Massive Obamacare Bailout Passes the House

Dear Neighbors, 

In this edition:

1) Massive spending, Obamacare bailout bill passes the House

2) Taxpayer-paid Senate office building gets bigger, more expensive

3) MNsure under Congressional investigation

4) Don’t forget! Please take my 2014 survey

5) Visitors

1) Massive spending, Obamacare bailout bill passes the House

On a party line vote, House Democrat leaders passed a 450-page supplemental budget bill late Thursday night that determines how the state should handle our $1.2 billion surplus. The bill grows spending by using $323 million from the surplus. However, this one-time money is used to fund programs that carry on beyond this year, causing spending “tails” of almost $1 billion by 2016.

Even though the bill contained some decent provisions—there were bound to be some amongst 1,029 total provisions—I voted ‘no’ on this legislation.

First and foremost, I do not believe the state needs to be doing any more spending. Last year, government grew by a historic 10-percent ($3 billion). That’s an additional $1,500 worth of spending for every man, woman, and child. Now, we are expected to manage an extra $1 billion in the next budget. I fear we are heading toward yet another tipping point. Government simply can’t afford to keep making promises it can’t keep with money it doesn’t have.

Secondly, I believe the surplus should be returned to the hardworking taxpayers who sent it to us in the first place. They’ve been toiling to make ends meet during hard times and shouldn’t be forced to pay out-of-control government spending on top of their family’s own bills.

Lastly, due to poor budgeting last year and the unanticipated cost of the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare), the state’s “Health Care Access Fund” (HCAF) is short $647 million. This bill shifts hundreds of millions of dollars from the General Fund into the HCAF to fill the gap. It also commits the same practice in perpetuity instead of reforming the way government works. This is simply unacceptable.

2) Taxpayer-paid Senate office building gets bigger, more expensive

As mentioned last week, a new $90 million Senate office building has drawn the ire of taxpayers across the state. Its unpopularity has to do with its high costs, the fact that it is completely unnecessary, and how it was passed in the dark of night without public input.

One of the last stops before shovel hits the ground was the House Rules committee. I sit on this committee, where the bill that passed last week commits to construction of an even more expensive, larger building with less public access.

What’s interesting is the fact that the bill before us didn’t have specific construction costs. Only testimony provided estimates, meaning that state leaders are essentially signing a blank check for this project. All we can confirm is the revised legislation provides offices for all 67 state senators, makes the building 11,000 sq. ft. larger, and removes plans for a parking lot—all at an estimated $90 million.

One argument that was made during debate was that other, less expensive and more commonsense alternative plans just weren’t workable. As far as I can tell, the current set-up at our State Capitol works very well to comfortably house all 201 legislators!

I will be sure to keep you updated on the progress of this wasteful project.

3) MNsure under Congressional investigation

The U.S. Congress is currently investigating the troubled implementation and continued problems at MNsure—Minnesota’s extension of Obamacare.

A portion of a Congressional letter issued to Gov. Dayton, dated March 28, reads:

“It is clear that the Minnesota exchange has failed to live up to expectations. Despite receiving over $155 million dollars in federal grants to set up its ObamaCare exchange, the exchange has managed to enroll only approximately 38,000 people. Put differently, for every person enrolled by the exchange, federal taxpayers gave the state approximately $5,000.”

Click here to read more about the investigation.

4) Don’t forget! Please take my 2014 survey

If you haven’t already, please take a second to participate in my 2014 legislative survey.

·       Click here to take my survey. I welcome and encourage your participation. Make your voice heard!

5) Visitors

Thanks to everyone who stopped by my office last week!

·       Middle and high school students from the district: Jesse Kulberg, Isak Preus, Jenny Day, Jordan Schiltz, Noah Walton, Peter Day, Kari Preus, and Jack Trombley

·       Anders Evenson, Private College Student from Maple Grove

If you’re ever at the State Capitol, please do not hesitate to contact my office to set up a meeting. I can be reached at rep.joyce.peppin@house.mn or 651-296-7806. I’m here to serve you!

Have a great week,

Joyce

**Encourage your neighbors and friends to sign up for my email updates at www.house.mn/34A