Capitol Comments by Peggy Bennett

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately regarding what legislative priorities to expect in this year’s session, which begins on March 8. Looking forward, you will see the Legislature concentrate on passing a tax bill and comprehensive transportation legislation. I will also continue to work on the CARE Act, a package of bills to address the needs of Minnesota seniors.

In the tax bill, our biggest priority will be tax relief for middle class families and individuals. Minnesotans generated the budget surplus and deserve to see a surplus in their own household budgets.

One of the best ways we can reduce the tax burden is eliminating or phasing out state taxes on Social Security income and veterans benefits. Making these forms of income tax-exempt will put more money back into the pockets of our veterans and seniors living on fixed incomes. Most other states do not tax either Social Security or veterans benefits, and Minnesota shouldn’t either. An Albert Lea gentleman recently wrote to me, “After working around 50 years now and paying into the system, I don’t feel it’s right having to pay taxes on Social Security income.” It’s my hope that legislators can come together on a bipartisan tax relief package to help us see some tax relief in 2016.

One of the biggest priorities I hear about when I visit with folks in our district is a long-term transportation plan to fix our roads and bridges. A plan introduced last session will put $7 billion into roads and bridges over the next 10 years without raising the gas tax. Instead of a gas tax increase, our plan creates dedicated transportation funding by re-prioritizing sales tax on vehicle-related items, such as rental cars, car parts and auto repair, and allocates some funding through bonding and a small portion of the budget surplus.

Our plan would fix 15,500 lane miles of road and 330 bridges across the state, and invest much-needed funding for small cities who don’t have the same resources as larger cities to fill potholes and make repairs to their local roads.

With a $1.2 billion surplus, raising the gas tax shouldn’t be on the table. We can fund transportation projects without raising taxes, and I think our plan is one that Minnesotans agree is a common sense way to fix our roads and bridges across the state.

Last month, I participated in the unveiling of the Caring for the Aging, Retiring and Elderly Act, a set of legislation aimed at providing more options for wellbeing and independence for our seniors.

Sixty thousand Minnesotans will turn 65 in the next year, and before the end of the decade there will be more seniors in Minnesota than K-12 age students. Minnesotans deserve the opportunity to plan for long-term care early as well as have more flexible options as they age, and the CARE Act provides solutions to meet the needs of our state and its aging population. This includes making Social Security benefits tax-exempt, creating flexible life insurance policies that encompass long term care costs and more.

These solutions are aimed at helping Minnesotans plan ahead for their long-term care needs, as well as improving financial security and independent living options for our seniors. I will be working toward passing these reforms and more with other legislators on the CARE Act Legislative Working Group in the upcoming session.

As we head toward session, I hope to hear from you as well. I am a firm believer that the best ideas come from people right here in our community, and I greatly value your input. Please feel free to contact me with your thoughts, input and ideas at rep.peggy.bennett@house.mn or by phone at 651-296-8216.

 

Peggy Bennett is the District 27A representative.