Dear Friends and Neighbors,

As is customary, the Senate will be closed on Good Friday as we break for Easter this weekend. Your legislators will use this time to head home and spend time with their families and constituents. We will return on the 2nd with an increased intensity to our work until we end the session before the end of May.

I am grateful for this pause in activities, and I hope you can also take some time to spend with your loved ones and reflect on the sacrifice of our Lord and the promise of Salvation. Even though things may look gloomy in our country, our state, and the world, and whatever personal challenges we face, remember that we are all part of a larger story, one of hope and redemption. 

Most of you already know that only 13 members of an unelected commission chose the new state flag and seal. Nearly 6 million people were shut out of the process. Every day, I am approached by people who ask me if they will be able to vote on the new state flag and seal.  Every day, I have to tell them no because the Democrat leadership is still saying no.  This week was our latest opportunity to allow them to answer this question differently when Senator Torrey Westrom tried to move his bill out of the committee, holding it hostage.  Democrats said no, once again.  

This is wrong. The people of Minnesota need to have a voice in this important decision.
Republicans tried to give Minnesotans the chance to have their voices heard, but Democrats told the people, "No, we do not want to hear from you." If you ask them, they will have many excuses for not putting the new flag and seal on the ballot. One is "because it's not in the state constitution to have a state ballot question." This is false. I explain why here.  It's incredible how Democrats in the House and Senate will twist every law and rule to push their agenda forward but require that anything else be explicitly stated; how dumb do they think we are?  

The deadline to file your taxes is fast approaching, April 15 this year.  I sit on the Senate tax committee and have presented a few bills to try to make this day a little less painful for Minnesotans. Last week, I had a bill heard that would make distributions from a Roth IRA not counted in a homeowner’s income when calculating their Homestead property tax credit.  This bill idea was brought to me by a constituent who found that a withdrawal from his Roth account to help his child afford a new home reduced his credit and raised his taxes. Roth Accounts have already been taxed, so in my opinion, this is a form of double taxation.  Hopefully, we will get the provision across the finish line this year. 

According to the Minnesota Department of Revenue, More than 1.4 million Minnesota taxpayers have already filed their taxes, and over 970,000 refunds have already been sent out. Here are some tips they have if you are still working on your 2023 Income taxes:

• E-file and choose direct deposit. Electronically filing your return and choosing direct deposit for your refund is the most secure and convenient way to file your taxes and get your refund. If your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is $79,000 or less, you may qualify to file electronically for free. See information here.
• Claim the new Child Tax Credit if you’re eligible. Beginning with tax year 2023, you may qualify for a Child Tax Credit of $1,750 per qualifying child. This is a refundable credit, meaning you can receive a refund even if you do not owe tax. You must file a 2023 individual income tax return in order to claim the credit. Learn more about income requirements and qualifications on the Child Tax Credit webpage.
• File your return by the April 15 due date, even if you owe more than you can pay. Pay as much as you can by the due date, and contact the Department of Revenue as soon as possible to set up a payment agreement for the remaining balance. You can do this electronically with their e-Services Payment System.
• Free tax preparation services are available for those who qualify. Free tax preparation sites are available across Minnesota through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and AARP Tax-Aide programs. Act quickly as many sites book up as the filing deadline approaches. You can visit the Department of Revenue website to find free tax preparation sites near you.

  Need more time to file?

• Your federal taxes require that you file for an extension, but you automatically have until October 15 to file your state taxes before the Department of Revenue charges a late filing penalty. This is for filing only. To avoid other penalties and interest, you must pay any tax owed by the April 15 due date and file your return by October 16.

What should you do after filing?

• Track Your Refund. Revenue processes most returns within 21 days of the return being accepted. However, some returns may take longer to review. You can track your refund and find out whether you need to take any action to allow them to complete processing your refund by using the page Where’s My Refund?

Here are some pictures from recent visits to my office by cities and organizations working with the state for the betterment of their communities.  Farm Bureau members from District 20, MREA, The Minnesota Rural Electric Association with the People's Energy Coop. Rep. Pam Altendorf and I with the Wabasha City Council and Mayor Emily Larson, Leading Age, the Association of Nursing Homes and Elder Care with Zumbrota Health Services.

On Saturday, April 27th the MN Gun Owners Caucus is having their annual Rally at the Capitol. If there was ever a year to show up and be counted THIS IS IT! But it's a bit of drive for people in Southern Minnesota.  So the Rochester area Gun owners caucus members have organized a bus from the Chateau Theater Parking Lot.  They leave at 9:30 am in plenty of time for the rally which is from 11:30am-1:30pm. The Cost is $25/per ticket. Contact Ron Kurtz at 507-951-066 to reserve your seat and for more information. 

Please contact me to share any issues, concerns, or feedback you have to assist me in best representing you.  The best way to reach me is by email at [email protected] or by phone at 651-296-5612. My legislative assistant is Margaret Martin, and her number is 651-296-4264.  

Sincerely,

Steve Drazkowski

Minnesota Senate, District 20, Wabasha, Goodhue, Winona, Olmsted, and Dakota Counties.

2411 Minnesota Senate Building

95 University Avenue W.
Minnesota Senate Bldg.
St. Paul, MN 55155