|
We officially started session last week and the Capitol is bustling with activity already!
Session began with a memorial for the three Minnesota National Guardsmen who were killed tragically in a helicopter crash this past December. Please keep their families and loved ones in your prayers.
As session gets going, I plan to focus on tax relief for Minnesota families, accountability for the Department of Human Services, and safety in our communities. We began session with a $1.3 billion surplus and a budget reserve at an all-time high. Last session, House Democrats proposed $12 billion in new taxes on Minnesotans, and Republicans were successful in holding off the vast majority of those. There is no reason to raise taxes when government is fully funded and we already have a massive surplus.
As you probably saw over the summer, DHS has been plagued by personnel issues, and has wasted tens of millions of dollars through fraud and mismanagement. I plan to focus on tools like accountability measures and an independent forensic audit of DHS to root out the fraud and make them take responsibility for the mess they've created.
Crime in the metro has spiked, with an increase in assaults, robberies, and murders across the Metro area. At the same time, Democrats in the House have been pushing bills that would infringe on our Second Amendment rights and impose undue burdens on our law enforcement. I will be looking at policies this session that support law enforcement and reduce crime to keep Minnesotans safe in their communities, as well as defending our Constitutional rights.
|
