Rep. Paul Thissen ranked Number 6 on list of 75 Influential Minnesotans.

http://paulthissen.com/?p=5636

Justice Wilhelmina Wright swearing in new Speaker of the House

On January 8, 2013, Paul Thissen was sworn in as the Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives. “I hope our legacy is a single phrase: ‘They governed well.’”

You deserve a Legislature that will put you first and move this state forward.

We face big challenges as families and as a state — higher gas prices, rising health insurance premiums and tuition costs, and classrooms that are among the most crowded in the country. And while our state government certainly cannot solve all difficulties, we need state legislators who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work in partnership with the private sector.

In fact, as our candidates have knocked on doors across the state, they’ve heard one theme echoed by Democrats, Republicans and independents: People are sick of the gridlock and are ready for a Legislature that gets basic things done right.

Yet over the past two years, the Republican-led majority did the opposite. Instead of working with Gov. Mark Dayton to reach reasonable compromises, Republicans pushed an extreme agenda that brought our state to a 20-day shutdown. Their rallying cry was: “The time for compromise is over.”

The result was a budget that borrowed a record $2.2 billion from our schools and made deep cuts to local public safety funding and services for seniors and people with disabilities.

Republican policy choices — and they were choices — also tightened the middle-class squeeze. Rigidly insisting on a discredited top-down, trickle-down economic theory, Republicans refused to close tax loopholes for big, out-of-state corporations. Instead, they chose to take much-needed property tax relief away from the large majority of homeowners, seniors, farmers and small businesses — to the tune of a whopping $538 million — by eliminating the homestead credit.

Most alarming, Republicans are offering more of the same if re-elected.

The Republicans’ sole re-election argument is their assertion that they turned a deficit into a “surplus.” The problem is that the claim is false. The truth, verified by numerous independent fact-checkers, is that Minnesota faces another multibillion-dollar deficit next year, including more than $2 billion that we owe our schoolkids. We may have a few bucks in the savings account, but the credit card is maxed out.

So what will DFL legislators offer if given the chance to govern?

Foremost, we will get our state back to work. Improving our infrastructure and supporting basic research are obvious places for state government to assist in growing Minnesota’s innovation economy. And we’ll not forget that our prosperity is best grown from the middle out and from the ground up, by helping small businesses and middle-class families succeed.

To achieve that goal, a DFL-led Legislature would make education a top priority once again. Minnesota now ranks 47th in the nation in classroom sizes, and more districts are contemplating four-day school weeks. And along with borrowing billions from local schools, Republicans voted for the biggest cuts in state history to our colleges and universities — critical economic engines for our state and Minnesota families. Such neglect is unacceptable. We need to make better choices that recognize that world-class education is essential to our economic future.

We’ll work to set our state on sound financial footing once and for all, restoring our credit rating, which was downgraded on the Republican watch. We will work to lower property taxes for middle-class families, make our tax system simpler and fairer for Minnesota businesses, and close out-of-state corporate tax loopholes that are expensive and unnecessary.

And we’ll keep our focus on these bread-and-butter issues instead of getting mired in divisive debates about social issues and politically driven constitutional amendments.

Some Republicans claim that they should remain in the majority not because their vision is right for Minnesota, but simply to preserve “divided government.” It’s a sad argument, grounded in fear. These challenging times call for more than holding onto the past and simply saying “no.” To move forward and meet our challenges — growing the economy and improving education — we need a more practical, collaborative approach.

We do not have to settle for the same old roadblock politics of the past two years that have placed big, corporate special interests ahead of our kids, seniors and middle-class families. On Election Day, you have the power to turn the State Capitol into a place where, once again, progress happens. Minnesotans deserve it.

http://www.startribune.com/opinion/commentaries/177023561.html

The budget the Republican majority passed to end the shutdown borrowed record amounts from Minnesota school. Thanks to their irresponsible borrowing, we owe our schools $2.4 billion. That’s nearly $3,000 per student!

How much is $2.4 billion?

Salary of nearly 45,000 teachers

Nearly 37 million new textbooks

Minnesota is slipping in education—due to reduced funding.

Minnesota now ranks 47th in class sizes, making it difficult for students to receive the individualized attention they need to succeed in school.

Minnesota used to rank in the top 10 states in the nation in school funding—we now rank 22nd.

Minnesota is one of only two states in the country borrowing in this way from schools. And we borrow a lot more than our only counterpart—California.

School funding has not kept place with inflation. When adjusted for inflation, general fund state aid per pupil relative to fiscal year 2003 has dropped 12.5 percent.

Because of the shift, more than 170 school districts were forced to borrow this year to cover costs. Other districts used their reserves. Total borrowing came to just under $800 million.

Inadequate state funding has led to an overreliance on local property taxes to fund our schools. In 2003, the average referendum revenue per pupil was $357. In fiscal year 2012, it’s up to $1,050. Currently, 90 percent of districts rely on referendum revenue.

Republicans voted to cut schools by $44 million! It was only due to Governor Dayton’s insistence that Republicans relented and increased school funding by a small amount.

House DFLers opposed this irresponsible borrowing and offered a plan to fully repay the money we owe our schools by closing corporate tax loopholes that allow companies to avoid paying taxes on overseas operations.

The only plan offered by the Republicans would have drained the state’s budget reserves—the money the state just relied upon to provide relief to flood relief to northeastern Minnesota—and paid back only a sixth of the money we owe our schools.

