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STEVENS COUNTY
REPUBLICANS
29841 US HWY 59
MORRIS, ,MN.
56267
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SAVE BACK TO SCHOOL RECEIPTS FOR TAX BREAKS
Planning on back-to-school shopping soon? Keep your receipts! You may qualify for a K-12 education credit or subtraction on your 2009 Minnesota income tax return. Many school-related purchases for children in grades K-12 now and throughout the year may be eligible for state tax credits or tax subtractions.
What many taxpayers don’t realize is that you don’t have to itemize your federal taxes in order to claim these tax savings. Any family filing a Minnesota income tax form can take advantage of these education-related tax reductions.
Under Minnesota’s education tax program, families with children in grades K-12 may be eligible for a tax credit of up to $1,000 per child for qualified education expenses. A $37,500 income limit is set for families of one or two children, but the income limit increases for each additional child. Up to 75 percent of the money you spend on eligible purchases (excluding tuition) will be refunded to you when you file your taxes.
All families with children in K-12 school, regardless of income, can claim state tax subtractions for the same education expenses, including tuition. A subtraction lowers a family’s taxable income. Subtraction limits are $1,625 for a child in kindergarten through 6th grade and $2,500 for a child in grades 7 through 12.
Families can claim tax credits and subtractions for tutoring, enrichment programs, textbooks, instructional materials and expenses associated with schools, and home computer hardware and educational software up to $200. The credit and subtraction are also applicable to the purchase of a musical instrument, calculator or other life-long piece of equipment that your child uses at school, as well as academic summer camps and music lessons by qualifying instructors. Although tuition expenses at a private or parochial school are not eligible for the credit, these expenses can be claimed as a subtraction.
It doesn’t matter if the student is in public or private school, or home educated. For more information, visit the Minnesota Department of Revenue online at www.taxes.state.mn.us. The process is relatively easy, so I encourage you to take advantage of it.
State Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen encourages and appreciates constituent input, and can be reached at 651-297-8063, by mail at 132D State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155, or via email at sen.bill.ingebrigtsen@senate.mn.
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Healthcare Reform-Minnesota is a Good Example
Dear Editor:
Recently, policy analysts from the University of Minnesota spoke at the Capitol on the possible impact of federal health care reform legislation on our state health care structure. Interestingly, even the state’s top health care policy wonks are also at a loss for details on the ever-shifting federal legislation.
It seems to come down to this: The Democrat majority in Congress will pass a framework of health care reform before the end of the year so that the White House can hang a “Mission Accomplished” banner and celebrate with their special interest pals. An initial bill of sale for between $1-2 trillion will go to American taxpayers, and a big mandate for new bureaucracy will go to the states, whose own efforts in cost control, innovation, patient privacy and satisfaction, and disease prevention is – most likely – out the door. In St. Paul, lawmakers need to be ready to react to whatever is handed down from Washington
Americans are asking questions. Unfortunately, some of the displays we’ve seen of the treatment of regular citizens by their elected representatives – those brave enough to hold public meetings this summer—are disgraceful. We’ve seen average citizens, many being mocked in the process, trying to give their opinion on either the way this reform is being handled by Congress or merely trying to have basic questions answered. And we have plenty.
In Minnesota, we have struck a balance where government can help the un- and under-insured get adequate health care without taking away from a consumer marketplace that provides high value at a reasonable cost. In Washington, D.C., many are looking to the flawed models of Massachusetts and Hawaii as examples of reform; instead, they should be looking at the Mayo Clinic, HealthPartners, Regions Hospital, and the University of Minnesota.
Ask yourself- Do you want the Federal Government to run your health plan? I don’t. We Minnesotans can reform our own healthcare.
Sincerely,
Bill Ingebrigtsen
State Senator
District 11
State Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen encourages and appreciates constituent input, and can be reached at 651-297-8063, by mail at 132D State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155, or via email at sen.bill.ingebrigtsen@senate.mn.
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Labor Day- Celebrating the American Worker
Dear Editor:
The first Monday in September was set aside as a United States federal holiday in 1894 originally with much more sharp political overtones. Even today, many either use the holiday to promote modern political agendas or dismiss its political history as undemocratic. We regard the holiday more for family gatherings, community pride and sporting events. But we should keep in mind the individuals who began a truly American movement.
Labor Day in the United States came about from tumultuous times when workers had few rights and fewer options. Modern American workers owe a lot to the brave souls who fought against excessive work hours, abuses against children and conditions that often lead to crippling injuries or death.
