Apple Valley Legislators Oppose Governor's Budget Proposals

Last week, Gov. Mark Dayton released a budget proposal that includes $4 billion in new taxes, mostly from high earners, as well as some cuts to the state workforce and the public university and college system. Here are a few thoughts on the proposal from Apple Valley's legislators:

Sen. Chris Gerlach (R-District 37), Apple Valley, said 99 percent of the proposal "held a lot of problems."

"We’ve talked and talked and talked about econ growth and job creation," Gerlach said. "The budget is the exact opposite. It enshrines the status quo of high taxes, high spending and does little or nothing to foster the economic growth we need to get us out of this recession.”

It lacks “any kind of bold courage in changing the direction" of the state's economy, he said, and discourages businesses from being attracted to setting up in Minnesota.

Gerlach said the only thing he agreed with in the budget proposal was the preservation of the state grant program, which he said gives aid directly to students and is "far better for student aid than just writing a check to institutions."

Rep. Tara Mack (R-District 37A), Apple Valley, said she had expected a mix of cuts and revenue increases, but didn't expected the level of tax increase in the proposal.

She said one area that concerns her is small business owners who pass their business income taxes through their personal taxes, if it seems that these people are earning more than $500,000 and end up paying taxes in the high-earners bracket.

She also said the benchmark for "wealthy" seems off, considering the many expenses people pay for. Dayton's proposal calls for a 10.95 percent tax rate for single people making $85,000 or more after deductions, and for joint filers making $150,000 or more.

"I’m not sure if those people in those income brackets … would necessarily consider themselves wealthy," she said.

Rep. Kurt Bills (R-District 37B), Rosemount, said in a statement that tax hikes don't address the structural flaws of the budget, or long-term stability.

"It seems discussion of Dayton’s budget plan has centered on who should pay for increased spending and whether certain segments of our population can afford to pay more," Bills' statement said. "I feel the appropriate debate should focus on why our governor is proposing raising taxes at all when state revenue is on the rise."

"For us in the Legislature, it’s back to the drawing board with the budget," Bill's statement said. "The governor has made it clear he’s still committed to raising
our taxes, but even he must admit it’s unrealistic to think we can close a $6.2 billion budget hole primarily on the backs of our small-business owners, entrepreneurs, job creators and other successful individuals."

Week's highlights

Here’s what happened last week with some bills authored or co-authored by Apple Valley's legislators:

New Bills

Rep. Kurt Bills—Bills is an author of a bill to modify postsecondary enrollment options and require high school students to take a college course. HF0512, introduced Feb. 14.

Rep. Kurt Bills—Bills is an author of a bill to make optional the disclosures of public appraisals by a government body. HF0601, introduced Feb. 17.

Rep. Tara Mack—Mack is an author of a bill to extend Dakota County's interest in lands occupied by the Minnesota Zoo. HF0486, introduced Feb. 14.

Sen. Chris Gerlach—Gerlach is chief author of a bill to modify the eligibility for petroleum tank release cleanup fund reimbursement, SF0356, introduced Feb. 17.

Existing Bills

Rep. Kurt Bills—Bills is an author of a bill to establish inspections and filing fees for limited-use farm trucks. HF0472, introduced Feb. 10.

Rep. Tara Mack—Mack is an author of a bill to extend the radiation therapy facility construction moratorium. HF0383, introduced Feb. 7.

Rep. Tara Mack—Mack is chief author of a bill to provide bonding money for the Cedar Avenue Bus Rapid Transit project. HF0443, introduced Feb. 10.

Sen. Chris Gerlach—Gerlach is an author of a bill to require local government employees to approve or withdraw from the public employees insurance program. SF0247, introduced Feb. 7.

Rep. Tara Mack—Mack was added on Feb. 9 as an author of a bill that would provide a phased-in subtraction from federal taxable income for military retirement pay. HF0082, introduced Jan. 13.

Rep. Kurt Bills—Bills was added on Feb. 9 as an author of a bill that would require zero-based budgeting. It has been referred to the State Government Finance committee. HF0002, introduced Jan. 10.