House Democrats have always budgeted full repayment of the shift and are committed to paying back the amount owed to our schools as soon as possible and investing in our schools to lower class sizes and provide the high-quality education our children need to be successful.

Over 70,000 Minnesota children do not have health insurance in Minnesota, but over 16,000 of those children will now be covered due to implementation of health care reforms passed by the Minnesota State Legislature in 2009.

The Minnesota Department of Human Services announced they will implement changes that will reduce barriers to insurance for Minnesota children. House Minority Leader Paul Thissen (DFL – Minneapolis), who authored the legislation in 2009, said covering more kids is the right thing to do and a positive step forward to making Minnesota’s health care system more affordable for all Minnesota families.

“Minnesota is a leader in health care, but having 70,000 kids without insurance is unacceptable and un-Minnesotan,” said Thissen. “The common sense reforms we passed in 2009 — removing artificial barriers and patching gaps that kept many kids from seeing a doctor or nurse — will help us keep kids healthier which means they will do better in school and have fewer chronic health conditions later in life. I am very excited these reforms are becoming reality.”

This announcement comes days after a report found that Minnesota has slipped in its national ranking for health care coverage for kids. A report released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation found Minnesota is fifth-best for child well-being. This is the first time in the last ten years that Minnesota has ranked lower than third.

“No law or insurance policy should stand between children-in-need and health care,” said Commissioner Jesson. “The legislative changes that the Department of Human Services has implemented will remove unnecessary barriers blocking access to care and will result in healthier lives for over 16,000 children. “

The Minnesota Department of Human Services began implementing changes to MinnesotaCare July 1 of this year. Children from families with incomes below 200% of federal poverty guidelines ($30,264/year for a household of two and $46,104/year for a household of four) will no longer face barriers to coverage such as the four-month waiting period and access to employer-subsidized health insurance and will be eligible for MinnesotaCare without premiums. In addition, all children will be eligible for MinnesotaCare.

“These changes move us closer to covering every child in Minnesota. Reducing barriers for children under 200% of the federal poverty guidelines creates access to health care coverage for children in low-income working families,” said Elaine Cunningham of Children’s Defense Fund-Minnesota. “We want to ensure that every child grows up to be as healthy as they can be.”

The changes to MinnesotaCare will be implemented over the coming months. The Department of Revenue has already built these changes into the state’s economic forecast starting in 2013, so there will be very little change in the state’s bottom line as a result of these changes.

While Minnesota has been among national leaders in having a relatively low rate of uninsured, there are still an estimated 415,000 Minnesotans that lack health insurance as of 2011, 71,000 of which are children. Uninsured Minnesotans drive up uncompensated care at hospitals, which has steadily increased in Minnesota over the past decade. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, uncompensated care rose to $311 million in 2010, which was the highest in state history.

“When Minnesotans do not have health insurance they go to the Emergency Room, which is the most expensive form of health care. Those costs are passed on to Minnesotans who have health insurance in the form of higher costs and higher health insurance premiums,” said Thissen. “Covering more kids will help us reduce health care costs for all Minnesotans. This is real progress, showing us that by working together we can continue making Minnesota’s health care system more affordable and accessible to all Minnesotans.”

More info:

http://m.startribune.com/local/?id=163873286

http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_21164291/minnesota-extend-health-coverage-16-000-children?source=rss

Republicans are promising more of the same if reelected: Shutdown and Gridlock

The election is about our priorities: a stronger middle class – or defending large corporations.

It’s time for a Middle Class Majority!

In a recent opinion piece, House Minority Leader Rep. Paul Thissen said Republicans favored businesses over individual Minnesotans in their latest tax bill.

To help make his point, he turned to a tax bill recently passed by the Minnesota House.

“99 percent of the Republicans’ recent tax bill is directed at tax cuts for corporations, with next to nothing for Minnesota homeowners, Thissen wrote on April 12, 2012, in the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Thissen’s claim is nearly correct.

The Evidence

The tax bill in question combines an array of tax credits for individuals and businesses, expanding some and shrinking others.

Most of the bill is targeted at businesses, including an expansion to a credit that allows corporations to sell tax liabilities to other businesses, an expansion of the research and development credit, and the gradual elimination of a tax on commercial and industrial properties.

Combined, all those credits would mean nearly $500 million less in the state’s coffers.

While the vast majority of these tax breaks are meant for businesses, there are roughly $20 million in tax breaks for individuals in the bill as well. For instance, individuals could benefit from an increase in the angel investment tax credit, and a one-time boost in a property tax relief program.

The Verdict

Thissen’s claim is in the ballpark. He said 99 percent of the tax credits in the tax bill are for businesses, with very little for homeowners. In fact, 96 percent of the tax credits are targeted at businesses.

Thissen is off by 3 percentage points, but he’s close enough to earn an accurate.

SOURCES

The Minneapolis Star Tribune, GOP’s lips say ‘yes’ to jobs; actions say ‘no’, by Paul Thissen, April 12, 2012

Tax Provision in HF 2337, Third Engrossment, Based on the February 2012 Forecast, March 21, 2012

Minnesota Office of the Revisor of Statutes, Small Business Investment Tax Credit, accessed April 13, 2012

E-mail exchange, Mike Howard, spokesman, Minnesota House DFL Caucus, April 12, 2012

Interview, Cynthia Templin, House Fiscal Staff, April 12, 2012

Interview, Katherine Schill, House Fiscal Staff, April 13, 2012

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/polinaut/archive/poligraph/