Today, many of us enjoy generous vacation allowances, family leave flexibility, comfortable office settings and other amenities because of their sacrifices. Many of us can retire younger, enjoying travel, savings and grandchildren. We can retire, period, because of these pioneers.
But America – and Minnesota – is not great because of bureaucracies and governments. It is because of individual men and women like those who dared to speak out during the early labor movement. America is great because American history is filled with individuals who had the courage to voice their opinions and demand their God-given rights. They practiced their constitutionally protected freedom of speech which an earlier generation had fought and died for
This year, let’s consider celebrating Labor Day by supporting American workers, the heart of American businesses and innovations. Let’s also stop labeling companies that provide jobs as the enemy, but continue to demand that they treat workers well. Let’s demand that we get quality products when we spend our hard-earned dollars, both from companies and from governments.
Sincerely,
Bill Ingebrigtsen
State Senator, District 11
State Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen encourages and appreciates constituent input, and can be reached at 651-297-8063, by mail at 132D State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155, or via email at sen.bill.ingebrigtsen@senate.mn.
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“CAP AND TAX” LEGISLATION HAS DIRE CONSEQUENCES ON MINNESOTA ECONOMY
With all the recent media coverage given to the healthcare debate, I hope we do not forget about the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 (H.R. 2454) “Cap and Trade” bill that passed the U.S. House of Representatives in June and awaits a vote in the Senate this fall. This legislation is nothing more than a giant tax placed on the American family that will kill jobs, disproportionately affect low-income families and deeply hurt farmers.
Locally, we have already seen some of the consequences this legislation will have on our economy. Recently, Otter Tail Power Company announced that it was pulling out of Big Stone II over fears of new federal energy taxes, putting serious doubt about the project’s future. Thousands of construction jobs are now in jeopardy. Also, without the construction of the power plant, future businesses might be hesitant to invest in our area over fear of energy limitations.
The bill aims to limit pollution by requiring businesses that emit gases to purchase permits. Businesses that produce fewer emissions than expected are able to trade or sell their remaining permits to businesses that go over their allotted total. This whole process is expected to reduce emissions by making it expensive to produce greenhouse gases and force businesses to look for other sources of energy. Unfortunately, there are no practical alternatives available in the near future.
This legislation will act strictly as an energy tax that will increase the price of everything that needs energy to produce, hitting the pocketbook of every American family, but do little to actually limit greenhouse gases.
A Washington, D.C. public policy think tank, the Heritage Foundation, recently did a study on the effects H.R.2454 will have on our economy, and the numbers are astounding. It has been predicted that job losses will approach 1.9 million in 2012 and could approach 2.5 million by 2035 while destroying nearly 23,000 Minnesotan jobs. These losses occur due to the higher expense of producing and manufacturing goods in the United States. It will also encourage businesses to move to India or China, which have no intention of adopting any type of energy tax.
The typical American family of four will pay an additional $1,700 each year for energy-based utility costs on average. Sharp increases in gasoline will occur with prices predicted to rise to $4.74 a gallon by 2035, with $1.38 attributed to the energy tax. That’s nearly a 41% increase in the price of gasoline. Since people with lower income spend more of their earnings on energy, this legislation disproportionately targets them.
While Congressman Colin Peterson praised himself for saving the farmer by creating exemptions for them, he really only made a bad bill slightly better. Also, without his vote and consent this legislation would not have passed, so his notion that he saved the farmer from an inevitable bill is an entirely artificial creation. However, the farmer is still hit very hard with this bill.
Higher gasoline and diesel fuel prices, higher electricity costs, and higher natural-gas-derived fertilizer costs all erode farm profits, which are expected to decline by 28 percent in 2012 and average 57 percent lower through 2035 based on the Heritage Foundation’s study. Several farm advocacy agencies saw these consequences, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, and opposed the bill even after Peterson’s amendments.
Our economy is finally showing some signs of recovery but this legislation, if passed, will hurt hard working families, kill manufacturing jobs, and make it even tougher for the farmer to survive. I will be sending letters to Senator Franken and Klobuchar urging them to vote “no” on this harmful legislation. I urge concerned citizens to do the same.
I will also be introducing a resolution when the legislative session starts again in February asking Congress not to pass this bill due to the burden it places on the citizens of my district and to the state of Minnesota.
Otter Tail Power Company’s withdrawal from the Big Stone II project is the tip of the iceberg in terms of economic ramifications this bill will have on our economy. This is nothing more than a massive tax increase and the citizens of my district, and working Minnesota families cannot afford it.
State Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen encourages and appreciates constituent input, and can be reached at 651-297-8063, by mail at 123 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155, or via email at sen.bill.ingebrigtsen@senate.mn
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