Statement from Minnesota DFL Chair Ken Martin:

“Today the House Republican Caucus used taxpayer funds to distribute packets to legislators attacking Gov. Mark Dayton.

“It is appalling that the Republicans think it is OK to disrespect a sitting Governor in the manner they did using taxpayer dollars. While Republicans seem gleeful that they have thrown cold water on Gov. Dayton and DFL attempts to move this state forward, the reality is Minnesotans expect more from their elected officials during this special session than juvenile behavior like this exhibited by House Republicans.

“Over the last three weeks, Gov. Dayton fought for a better Minnesota – and he has succeeded. By standing up to House Republicans, and fighting for a better outcome to this legislative session, the Governor has secured significant increases in education funding and better environmental and consumer protections. It is the House Republicans who threw cold water on this session attempting to thwart any real progress on issues of concern to Minnesotans like transportation, education, health care, and the environment. 

“I call on Speaker of the House Kurt Daudt to issue an apology to Gov. Dayton and focus on the legislative work at hand.”

Gov. Dayton · Ken Martin · Mark Dayton · MInnesota House GOP

Christian E. Weller and Jackie Odum posted the following on the Center for American Progress website on May, 29, 2015:

The economy has been growing slowly for almost six years, but Americans still feel economically insecure. Policymakers need to strengthen economic growth by boosting infrastructure investments in roads, bridges, and schools; making sure that job growth continues to increase by abandoning ill-advised austerity measures at all levels of government; raising the minimum wage to make sure that those who have a job can actually make a living; making it easier for people to join a union; enacting paid family leave policies; and targeting more policy efforts at the most economically vulnerable.

It is clear that economic security will not happen with wishful thinking or even with stronger economic growth alone. Policymakers need to build on the progressive successes of the recent past in order to make growth a reality for most American families.

You can read the original post here.

During this legislative session, the House GOP passed legislation ensuring that adequate maintenance of our state’s roads and bridges will again get “a lick and a promise.” With the budget surplus we have, the House Republican majority felt corporate tax giveaways were more important than getting goods to market safely — or children to and from home, school and activities for that matter.

It was so bad that a large coalition of businesses and organizations called Move>>MN put on a 3-day “Duct Tap Tour”. You can read more about that here.

2015 legislative session · crumbling roads and bridges · MInnesota House GOP · MN House GOP · transportation · underfunding

On May 5, 2015, the StarTribune‘s editorial board published the following about the House GOP’s desired to open Minnesota elections up to unlimited spending by PACs and lobbyists.  They’re basically putting Minnesota’s state elections up for purchase by the highest bidder.  A candidate could collect all their funds from special interests and not a dime from the people they’re supposed to be representing.

We don’t know about you, but that feels like a really bad way to go if we want open, fair elections.

Here’s the text from the editorial:

campaign finance · dark money · lobbyists · MInnesota House GOP · PACs · special interests

During the 2014 election, Republicans said that DFLers were putting the needs of the metropolitan area ahead of those of rural residents and that if elected, Republicans would be the voice for rural Minnesota.

Instead, Republicans are leaving Minnesotans behind so corporate interests can get further ahead. 

• Kids: Underfunding education, forcing teacher layoffs and larger class sizes
• College Students: Forcing higher tuition and debt for college students
• Greater Minnesota: Breaking promise to make Greater Minnesota a priority
• Working Minnesotans: Cutting wages and health care for working Minnesotan
• ALL to provide massive tax giveways for corporate special interests so they can get further ahead.

We deserve a legislature that will put the priorities of hardworking Minnesotans first.

breaking promises · cutting wages · higher tuition · MInnesota House GOP · tax giveaways · underfunding education

House DFL Leader Paul Thissen said the Republican budget leaves behind kids, working families, and greater Minnesota in order to help corporate special interests get further ahead.

“The Republicans have made a choice that tax breaks for corporations and special interests are more important than educating our kids or investing in Minnesota’s future,” said House DFL Leader Paul Thissen. “These are the wrong choices for a better future for Minnesota. With a $2 billion surplus and growing economy, we should embrace this chance to create more opportunity for all Minnesotans to get ahead.”

Despite a $2 billion surplus, the Republican budget plan would result in teacher layoffs, wage cuts for working Minnesotans, higher tuition, and more expensive health care coverage.

The biggest reason Minnesotans are being left behind is that Republicans are focused on a massive tax giveaway that favors corporate special interests. The largest permanent tax break in the Republican plan seeks to eliminate the statewide business property tax for all corporations and businesses. When fully phased-out, this amounts to $5 billion in corporate and business tax breaks over the next eight years.

“There’s no question the biggest long-term winner in the Republican budget is big corporations that would get billions in tax breaks,” said Thissen. “These tax cuts are incredibly short-sighted. Not only would our schools and students be shortchanged this year, they would likely pay the price down the road because the Republican plan is a recipe for budget deficits in the future.” 

2015 Minnesota House GOP tax bill · MInnesota House GOP