Legislative Update: Lohmer on Revised Budget, Gun Control and Unionizing Child Care

Editor’s Note: The following is a Legislative Update from Rep. Kathy Lohmer (R-Stillwater). Lohmer represents the Stillwater area in Minnesota House District 39B.

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Revised Budget

Last week, the House Democratic leadership put out their budget framework proposal. If you can believe it, it actually seeks to impose a higher tax on small businesses than Governor Dayton’s plan by creating a fifth tier income tax bracket.

They claim that it would only be a temporary tax, but the history of so-called “temporary” taxes has proven that no such thing exists.

In 1991, the legislature passed a “temporary” half-cent sales tax increase. It still exists today. As Minority Leader Kurt Daudt said, there is nothing more permanent than a temporary tax.

Given our community’s proximity to Wisconsin, what would stop business owners and families from moving across the river? With Wisconsin openly competing for our jobs, we should be finding ways to encourage businesses to locate and stay here in Minnesota.

Gun Control

Over the past several weeks, Democratic legislators have been pushing for gun control bills.

One of the proposals that the House Public Safety Committee chairman attempted to push through was a bill that would require registration for gun owners. However, he could not convince enough of his fellow Democratic legislators to support the legislation to get it through committee.

Unfortunately, on Thursday night the committee passed a bill that would impose a requirement for background checks made for private sales at gun shows. As a member of the committee and strong supporter of the Second Amendment, I voted against this bill.

Alternative Gun Bill

I am a co-author on an alternative gun bill supported by the NRA and the Minnesota Sheriffs Association. This bill would strengthen penalties on felons and repeat criminal offenders, crack down on straw purchasers, improve criminal data-sharing and the background check system, and enhance the reporting system for those who are determined by a court to be mentally ill. With strong bipartisan on this legislation, I am hopeful it will pass the House.

Unionizing Child Care

Another bill that has been moving through the committee process at the legislature that I am strongly opposed to is the childcare unionization proposal.

If this bill passes and a union is formed, childcare providers serving our low-income families and children would be required to pay union dues or fair share fees. This kind of payment requirement would raise costs for providers (and the families that utilize them).

Unionization would make the state of Minnesota the “employer of record” for these providers – essentially putting the state in the middle of a relationship that is primarily between the parent and the provider of choice.

There is no place for union politics between Minnesota’s working families and the people who provide care for their children. All childcare providers should be able to provide quality, affordable services to parents without government interference.

Constituent Events

This week, the legislature will be on legislative break. The following week, I will be holding another one-on-one listening session for constituents on Friday, April 5 at Gorman’s Restaurant (11011 Stillwater Boulevard N., Lake Elmo) beginning at 2 p.m. Please call my office at 651-296-9471 to set up an appointment in advance. Senator Karin Houlsey is also scheduled to attend.As always, I am interested in your feedback. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail at Rep.Kathy.Lohmer@House.MN or contact my office at 651-296-4244.