Important Elections This Year
Even though it is the off year, there are still important municipal and school board elections happening across our state and our community. We are all given the right to have a say in our government, so I would encourage everyone to exercise this great American duty and vote!
You can find out what elections are taking place in your area here. You can find your polling place here. Make sure to verify your polling location before going to vote as it may have changed.
Paid Leave Program Already Costs Higher Than Projections
An actuarial analysis of the Paid Family Medical Leave program that passed last session was recently released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The study showed that the tax rates will need to be even higher than projected. The study shows the program will cost at least an additional $600 million within the first three years, with the tax rate being 31% higher by year two than originally promised.
I am deeply concerned that the projected costs are already skyrocketing years before the implementation date. We need to support families and help job creators provide these benefits for their workers. However, this study shows that the legislature needs to revisit the current paid leave program so we can come up with a sustainable, affordable solution instead of one-size-fits all mandates.
We started the last legislative session with a $17.5 billion surplus, but instead of passing permanent, meaningful tax relief, Democrats raised taxes by $10 billion. They forgot their campaign promises to end the tax on Social Security and give Minnesotans $2,000 rebate checks. Now, Minnesotans are being burdened by new tax increases, such as the paid leave tax increase, to pay for all the out-of-control government spending. Families are already struggling with higher prices for gas, groceries, and energy bills. We need to rein in government spending so we can support family budgets to ensure all Minnesotans can thrive.
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