One Minnesota’s Transformative budget One Minnesota’s Transformative budget

By Charles Hallman Staff Contributor

he nearly $72 billion budget passed by the Minnesota Legislature and signed into law by Governor Tim Walz last week has been both hailed as historic and lamented by opponents.

The DFL majority in both houses addressed longstanding issues such as paid family and medical leave, gun safety measures, voting rights and democracy protections, based on a $17.5 billion surplus that enabled Democrats to expand state programs. Republicans criticized the record spending and argued that they were left out of the legislative process, noting that many bills were passed with only DFL support.

“The legislative session was the best for workers, families and children in Minnesota’s history,” said ISAIAH, a multifaith, multiracial, statewide non-partisan community or- ganizing coalition, in a press release. “The transformative policies and resources we won are the culmination of over a decade of organizing thousands of regular Minnesotans to make more possible.”

Some of the key highlights of the One Minnesota Budget:

•Provides the largest tax cut in state history that includes a one-time tax rebate of $260 for single filers with an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $75,000 or less; $520 for joint filers with an AGI of $150,000 or less; an additional $260 per child up to three dependents for families meeting the AGI filing thresholds; and a child tax credit up to $1,750 per child for lower income families.

• Allocates $400 million for programs targeted to Minnesota’s youngest learners, including a $40 million increase to Head Start.

• Funds the North Star Promise Program, which provides free college tuition for students with a family income less than $80,000.

• Invests $2.9 billion over the next four years for longterm care, substance use and addiction, and funding for nursing homes, and workforce retention in the long-term care facilities.

• Provides $1.3 billion for improvements to state roads and bridges, including the necessary matching dollars for the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

• Provides funding to help more families access affordable child care; funds programs to address homelessness and food insecurity in Minnesota; and provides greater stability for Minnesotans living in poverty.

• Sets aside state money to pay the difference between federal funds for Title I-eligible students and what is needed to provide free meals to all students, starting in the next school year.

• Provides a record $1 billion to address Minnesota’s housing needs.

• Provides a $3.5 billion public safety budget with $880 million in new funding and new gun control restrictions.

• Provides more than $1 billion in new funding over the

■ See BUDGET on page 6