Politics & Government

Laine: Budget Impasse a Question of Moving Forward or Back

In a post-session message, the legislator gives her views.

State Rep. Carolyn Laine (DFL-50A) distributed a message by email today expressing her views on the end of the regular session at the Minnesota Legislature.

Email was one of the ways Laine kept up with constituents during weeks away from the Capitol while she . Along the way, Laine stayed involved—introducing and co-sponsoring legislation, remotely—before .

Fridley Patch has invited Fridley's other representatives in St. Paul—Reps. Tom Tillberry (DFL-51B) and Kate Knuth (DFL-50B), and Sens. Pam Wolf (R-51) and Barb Goodwin (DFL-50)—to express their views on the end of the regular session, and we will post any responses.

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Here is the text of Laine's message.

Dear Neighbor,

The 2011 legislative was one of choices and priorities. Do we repeat failed policies that have stifled job creation, squeezed middle class families, and held Minnesota back? Or do we move our state forward by creating jobs, protecting middle class pocket books, and supporting innovation that grows small businesses?

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Facing a record budget deficit and struggling economy, it was my priority to work across party lines in order to reach consensus on a balanced budget that encourages broad prosperity. The DFL worked diligently on behalf of working class families this session that have been squeezed by rising property taxes, insurance premiums, and state fees over the past decade. That is because broad prosperity is best preserved by fair taxes, strong public schools for our children, affordable college tuition for Minnesota students and their families, access to affordable health care and creating good-paying jobs. 

Unfortunately, the Republican priorities were divisive issues and protecting special interests and the richest 2% of Minnesotans.  Despite repeated offers of compromise, the Majority/Republicans refused to consider anything except their all-cuts budget; ignoring the impact it would have on working class families, students, seniors, and the disabled.

In order to protect the wealthiest 2% of Minnesotans, here are some of the consequences of the GOP all-cuts budget:

  • Increases property taxes by $1.3 billion by cutting local property tax relief programs reducing the renters’ credit, and eliminating the Market Value Homestead Credit.
  • Eliminates more than 30,000 jobs–mostly in the private sector.
  • Makes the deepest cut to higher education in state history, resulting in tuition hikes, decreased course offering, and the elimination of hundreds of staff and faculty.
  • Grows the size of K-12 classrooms by cutting K-12 education by $50 million, creates winners and losers for our children with disproportionate cuts across the state, and deeply cuts special education.
  • Eliminates health care for 145,000 Minnesotans, reduces services for seniors and the disabled, and significantly cuts hospitals which eliminates jobs and increases the cost of insurance premiums.
  • Reduces victims’ services, affecting the availability of domestic violence and sexual assault survivor programs, as well as services for victims of child abuse.
  • Cuts transit services that many with a fixed income—including seniors, the disabled, and students—rely on to get to work, school, the doctor, grocery stores, and church.

I opposed the drastic GOP all-cuts budget in favor of a balanced approach that recognizes the need for shared responsibility and broad prosperity. In fact, Tom Stinson, the non-partisan State Economist, indicated that the Republican all-cuts approach to the budget deficit would be more harmful to Minnesota’s economic recovery than a balanced approach of spending cuts and revenue.

In listening to Minnesotans, it was clear that you preferred we work together, compromise, and get our job done on time. I am disappointed that Republicans were not interested in reaching a compromise to responsibly solve our budget deficit and have thus ended the session with our most important priority unresolved.

I remain committed to securing a budget that moves our state forward instead of in reverse. That means passing a budget that supports middle class taxpayers, grows small businesses, educates our children to compete in a 21st  century global economy, and takes care of elderly and disabled Minnesotans.

With our deficit unresolved, I also look forward to talking with you about your choices and priorities for our state’s future. Please continue to contact me with your ideas and input.

It continues to be an honor to represent our community in the state legislator.

Sincerely,

Carolyn Laine


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