Reactions to Minnesota’s projected $17.6 billion surplus

Pioneer Press
Updated ·5 min read
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Reactions to Minnesota’s projected $17.6 billion surplus

Here are reactions to the announcement Tuesday that the state of Minnesota is projected to have a $17.6 billion revenue surplus.

Charlie Weaver, executive director of the Minnesota Business Partnership, issued this statement:

“Today’s forecast is good news for Minnesotans. The historic $17.6 billion surplus gives lawmakers an opportunity to make important investments in the state’s economic future and reinforces that there is absolutely no reason to raise taxes on Minnesota families and businesses, especially as they face high inflation and economic uncertainty. The budget surplus should be invested in key priorities like boosting student reading outcomes, expanding early childhood scholarships, reducing crime, improving infrastructure, and providing tax relief to businesses and families. Despite this healthy surplus, lawmakers should be cautious about committing the state and its taxpayers to new permanent spending that would lead to future deficits. Business leaders look forward to working with the Governor and legislators to ensure Minnesota is a place where large and small businesses can grow and prosper.”

Jamie Gulley, president of SEIU Healthcare Minnesota & Iowa, the union for more than 45,000 healthcare and long-term care workers in Minnesota hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and home care, released this statement:

“This projected surplus gives our state the chance to provide long overdue funding to support the healthcare workers who helped keep Minnesota families safe and healthy during the darkest days of the pandemic. The home care field is currently facing huge worker shortages because of the low pay and benefits, causing Minnesota seniors and people with disabilities to not get the care they need. This surplus gives Gov. Walz and his administration the chance to make historic investments that will improve the lives of millions of Minnesotans. Home care workers and clients are currently bargaining with the state to raise wages above $20, provide overtime & retirement benefits, and ensure we are providing support for these essential workers. It’s time to make sure frontline care workers are finally respected, protected and paid.

“These last two years have also shown that the ability to care for our families is something that needs to be at the forefront of all our policy decisions. All Minnesotans should be able to care for ourselves and our loved ones. Issues like Paid Family & Medical Leave, Earned Sick and Safe Time and MinnesotaCare Buy-In are ready to go. Elected officials have talked about these policies for years, and Minnesotans have made clear we want these common sense policies to pass. There is nothing stopping Gov. Walz and the DFL House and Senate from stepping up and making sure all Minnesotans – no matter our job, race, zip code or wealth – have paid time to care and health insurance that allows us to afford the care we need. Frontline workers made this budget surplus possible, and our union is excited to work with Gov. Walz and the incoming legislature to ensure we use it to make sure we are prioritizing issues that keep our families safe and healthy.”

Kelly Gibbons, the executive director of SEIU Local 284, the union for more than 10,000 school employees across the state, released this statement:

“In Minnesota we have a long history of being a leader in public schools that are funded in a way that ensures all students – no matter our race, zip code or wealth – have access to a world class education. Unfortunately we are still in a hole from Tim Pawlenty’s disastrous decisions taking money away from our education system that continues to cause our students and schools to fall behind. The projected $17.6 billion projected surplus gives Governor Walz and the DFL House and Senate, who ran on fully funding our schools. the chance to deliver on this election promise.

“It’s time we fix the staffing shortages that are hurting students across the state. We need elected officials to finally deliver on Unemployment Insurance so hourly school workers finally have the same safety net as nearly all other workers. We lose too many bus drivers, paras and more because they can’t make ends meet with the current system. We also have a chance to deliver transformational change by passing the ESP Bill of Rights, helping to make sure these essential jobs are finally treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. It’s time for action.”

The coalition of Minnesotans for Paid Family and Medical Leave issued this statement:

“We are incredibly excited and hopeful for the state of Minnesota with the release of today’s budget forecast including a robust and comprehensive Paid Family and Medical Leave policy of at least 12 weeks for all Minnesotan families. This bill will make it possible for every single working family in Minnesota to receive a paycheck while also doing things like caring for and bonding with a new child, being with family during the end of their life, the ability to provide paid time off as small business employers, and Minnesotans taking care of themselves during medical tragedies.

“The budget surplus offers an historic opportunity to get a statewide paid family and medical leave program off the ground and get benefits flowing to families and employers more quickly. This budget forecast is a true display of the caring Minnesota that we know is possible and the one that most Minnesotans fought to come to fruition both with their votes throughout the last several election cycles and in their daily struggles for them and their families to thrive and survive. Black or white, rural or city, rich or poor, left or right, all Minnesotan families deserve paid time to care for themselves and their families. This simple, fair policy — where everyone contributes and everyone benefits — reinforces that an equitable, healthy and caring economy in Minnesota is possible.”

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