Americans for Prosperity-Minnesota Supports House Proposal for Zero Net Spending Increase

ST. PAUL, MINN - Americans for Prosperity - Minnesota announced its support for the Minnesota House proposal for a zero net increase in spending, and using the $900 million budget surplus for a combination of tax cuts and transportation improvements.

"This plan focuses on what matters most for middle-class Minnesotans, including tax relief for families and fixing Minnesota’s roads and bridges. These budget adjustments respect taxpayers' dollars and allow the legislature to use the budget surplus to fund the people's priorities," said AFP-MN State Director Jason Flohrs. "Minnesota taxpayers have already seen state spending balloon by 40% over the last six years; lawmakers shouldn’t be asking already cash-strapped families for even more out of their pockets."

The targets would also authorize a borrowing bill of $600 million, which is $800 million less than what Governor Dayton proposed. While AFP-MN supports the zero net increase in the state’s budget, it has concerns with the continued high level of borrowing in a time of budget surplus. Minnesota is constitutionally required to have a balanced budget, yet currently has more than $11 billion in state bonds outstanding or authorized. That is nearly 2.5 times as much debt as Minnesota had in 2006, when the state had only $4.6 billion of obligations. Even more concerning, debt service on these bonds is one of the fastest growing portions of the state budget, crowding out other priorities like education, water infrastructure improvements and transportation projects.

Flohrs added: “State borrowing at any level should be focused on long-term improvements to core infrastructure with truly statewide significance and not crammed full of local pork projects. The current rate of growth in debt is unsustainable and threatening to overburden the Minnesota taxpayers; legislators need to remember that this is taxpayer money and be prudent in its spending. Families and businesses have to manage their debt responsibly, and government should be held to the same standard.”

AFP–MN will remain engaged to ensure taxpayers see more money back in their pockets through tax relief rather than new government spending, and supports efforts to establish limits on the percentage of tax collections that can be used for debt service.

For further information or an interview, please contact Jason Flohrs at JFlohrs@AFPhq.org or (612) 247-0805.

Americans for Prosperity (AFP) exists to recruit, educate, and mobilize citizens in support of the policies and goals of a free society at the local, state, and federal level, helping every American live their dream – especially the least fortunate. AFP has more than 2.8 million activists across the nation, a local infrastructure that includes 35 state chapters, and has received financial support from more than 100,000 Americans in all 50 states. For more information, visit http://AFP.pr-optout.com/Tracking.aspx?Data=HHL%3d8-58%3b7-%3eLCE18136%3e6-GLCE17.6&RE=MC&RI=3634351&Preview=False&DistributionActionID=25860&Action=Follow+Link.