Minnesota DFL - 3rd Congressional District

This legislative session, Gov. Mark Dayton and DFL legislators kept their promises and gave Minnesota a two-year balanced budget that invests in the middle class.

The DFL said ‘no more’ to the gimmicks and shifts used for the past 10 years to balance the budget. The DFL’s honest budget was created in part with a fairer tax system that calls on the wealthiest Minnesotans to pay more in income taxes. Republicans fought hard for the 54,000 Minnesotans with average incomes of $617,000. The DFL closed the gap between the percentage of income the wealthiest Minnesotans pay and what the rest of us have been paying.

The historic investment in all levels of education will pay off for years to come. Getting kids off to a good start with all-day kindergarten, having smaller class sizes in our K-12 schools and helping more students afford a college degree puts both individuals and the state on the path to prosperity.

The DFL accomplished this work with little or no help from Republicans who refused to offer their own ideas on how to balance the state budget and invest in our state, when it came to DFL proposals, most Republicans stood in the way of progress and just said ‘no.’

In 2012, Minnesotans put their trust in Gov. Dayton and a DFL led House and Senate to Build a Better Minnesota. Actions taken during the 2013 session will do just that.

For further discussion of the 2013 legislative session, see

Capitol Report Host Julie Bartkey's interviews of Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, Senate Minority Leader David Hanh, and Professor Larry Jacobs from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs

Steven Dornfeld's near end of session article in MinnPost:  "Both DFLers and Republicans will go home happy after session is over" and

Eric Pusey's article in the Twin Cities Daily Planet:  "Legislative Progress after a Decade of Regression."

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As State DFL Chair Ken Marten points out, the state tax of the wealthiest Minnesotans will increase so that the wealthiest Minnesotans will pay closer to the percent in state taxes as the rest of us have been paying all along.  The increase in taxes will contribute to strengthening education at all levels and to creating jobs.  As our state's commitment to education declined in recent decades, including a 30% decline in higher education in the last five years, incomes in Minnesota have also languished.  Top quality education is the key to the future prosperity of all Minnesotans.

How will the increase in tax on the wealthy for improving MN education work?  Jeff Kolnick, MN 2020 Hindsight Community Fellow,  explains that the additional income tax will affect families with over $250,000 in taxable income.  According the the Minnesota Department of Revenue, these families would on average have a pretax income of $321,000.  Suppose their pretax income increased to $331,000 which would put them about $10,000 over $250,000 in taxable income.  Their tax on the additional $10,000 would go up 2% or $200.

Read Jeff Kolnick's article:  "Unpacking the Income Tax."

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Over 200 people attended the Jackie Stevenson Dinner May 19 at the UFCW Local 653 Hall & Banquet Center. The dinner was sponsored by the Third Congressional District in remembrance of long time activist Jackie Stevenson as well as Linda Scheid, Senator and Representative for Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center, and State DFL Constitution Committee Chair and CD3 Associate Chair Rick Nelson. The following awards were given to people who have continued their outstanding work in the DFL.

The Jackie Stevenson Award

Someone who is the consummate volunteer. Active in lots of activities, comes up with ideas, involves and engages others. Always there. Always willing.

Jackie's daughter Leslee Tejada (center) and former DFL State Chair Rick Stafford (right) presented the award to Georgiana Ruzich, longtime Chair of Congressional District 3, tireless supporter of DFL Candidates, and DFL Senior Caucus Board Member. Georgiana commented, “The inspiration Jackie gave me and so many others to fight the good fight and never give up goes a long way. I was just lucky enough to walk in her shadow for a while."

The Linda Scheid Award

A local legislator who works hard for all of us. Leads on issues, speaks out on policy discussions and listens to constituents.

Barb Benson received the award for Representative John Benson from DFL State Chair Ken Marten. Barb Benson noted, “John says we can still feel Jackie in our lives. She understood that the secret in success in politics is that science of addition not subtraction; everyone has a place and need to contribute their talents. The promise of what America means will not be real unless we keep up the fight for all people.”

The Rick Nelson Award

Someone who makes the trains run on time. Not the face of the party nor the lead of an activity but the one behind the scenes who works hard for all of us.

Mike Rothman, MN Commerce Commissioner, longtime Chair of the DFL Constitution Committee, State DFL Finance Chair, and Chair of many DFL State Conventions, received the award from Kathy Nelson.  Mike stated, “Rick Nelson was one of my dearest friends and mentors. I remember watching Rick and John French run a state convention and thinking, ‘wow, I hope I can do that someday.' "

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Senator Al Franken was recently named chairman of the Energy Subcommittee of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.  He plans to use the position to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency.  Together with Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Democrat from New Hampshire, Senator Franken urged his colleagues to take the scientific evidence of global climate change seriously and to develop and pass legislation which will slow and reverse it

"In a time when Americans are dealing with record droughts and devastating hurricanes, the Senate cannot afford to simply ignore climate change. We need to talk about it, just as Democratic and Republican leaders outside of Washington are talking about it. And ultimately we have to come together to start addressing climate change before its damage and cost to society get out of control."

Read Senator Franken's full speech.

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The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy and we should be doing everything we can to ensure everyone's voice is heard.   We have made a lot of progress strengthening civil rights in our country over the years, but now the Supreme Court is reviewing the Voting Rights Act of 1965—with opponents in the case arguing that some provisions may no longer be necessary. We should not be overturning laws put in place to protect voter rights; we should be strengthening them.

We need to encourage people to vote, not inhibit them. One way to do this is by making voter registration easy and accessible. That is why I introduced a bill this week to allow same-day voter registration nationally,  just as we have in Minnesota.

Join EMILY's List and me and send a message that we need to strengthen voter rights and allow same-day registration nationally!

Minnesota has one of the highest voter turnouts in the country. This past election alone, 17% of voters registered on Election Day. Had those people been unable to register at the polls, participation in Minnesota would have dropped 14 points.

The right to vote is what makes our country great, and there is no reason we should be keeping people who are eligible and want to vote from casting their ballot. We should be making it easier.

Click here to show your support for allowing same-day registration nationally, just like we have in Minnesota:

Ed Schultz commented that the election results indicate the American people think the wealthy should pay more.  They did not vote to cut into the middle class and the elderly who didn't cause the deficit problems.  "I don't buy it."  In his interview of Senator Bernie Sanders, Senator Sanders said, “I am prepared to work with other progressives to do everything that we can to make sure that the budget is not balanced on a collapsing middle class and on 46 million people who are living in poverty and on many elderly people who are barely keeping their heads above water economically.” Watch the interview and sign Bernie Sanders petition.