Democrats control the House, the Senate, and the governor’s office. As such, they are entirely responsible for composing the next state budget. We have tried to work together with them, offer ideas, and show a spirit of bipartisanship. In most instances, we have unfortunately been rebuffed.
As their budgets have been rolled out, we’ve been watching to see what is included. One of the things we are watching most carefully is how many tax and fee increases they are pushing.
We did the math: nearly $10 billion. That’s how much they are raising in taxes and fees. We have a $17.5 billion surplus after accounting for inflation, and people are still struggling to get by. Raising taxes at all, let alone by $10 billion, is callous and inconsiderate of the struggles Minnesotans are facing right now. Instead of raising taxes, our priority should be returning the surplus to taxpayers to make their lives a little bit easier.
Veterans bill wins nearly unanimous approval
On Thursday, the Minnesota Senate passed a Veterans budget bill with nearly unanimous approval, which acknowledges the contributions of both current military members and veterans across the state. The bill provides assistance during military service and care for veterans who are struggling with homelessness and PTSD.
It is a good bill, and I was proud to support it. However, I am disappointed that they removed a provision that would waive burial fees for spouses and dependent children of military veterans. This is a small token of our gratitude that we could have shown to military families, but I will keep working on it and hopefully get it done this year.
Bill highlights:
- Increase funding and eligibility for bonuses for members who served during the post-9/11 military era
- A one-time appropriation to honor service members on the fiftieth anniversary of the Vietnam War
- Funding for a Minnesota Military & Veterans Museum at Camp Ripley
- Continued funding for the three new veteran homes in Bemidji, Montevideo and Preston, which the Legislature originally funded in 2018
- Provide enlistment and retention bonuses to incentivize retention and recruitment
- Fund grants for veteran participation in Camp Bliss – a program where eligible veterans would receive therapy, transportation, and activities specific to veterans and their family or caretakers
Contact me
Your feedback, ideas, and concerns are what allow me to serve you to the best of my ability. Please share your thoughts with me any time at sen.bill.lieske@senate.mn or 651-296-5019.
I would also love it if you follow my new, official Facebook page here: https://www.fb.com/SenatorLieske.
It is a privilege to serve you!