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*May 19, 2023*






Dear Friends,

With a $17.5 billion surplus, we should be focused this session on providing our hardworking families with permanent, meaningful tax relief. I am really disappointed to see, in the final hours of session, more spending on growing our bureaucracy prioritized over growing family budgets. There is no reason to raise billions of dollars in taxes when we have such a historic surplus.

During the campaign, there was bipartisan support for tax relief. Unfortunately, here are some of the ways that the Majority is not following through on that promise:


* *Social Security tax relief.*?Despite nearly universal agreement among Democrat candidates to eliminate the unnecessary taxation on Social Security benefits for all of Minnesota?s senior citizens, talks of following through on that promise disappeared almost immediately after the Legislature gaveled into session in January. Recently, talks resumed on increasing the number of seniors who might qualify for taxation exemption, but a full elimination for all elderly residents is almost certainly dead.
* *Baby products*.?Among the decisions the Democrat-controlled Taxes conference committee has made is to remove an overwhelmingly bipartisan provision?that would eliminate sales taxes from baby products.?This tax exemption provides meaningful support for all parents in Minnesota as they expand their families and is especially helpful for first-time parents who may be overwhelmed at the costs of bringing a baby home safely.
* *Rebate checks*.? Governor Walz began session by stating that he wanted $2,000 rebates sent to married couples making $150,000 or less and $1,000 checks sent to single filers making $75,000 or less each year. As it stands today, legislative Democrats are only offering $520 for the same joint filers and $260 for singles. Could this amount decline even more or be eliminated altogether as the surplus well runs dry?
* *Gas tax increase?*?The Democrats found plenty of taxes and fees to raise in the transportation arena ? including a ? cent Metro Area sales tax and increases on license tab renewals and the motor vehicle sales tax, to name a few ? but raising the gasoline tax in the face of a mammoth budget surplus was supposed to be off the table. Now, in the waning hours of session, Democrats won?t rule out having the gas tax tied to inflation, which would further financially devastate drivers who are currently paying nearly $4 per gallon.

Despite our differences on the campaign trail, Democrats and Republicans all pledged to Minnesotans that we would deliver permanent, meaningful tax relief. I am in St. Paul working for you to deliver on my promise to support your family budget. I hope we can come together in the final days of session to provide Minnesota families with the tax relief they deserve.

This week we also passed the Public Safety bill. I am disappointed that this bill did not improve in conference committee. Some of the troubling provisions include:


* *Reducing Sentences for Violent Felons.*?This bill puts felons back on the streets by allowing criminals to serve only half of their prison sentence or probation if they complete Department of Corrections programming. This includes those convicted of violent crimes such as murder, manslaughter, rape, kidnapping, assault, or domestic assault. Limiting prison time for violent criminals puts all Minnesotans at risk.?
* *Anti-Law Enforcement.*?Instead of providing law enforcement with the resources they need to keep Minnesotans safe, this bill ties their hands and ignores their needs by further restricting no-knock warrants and fails to make any significant investments to recruit, train, and retain law enforcement professionals. This bill invest over $70 million in unproven nonprofits with little accountability on how the money is spent.?
* *Universal Background Checks.*?This proposal will create strict and impractical hurdles for law-abiding Minnesotans seeking to exercise their 2nd Amendment right instead of addressing the root cause of violent crime. Criminals looking to acquire firearms will not follow this new complex process. Efforts should be focused on enforcing the numerous laws we already have governing firearm transfers.?
* *Extreme Risk Protection Order.*?This proposal violates due process and does not address the alleged safety risk ? the individual. If?someone is a legitimate threat, simply seizing firearms will not prevent an individual from doing harm to themselves or others through other means. The seizure of property without a warrant and due process, especially property that is explicitly protected by the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution violates civil rights. Our efforts should be focused on providing support and care to those in crisis.

Every Minnesotan deserves to feel safe in their community and have their Second Amendment rights respected. I am disappointed that this bill failed to support law enforcement, hold criminals accountable, and protect the rights of lawful gun owners.






Please Contact Me

Please continue to reach out if I can be of any assistance to you. You can reach me by phone at 651-296-4244 or by email at [email protected].

Have a great weekend!?

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Mark











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353 State Office Building
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