State Senate Republicans outlining their priorities for bringing tax relief to Minnesotans this legislative session.
The bills they're proposing target property taxes, license tab fees and ending taxes on tips and overtime.
"For the nurse that takes the extra shift or for the mechanic that works through the weekend, they should be able to keep those extra dollars, and the restaurant server should be able to keep all of their tips on their good service," State Senator Karin Housley (R) explained. "The government shouldn't be reaching into your tip jar."
Housley says while legislators often put forward plans that could save Minnesotans money in the long term, what people really want is relief they can feel in their bank accounts immediately.
“In our house, the extra money from these kinds of tax savings would go a long way with the grocery list that seems to grow with my three boys and the clothes that sure as heck don’t,” said Waconia Senator Julia Coleman. “I know a lot of families across Minnesota are in the same boat and could use that breathing room too. We have to ask ourselves, are we going to focus on practical help for Minnesotans? That's what these bills are about.”
Blaine Senator Michael Kreun's bill would cap property tax increases at the rate of inflation. He says right now home ownership is out of reach for too many.
"The idea that the average first time home buyer is 40 years old is depressing," Kreun explains. "That is not the American dream."
And for drivers, it's the license tab fees Republicans like Faribault Senator John Jasinki's bill is taking aim at, and it would roll back changes to the base-tab and depreciation rates he says have made Minnesota's tab fees the most expensive in the region.
"The goal of a tab fee system should be simple fairness, predictability, and reflecting what your car is actually worth," Jaskinski explains.
Republican Senate leaders say the proposals are common sense solutions to the most common frustrations they've been hearing from their constituents.
“The bills today begin to address three areas that Democrats have more expensive: wages, home ownership, and buying a car,” East Grand Forks Senate Republican Leader Mark Johnson said. “No matter where you live in Minnesota, you are getting less in your paycheck and paying more for property taxes and license tab fees. Minnesotans know best how to spend their paychecks, and we want to give them more control over their household budgets, while creating a resilient state budget that can withstand any storm.”