Senate Republicans this week introduced alternate budget targets that invest in infrastructure and provide needed tax relief to Minnesotans. Today’s proposal shifts a cash bonding target to a general obligation bond target, which frees up $1.9 billion to invest in other areas. This shift delivers tax relief, a bonding bill that invests in infrastructure, and support to Minnesotans struggling to find long-term care.

“We need a budget that works for Minnesota, and our proposal gets us one step closer to a solution that invests in our state and puts Minnesotans first,” said Senator Eric Pratt (R-Prior Lake). “Our number one goal with this proposal is to balance priorities that were left out in the Democrats’ budget targets. Senate Republicans are here and ready to work in a bipartisan way that addresses needs throughout the state—we can deliver on tax relief while still investing in our state’s greatest needs.”

Senate Republican Leaders have previously made clear that there needed to be movement on tax relief before a bonding bill would be passed. Senate Democrats still moved forward with their bonding bill, which failed on the floor. Democrat Budget Targets were then released, amounting to $17.9 billion in additional spending with no plan for tax relief.

Senate Republicans’ proposal allows for investment in several key priorities:

• An increase in bonding funding, to be used on local roads and bridges
• An increase in the Human Services budget, to provide additional support to long-term care facilities
• An increase in the agriculture budget for needed investments in a soil health program
• An additional $1.145 billion to the tax target, to provide a full elimination of the tax on social security