Rep. Bills: Reform is the Word in 2012

The word “reform” is used often at the Capitol, but we are not always clear about why substantial initiatives associated with it are necessary and what they mean to us.

We are at an economic crossroads in Minnesota. Studies show more citizens are going to reach age 65 in the next decade than in the four previous decade combined. The result will be an unprecedented number of people soon reaching retirement age. Workforce growth is likely to slow dramatically, leaving fewer workers to support a larger percentage of the population.

People on both sides of the aisle agree there are areas of government in need of improvement so we can make better use of our tax dollars. There simply is a great deal of overlap, duplication, inefficiency and waste in government we need to eliminate. It will be more and more difficult to support our priorities and pay for past promises unless we acknowledge fiscal reality.

That is where reform enters the picture. Reform 2.0 is a package of bills we are bringing forward this 2012 session to improve all corners of government. Our goals this session are threefold: to restore confidence and grow the private sector economy; reform education and health care; and contain the size and cost of government. This will create a stronger private sector economy, raise student achievement, put more people in charge of their health care decisions and put government on a more sustainable fiscal course.

It can be difficult to try new things, but it is time to go beyond the standby methods of managing budget problems by either cutting spending or increasing taxes. Our focus should be shifted to include economic growth and helping our government to provide better service at less cost.

Reform 2.0 is not a cure-all for our structural budget problems, but it builds on reforms we enacted in 2011 and gets us headed in the right direction for a sustainable future. I look forward to continuing the work from last year which helped us turn a $5.2 billion budget deficit into an $876 million surplus.

Reports show our state’s business-tax climate ranks among the nation’s worst and we will be introducing measures to fix that problem. We also plan to reduce overly burdensome regulations so our entrepreneurs and small businesses can grow, create jobs and drive our economic turnaround.

I will provide more detail of these and other reform proposals throughout the session as they become timely. I also will share more about some personal initiatives I am leading, from helping military veterans re-enter the workforce, to protecting the remains of the cremated and examining the use of school resources to advocate for unions.

Public input is vital as we work on ways to make landmark changes in Minnesota. I always am interested in hearing what local citizens think the state can do better. You can reach me by emailing rep.kurt.bills@house.mn.