Guest Column by Joseph E. Brown Sr. and Robin Brown

People want results from the Minnesota Legislature.

With a two-year budget passed (last year) and a $900 million projected state surplus, some might argue that the Legislature can technically adjourn without having completed any other real work for Minnesota. And that would be technically true. But is that what is best for the future of Minnesota?

When the legislature adjourns on May 23 and the dust settles, we hope Minnesota will be a better place as a result of strong, long term legislative decisions.  There are currently four major issues under discussion:

• Comprehensive long-term transportation plan

• Bonding bill

• Tax modifications

• Supplemental appropriations

There is general agreement that Minnesota needs a long-term comprehensive transportation plan to maintain our current roads and bridges throughout greater Minnesota as well as increase the availability of mass transit for citizens that live in the metro area.

One wonders why the Legislature doesn’t pass an increase in the user fee known as the road use tax.  It seems rational that those individuals that use the roads and bridges should be willing to pay a modest increase in the gas tax to maintain the roads and bridges they are using.  Without an increase in the gas tax, cities and counties are forced to increase local property taxes or local sales taxes to maintain the transportation infrastructure.  The inability of the Legislature to pass an increase in the gas tax will result in higher property taxes and higher sales taxes throughout greater Minnesota.

Interest rates are at an all-time low. This is a great time to borrow money to pay for building bonds that will be used to maintain and update our public buildings, including our college and university facilities.  A large bonding bill will create thousands of good paying construction jobs that will benefit our entire state economy for many years to come. While it takes a super majority of 60 percent of both houses of the Legislature to pass a bonding bill, the timing is right for both parties to work together to provide positive results for our entire state.

The debate over the various tax rates of sales, income, and property makes for a lively discussion.  The main thing to note is that a tax cut has the same result as tax expenditures.  Providing a tax reduction for some is the same as spending money on an additional program.  There is no reason why the Legislature has to spend down the temporary budget surplus.

It needs to be noted that the “projected” budget surplus was $1.2 billion just a few months ago.  Due to rapid changes in the state and regional economies, the “projected” budget surplus is now only $900 million.  This 25 percent reduction in the “projected” budget surplus should be a warning to every legislator that the state and regional economies can rapidly change.  Therefore, it may be wise to save the “projected” budget surplus in preparation for a future rainy day.

Supplemental appropriations are expenditures made in the second year of a legislative session that are additional expenditures on top of the two year budget that was put in place only one year ago.  Once again, the conservative approach may be to save the “projected” budget surpluses.  Adjustments may be made next legislative session once we can take a longer view of the state and regional economies.

With only a few days left in the legislative session, there is still time to get the work of the people done. On the other hand, it is also quite possible that the legislature comes to an impasse that cannot be bridged — the real work left for another legislature.

If a comprehensive long term transportation bill is funded and a major bonding bill is passed, Minnesota will continue to be a strong economic state.  Failure to accomplish either of these two objectives will result in Minnesota being less competitive in our nation.

The choice is up to our current legislators.  Will they have the courage to make the appropriate long term investments in the future of Minnesota or will they simply play the political blame game as they prepare for the next election?  Our hope is that politics does not get in the way of what is good for Minnesota. The people want results.

 

Joseph E. Brown Sr. is the DFL Senate District 27 chairman. Robin Brown is a former representative for District 27A.