Rosemount Legislators Voice Unhappiness With Dayton Budget Proposal

When Gov. Mark Dayton released his budget proposal last week, Republican voices in the state legislature voiced their unhappiness with some of the details.

Dayton's proposal included nearly $4 billion worth of new taxes, and another $1 billion or so in spending cuts. Those figures seemed out of balance to Rep. Kurt Bills (R-District 37B), who thought the Governor's proposals were unrealistic.

"The legislature is still examining the details, but overall it's fair to say that the Governor's proposed budget isn't a fiscally responsible solution," said Bills. "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."

Bills was also unhappy with a Dayton proposal to increase spending for education, albeit by a small amount.

"I'm not surprised that the administrators at the school districts are happy with the Dayton budget," said Bills. "It postpones any move they have to make on the serious cuts that will eventually be required."

Sen. Chris Gerlach (R-District 37), 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.”

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."

Week's highlights

Here’s what happened last week with some bills authored or co-authored by Rosemount'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.

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.

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. 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.

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

Rep. Kurt Bills—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. 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.