My Point of View by Brian Hensley

The Legislature is in the final days of the 2016 session.  Back room deals have been the normal course of action the past few years, and that trend will probably continue. That is really disappointing. Transparency doesn’t exist. Debates on the floor are for show only with the real decisions being made by the governor’s staff, Senate DFL leadership and the House Republican leadership. The gas tax has been a major issue that will probably slide in on some bill pressed forward by the DFL Senate and DFL governor.

Last week in the DFL editorial, the columnist wrote:

“With a two-year budget passed (last year) and a $900 million project state surplus, some might argue the Legislature can technically adjourn without have completed any other real work for Minnesota… But what is best for the future of Minnesota?”

A few paragraphs later, they stated, “One wonders why the Legislature doesn’t pass an increase in the user fee known as the road tax.” A user fee on road tax is a gas tax. Don’t allow the DFL to confuse you by changing words.

My recommendations to the writers: Look at your previous statement above for your answer. 

When is enough, enough?  The state of Minnesota overtaxed the citizens by $900 million in the past 12 months.

Nine hundred million dollars would hire 20,000 new teachers for one year, or give every teacher in the state a $16,280 raise. It could pass $2.7 million for every one of the 328 school districts in the state. It could give every citizen $170 regardless if they paid taxes or not, are 3 months old or 99.

The state set a budget, did everything that it needed, it taxed citizens and collected $900 million too much. Where does that money come from?  It comes from your pocket.

Imagine the next time you visit your favorite grocery store. You walk in the store with a list, and a certain amount of money, say a $50 bill.  You walk throughout the store, you pick the items you need, you get to the register and the friendly clerk announces your total is $42. You hand the clerk the $50 bill, they give you their best DFL smile and then announce that the real bill is $54 and to please hand over $4 more.

I would ask the clerk why?  The clerk simply states, “Well, you had more than you needed. You just handed me $50 (the store collected too much.) That means there is probably more in that wallet of yours, so hand it over.”

Our local state Sen. Dan Sparks is a part of and votes to support the DFL leadership each January. How can Gov. Mark Dayton and the DFL Senate leadership support taking more of your money when they have money left over already? Don’t even start thinking about the $1.8 billion bonding bill they proposed this year. Bonding means borrowing from future generations, your kids and grandkids.

The DFL-proposed gas tax is the most regressive tax known. What does that mean, regressive? It means it costs the lowest income earners the highest percentage of their income. It hurts them the most. With a 16-gallon tank, every time you fill your tank the proposed 16 cent tax, would cost you an extra $2.56 multiplied by 52 weeks a year, means you pay an extra $133.12 a year.

Dayton was for a gas tax in 2015, then decided he was against it, now he’s back for it. Let’s see how the DFL Senate that Sparks has supported negotiates this issue in the final days, in the back rooms of the $90 million new Senate office building they built for themselves.

Fixing our roads and bridges is essential. Freeborn County needs assistance, but put most simply, the money to fix our roads, build the bridges and keep Minnesota moving efficiently is already in St. Paul. The state doesn’t need to keep our change and they absolutely, with 100 percent certainty do not need more of your money. Whether it’s a 16-cent gas tax hike or even a few pennies spread out over several years, that is your money. It might not seem like much to them, but like when shopping at the grocery store, I make wise decisions with my money, and I will keep my surplus (change.)

 

Brian Hensley is chairman of the Freeborn County Republican Party and local financial adviser with Intego Financial Group. He also serves on the city of Albert Lea Parks and Recreation Board. All opinions are his and do not necessarily reflect those of the organizations he is associated with.