February 9, 2022
Friends and neighbors —
We are all seeing it and as a public official, I’m hearing about it. Crime is up, kids are falling behind, and record inflation is eating away at family budgets. Things are moving in the wrong direction and Senate Republicans are focused on solutions to get Minnesota back on the right track.
Budget Surplus – Tax Relief
Let’s start with record inflation and the massive budget surplus. The state is currently projecting a surplus of $7.7 billion. Yes, you read that correctly. When the state has a surplus this large, it simply means the state is collecting too much money from the taxpayers. I have heard the people loud and clear… give the money back to the people. Instead of a one-time check being proposed by the governor that barely scratches the surface of inflation, Senate Republicans will propose permanent, ongoing tax relief so working Minnesotans see more money in their pocket every single paycheck, week after week, month after month, year after year. In addition to broad-based tax relief, we are going to propose the complete elimination of the tax on Social Security Income. Minnesota is one of only 12 states that still tax Social Security income and it’s time to retire this unfair tax.
Public Safety
Another top priority is public safety. The “defund the police” movement and anti-police rhetoric has put a negative spotlight on police officers resulting in fewer people pursuing the profession. Law enforcement is an honorable profession and one of the most important things public officials at all levels can do is show police officers the respect and appreciation they deserve for the work they do to help keep us safe. Any attempts to further defund, dismantle, or demoralize police officers’ ability to keep our communities safe will continue to be strongly opposed in the Senate.
Senate Republicans will put forward a comprehensive plan to help address the soaring rates of violent crime occurring across the state, especially in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. We will provide funding for more police officers as well as hold criminals accountable for their actions because if someone breaks the law, there should be consequences.
Education
Finally, Senate Republicans will continue to make education a priority. For years, education funding has been increasing significantly, while test scores have been on the decline. We will put forward proposals to focus on what’s best for the kids, including making sure parents are involved in their children’s education and ensuring students have the best opportunities to be successful in the classroom.
As kids continue to fall behind, especially after the past couple of years, it’s more important than ever that we work together to improve educational outcomes. First, kids need to be in the classroom. Next, it’s important to remove politics from the classroom and get back to the basics of math, science, American history, and especially reading. Senate Republicans will put forward proposals to help students thrive by making literacy a top priority. If students are not proficient in reading, it makes every other subject more difficult and ultimately results in kids falling even further behind. Additionally, parents play an incredibly important role in the lives of their children and they have been shut out of the education process too many times. We will empower parents as partners in their children’s education.
Contact me
As always, your feedback is extremely important to me and I encourage you to share your input on the issues being discussed here at the Capitol. If you have any questions, thoughts, or ideas, please send me an email at sen.jeremy.miller@senate.mn or call my Capitol office at 651-296-5649. It’s a great honor to serve as your State Senator.
Sincerely,