Legislative preview sticks to familiar themes
Top Minnesota House and Senate leaders are highlighting sharply different visions for 2016 legislative session, which begins March 8.
House Speaker Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, and Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, appeared together Monday at a University of Minnesota Humphrey School forum to preview the session.
Transportation funding and taxes, two issues left unresolved last session, are expected to get much of the attention this year. There’s also an available budget surplus of $1.2 billion.
Daudt said his priority is a package of tax cuts, including an exemption for Social Security income.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
“The reality is we’re collecting more money than we need from Minnesotans to operate state government,” Daudt said.
But Bakk cautioned against passing expensive tax reductions that would tie the hands of future Legislatures and lead to budget deficits. He said an increase in aid to local government should be a tax bill priority.
Bakk said paid family and medical leave is also one his priorities for the session.
“I think it would be good if our children had the opportunity to be able to get time off work to care for loved one who are having health issues, take them to the doctor,” Bakk said. “It meets one of the criteria of Minnesota nice, to me.”
Both leaders listed transportation funding, but they continue to have conflicting views on where the money should come from. Daudt and other Republicans want to use some surplus money and the sales tax revenue generated from auto parts, car rentals and car leases.
Bakk and other Democrats still favor a gas tax increase.
“It needs to be a dedicated source of funding, like the gas tax or like license tabs, that actually go into the Highway Trust Fund and are constitutionally committed to transportation,” Bakk said.
The two leaders also looked ahead to the election, which this time will have no statewide candidates. Daudt said he thinks Republicans will do well after increasing funding for nursing homes and opposing a DFL-backed tax increases.
“We feel good about our majority,” he said. “But we also know with no statewide races Democrats can bundle their resources and frankly spend them against us. So, we’re optimistic. But we’re going to work hard, and we think we deserve to be reelected.”
Sen. Bakk said he’s worried about turnout in November. He said enthusiasm for the Democratic presidential nominee will have a big impact on legislative races.