Economy
The current economic condition of the state and the country has impacted allof us, but especially those that were already struggling to make ends meet. Uncontrolled government spending and overly burdensome regulations continue to cause inflation to spike and we are still feeling the effects of supply chain issues caused by extended government mandated lockdowns. All of these things are combining into the worst economic conditions since the 1970’s. Too many of our leaders want to continue making the same mistakes of the past, which will only worsen the situation.
The real solution is to have a robust commercial/industrial base within the state, which we can attract back to Minnesota by enacting a climate of fair tax rates, sensible regulation reduction and providing an educated and talented workforce.
Everyone wants a livable wage, but it is their own responsibility to become adequately trained in a career path that has and offers those kinds of jobs. It is unrealistic to go into debt by $100,000 in student loans in order to get a liberal arts degree in studio arts or some other program that as little opportunity to transfer over into a well-paying career. Increasing the required minimum wage is unsustainable and will never provide a living wage for the average person.
- Reduce tax burden on individuals and companies including income and property taxes
- Reduce punitive regulations while maintaining social and environmental protections
- Provide for enhanced and expanded workforce training opportunities
- Support marketplace solutions for marketplace issues
- Stop having government pick winners and losers in the marketplace
Public Safety
For many of us, we can’t see or recognize our once safe state. Crime continues to grow and rampage across the twin cities and beyond as the police and legal system aren’t allowed or are too afraid the investigate and prosecute the criminals. All too often, the suggested solution is to violate the rights of law-abiding citizens and punish them by taking away their freedoms.
Security needs to start within the community. All too often, family and community members know who are committing illegal acts but are too afraid to take preemptive action. Its time that the community comes together and say No More! Although I do not support defunding the police, I do believe that police reform is needed, including better mental and personality screening to become licensed, actually holding officers accountable for improper acts instead of allowing the legal system and unions to sweep them under the rug and providing additional funding for continued education and training for law enforcement personnel.
We also need to continue to look at prison and sentencing reforms. We need to expand the opportunities for diversion and treatment options for non-violent and minor drug abuse crimes instead of taking up significant prison space for people that can be better served and rehabilitated by other means. We also need to have enhanced prosecution and sentencing for people that use a deadly weapon in the commission of a crime instead dismissing the weapon charges or including them as part of the sentences of the other crimes.
- Expand witness and community whistleblower protections
- Enhanced penalties for the use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a crime
- Support re-engagement of law enforcement within communities
- Prison reform including expanded diversion and treatment opportunities
- Expanded training and screening of law enforcement personnel
Infrastructure
The infrastructure of the state continues to crumble and we are decades behind on repairs and replacements. This is especially true in rural Minnesota where they do not have safe drinking water and adequate sewage facilities. Too much money is spent on pet projects that are earmarked to get votes instead of providing funding to provide the basic services that we need for a healthy community. We need to become more creative in finding ways to fund critical projects while ending the process of carve outs.
Taking money out of roadway funding to build light rail and bike paths, while allowing traffic congestion to worsen is not being green as the amount of fuel wasted and additional pollution created far outweighs any benefit that these alternative transportation methods may provide. Allowing our transportation system to deteriorate only makes our roads less safe resulting in more property damage, injuries and deaths.
- Funding for rural and outstate safe drinking water and sewage treatment systems
- Support reduction of the Federal Transportation Administration so that more of the gas tax we pay stays in Minnesota
- Reprioritizing funding on critical infrastructure needs instead of pet projects
- Allow smaller communities to pool resources for more effective and efficient delivery of public infrastructure
- End diversion of user taxes to other programs
Education
The education system in Minnesota has been failing our children for generations. When the majority of the students are unable to pass proficiency tests, it’s the systems fault, not theirs. Every year the education system asks the taxpayers for more money, but even with additional funding the success rates of the students continue to decline. Paying administrators six figure salaries and building multi-million state of the art buildings have not solved the problem. It’s time to end the insanity.
We need to provide parents and students more choices for their education and decouple school funding from property taxes so that funding can be outcome based instead of ever-increasing special referendum taxation on property owners that don’t have a vote or representation.
The current education system is too focused on trying to prepare all students to go to college in order to keep them trapped within the education system. The real focus should be to train our kids to be responsible and productive adults by focusing on the core skills that they need to survive in the modern world. We continue to turn out too many poets and not enough plumbers and then wonder what’s wrong with the education system. Shame on the education system for not only allowing this to continue, but for supporting and encouraging this ongoing irresponsible behavior.
- Prohibit race-based and age-inappropriate curricula
- Expanded choice in education through vouchers and tax credits
- Eliminate and replace property tax-based funding for schools
- Enforce performance-based funding and accreditation of schools
- Ready for the workforce education programs
Jay HIll For Minnesota House 66B 