Column: Rich Murray, My Point of View

Financial planner, homemaker.

Building supply store employee, home health care worker.

Plumber, cosmetologist.

Restaurant employee, tourism coordinator.

Medical center employee, administrative assistant.

Does this look a lot like your family? If so, we have a lot in common, as this is my family — listed with the occupations they’ve chosen to pursue.

Like your family, they prioritize their children and their loved ones. They struggle to make ends meet. They do the best with what they have.

These are the people I’m fighting for at the State Capitol — your family and my family.

On July 1, Minnesota’s state government shut down because legislative leadership and Governor Dayton could not reach a compromise on a budget plan that would fund government programs over the next two years. A major reason this happened is because both sides feel strongly that their vision of state government will best assist Minnesota’s families over the next budget cycle.

The Minnesota Legislature wants to spend $34 billion in general fund revenue. The balanced budget we approved spending this amount is the largest in Minnesota’s history. The proposal forces the state to live within its means.

Gov. Mark Dayton wants to spend nearly $36 billion on state government programs, and in addition to the $3 billion in new general fund revenue without a tax increase, he wants to raise $1.4 billion more through tax hikes for increased spending that could occur through income and corporate tax increases.

Both sides made compromise budget offers in the days leading up to the shutdown. But both sides also stuck to their guns, with the Legislature believing we need to control government spending, and the governor believing we need to expand it.

Since July 1, I’ve spent a great deal of time meeting with area residents and local groups, and responding to constituent contact addressing their thoughts on the government shutdown. I was also able to meet with hundreds of folks prior to and during the Albert Lea parade last Sunday.

While I’ve heard some expected comments from the most conservative and liberal members of the community, the overwhelming response I’ve heard from everyone else has been twofold. The first thing people tell me is to find a budget compromise right now. The second is that government is too big, and that we should figure out how to fix it.

Some have asked why we just don’t tax the rich to solve our $5 billion budget deficit. The problem is, if you just raise spending without enacting some guidelines or reforms, government simply continues to grow.

Can the rich afford to pay more? Sure they can. But if you tax the rich now (as well as raise the state corporate tax, which the Department of Revenue found will impact all income levels) and increase state spending guidelines, where will we go when we have a $4 billion budget deficit during the next budget cycle — you?

Raising taxes is a short-term, stopgap solution that does nothing to address our long-term spending issues. Our general fund revenue will grow by six percent this budget without adding new taxes. Gov. Dayton said this is not enough, and wants to increase spending even further. Double-digit budget increases are completely unsustainable, and the Legislature won’t stand for it.

Which brings us back to our shutdown predicament.

Residents should know I continue to have discussions with legislative leadership and the executive branch regarding our budget crisis, and I will continue to fight for your interests. In fact, I spoke with Speaker Kurt Zellers on Tuesday and Gov. Dayton on Wednesday. I shared with them the thoughts, concerns and ideas that you’ve been sharing with me.

Though it should be plenty, a 6 percent increase in general fund revenue and a budget that spends only what the state collects is not going to be enough for this governor. A double-digit spending increase will never be approved by the legislative majority.

The political posturing relating to this budget crisis has gone on for far too long. It’s time for both sides to move off their preferred number, find one that both can live with and put Minnesota’s government back in business.

Your family and my family are depending on it.

Rich Murray, R-Albert Lea, is the state representative for House District 27A.