Here’s something crazy: the state government has a $9.25 BILLION budget surplus. What in the Wide Wide World of Sports is going on here?!?! How is there so much money? What are they doing with it?
Here’s Five Fast Facts on the Minnesota State Budget Surplus:
- ⛰️Beaucoup Bucks - To be blunt, the state is taking too much from us and not spending enough on stuff that needs money. Corporate taxes and consumer spending are up, spending on schools, health and human services is down.
- 🧮Long Division - For reference: if you were to divide that surplus up amongst every resident (regardless of age), they’d get $1,611 back. Divided amongst just the adults gets each of us $3,243.
- ⚔️ Fight, Fight Fight - You may or may not be surprised to discover the state legislature is fighting over what to do with it all. But they have agreed on two things: they’ve awarded military vets a bonus and frontline workers some long overdue rewards.
- 🍴Leftovers - Governor Walz wants to give every adult a one-time refund check of $500 and then put the rest toward education (Minneapolis has entered the chat) and health care. Republican lawmakers want tax cuts across the board even to the lowest levels.
- 🤲Gimme - There’s no chance you’ll see any of this right now. Both sides refused to compromise and each is blaming the other. But! Whomever wins control of the legislature (and who is elected governor) will decide next year.
🔥Bottom line: This entire situation is bananas. Especially because the legislature is just sitting on it. The smartest thing you can do at this point is vote for whatever party has the proposal you agree with most and hope they stick to their word.
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