Rep. Tara Mack—Mack is chief author of a bill to allow paramedics to get certification to perform certain additional medical procedures for patients in-home. HF0262, introduced Jan. 31.

Sen. Chris Gerlach—Gerlach is an author of a bill to create an exemption to the ban on smoking in restaurants and bars. SF0168, introduced Jan. 31.

Sen. Chris Gerlach—Gerlach is chief author of a nurse licensure compact bill, which would allow nurses to have to deal with fewer licensing issues when practicing in different states. SF0230, introduced Feb. 3.

Sen. Chris Gerlach—Gerlach is chief author of a bill that regulates broker price opinions on residential real estate. SF0167. Introduced Jan. 31. The bill was amended in the Commerce and Consumer Protection committee and passed to the Finance committee.

Rep. Tara Mack—Mack is an author of a bill to limit abortion funding for state-sponsored health programs. HF0201, introduced Jan. 24.

Reps. Kurt Bills and Tara Mack—Bills and Mack are authors of a bill to require voters to show photo identification at the polls, among other election system reforms. HF0210, introduced Jan. 24. The bill has been passed to the State Government Finance committee.

Rep. Kurt Bills—Bills is an author of a bill to modify unlawful or deceptive trade practices. HF0211, introduced Jan. 24. A hearing is scheduled in the Civil Law committee on Wednesday.

Rep. Tara Mack—Mack is an author of a bill to require guaranteed issue of health plans for individuals. HF0222, introduced Jan. 26.

Rep. Kurt Bills—Bills is chief author of a bill to create an early graduation scholarship program. HF0257, introduced Jan. 27.

Reps. Kurt Bills and Tara Mack—The bill to establish the healthy Minnesota contribution program, where certain MinnesotaCare enrollees would receive a contribution to purchase health insurance, was scheduled for hearing in the Health and Human Services Reform committee on Jan. 19. It was passed to the Health and Human Services Finance committee on Feb. 7. HF0008, introduced Jan. 10.

Rep. Tara Mack—Mack is an author of a bill to allow businesses a sales tax exemption on capital equipment at the time of purchase. HF0010, introduced Jan. 10. The Taxes committee has yet to hold a hearing on the bill.

Rep. Tara Mack —The bill that would establish the sale or possession of synthetic marijuana as a gross misdemeanor was passed out of the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance committee and referred to the Judiciary Policy and Finance committee on Jan. 24. It was referred for a second reading on Feb. 7. Mack is an author of the bill. HF0057, introduced Jan. 10.

Rep. Kurt Bills—Bills is chief author of a bill to increase the research tax credit for corporations, effective after Dec. 31, 2010. HF0011, introduced Jan. 10. The Taxes committee has yet to hold a hearing on the bill.

Rep. Kurt Bills—The bill to limit general fund expenditures during the 2012-13 biennium to forecasted revenues is scheduled for a hearing in the Taxes committee on Tuesday. Bills is an author on the bill. HF0067, introduced Jan. 13.

Rep. Kurt Bills—Bills is an author of a bill to repeal the teacher contract deadline aid penalty.HF0092, introduced Jan. 13. It was referred to the Education Finance committee on Jan. 31.

Rep. Kurt Bills—Bills is an author of a bill to restore green acres and agricultural classifications to their pre-2008 state. HF0142, introduced Jan. 20, Agriculture and Rural Development Policy and Finance committee hearing scheduled for Tuesday.

Rep. Kurt Bills—Bills is an author of a bill to provide health insurance to survivors of peace officers or firefighters killed on duty. HF0149, introduced Jan. 20.

Rep. Kurt Bills—Bills is an author of a new bill to get rid of the prohibition to issue a certificate of need for a new nuclear power plant. HF0170, introduced Jan. 20.

Rep. Kurt Bills—Bills is an author of a bill to create a Sunset Commission and set parameters for the sunset and review of state agencies. HF0173, introduced Jan. 20.