St. Cloud Lawmaker Shares Thoughts On The 2023 Legislative Session

(KNSI) – Minnesota lawmakers will return to the State Capitol next month to decide how to spend the state’s $17.6 billion surplus.

St. Cloud Representative Dan Wolgamott says he has three priorities for the surplus. “We need to provide permanent and ongoing tax relief for Minnesota seniors and working families. We need to make new investments in things that are going to benefit Minnesotans for years to come. Like our schools, our roads, bridges, our law enforcement. And third, we need to get money back into the hands and the pockets of Minnesotans.”

Wolgamott says he wants some money to go back to residents through rebate checks. “We’re seeing Minnesotans struggling with rising costs and inflation. We’ve got this huge surplus. The fastest way that we can get money back to Minnesotans is through checks, especially now that the surplus is swollen up to $17.6 billion. We have that surplus because of taxpayers.”

He also feels the surplus means Minnesota should stop taxing Social Security. Wolgamott says Minnesota is one of only 12 states that tax the retirement benefit. He also wants to put more money into education. “The state of Minnesota owes the St Cloud School District around $13 million [a year] in unfunded mandates. They’re telling the schools, ‘you guys have to do this but guess what, we’re not going to pay for it,’ that’s wrong. We need to put an end to those unfunded mandates. The state needs to live up to its obligation to our school districts.”

Wolgamott says he will author a bill to fully fund the special education cross-subsidy for districts like 742. The three-term lawmaker would also support legalizing recreational marijuana and sports gambling.

Some advocates are pushing for more gun control measures, including red flag laws. Wolgamott says he spoke to many people on the campaign trail that are sick of mass shootings and gun violence. “But I just want to make sure that while we’re passing these things, doing these things, that gun owners are part of the conversation. And making sure that we’re doing things that are going to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people without keeping guns out of the hands of law-abiding citizens.”

Wolgamott says he will support universal background checks but will listen to the folks in his district. He also wants to get Northstar Rail service to St. Cloud.

The 2023 Legislative Session begins January 3rd.

___