We can't afford to leave legislation on the 1-yard line: Your Turn

As a former left guard on the St. John’s football team and current 9th grade football coach, I know that when you get the ball to the 1-yard line, you gotta work with your team and score. 

That’s where we're at in the state Legislature. Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate have been working together all session long to advance important proposals down the field of legislative process and towards the end zone of the Governor’s desk. 

We had previously reached a bipartisan agreement dedicating $4 billion to lower costs and provide tax relief, and $4 billion in new investments to move Minnesota forward. Unfortunately, negotiations between lawmakers and the Governor recently reached an impasse, meaning these would-be wins are being left on the 1-yard line. 

I’m calling on lawmakers from both parties to continue negotiating so the Governor can get us back on the field in a special session to score these legislative victories:

Tax cuts

As Minnesotans deal with soaring gas prices and inflation, now is the time to provide meaningful tax relief. That’s why we need to pass our tax bill, which included the largest tax cuts in the history of our state. 

Our tax package included the bill I co-authored to eliminate the tax on Social Security. Minnesota is one of only 12 states to tax Social Security, and repealing this tax would benefit 352,000 seniors.

In addition to cutting taxes for seniors, we also need to provide relief for families. That’s why our bipartisan agreement included a renter’s tax credit, an increase in the childcare tax credit, and a higher income threshold for the K-12 education tax credit. Overall, the agreement would have reduced total taxes by $1.4 billion in the current biennium and $2.4 billion in the next one.

Minnesotans across the state are struggling with high prices, and it’s our duty to get this money back to them by passing this bill. 

New investments

In addition to permanent, ongoing tax cuts, we need to make targeted investments to address critical needs across the state, many of which were nearly finalized.  

We need new investments to support the efforts of law enforcement. That’s why I’m proposing legislation to fund recruitment and retention bonuses of $5,000-$10,000 for police officers, as well as scholarships and training opportunities to attract the next generation of law enforcement personnel. We need to ensure our police chiefs have the resources and personnel they need to keep our communities safe, which is why we need to pass our agreement to invest $450 million in public safety. 

As the father of two daughters, I know our students have been through a lot in the past two years. Mental health investments for students can’t wait. That’s why I’m advocating for a proposal to hire over a thousand support personnel like mental health providers, social workers, school counselors and school nurses. We need to support the academic, social, mental and physical health of our students by passing our agreement to invest $1 billion in K-12 education. Also included in negotiations for our students is my bill to close the special education cross subsidy. 

Another important area of investment is a bonding bill, where I’ve been pushing for the inclusion of St. Cloud State University's new Education and Learning Design Complex, as well as additional asset preservation requests for the university. This project will benefit 1,200 students and serve over 500 children and families per year, making St. Cloud a leader in education. We also need to support the children of Central Minnesota by securing funding for the Great River Children’s Museum.

The previously agreed-to deal also focuses investments in workforce development, health and human services, roads and bridges, and other critical projects that will pay dividends for taxpayers now and into the future. 

Building off of past successes

We can’t afford to throw in the towel and quit on Minnesotans. This legislature can succeed by building off of our strong record of working together to pass meaningful bipartisan legislation. 

This past session, we’ve teamed up to deliver a deal to replenish our state’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, prevent a tax hike on small businesses, and provide $750 checks to 667,000 frontline workers (which you can now apply for at https://frontlinepay.mn.gov).

We also passed my bill to extend the workers’ compensation presumption for first responders who contract COVID-19, funded solutions to the opioid crisis, made the largest investment in broadband our state has ever seen, supported nation-leading ALS research, reduced the cost of health insurance for those on the individual market, provided drought relief to farmers, and more.I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished, but we can and must do more. Now is not the time to take our ball and go home. We’re on the 1-yard line. Let’s work together and score historic tax cuts and investments for Minnesotans. 

— State Rep. Dan Wolgamott is serving his second term in the Minnesota House for District 14B. A Democrat, Rep. Wolgamott serves as Assistant Majority Leader and resides in east St. Cloud.