Issue Position: Cooperation, Leadership, and Your Money

Issue Position

It's clear, after knocking on many thousands of doors, that the people of district 42 desire what one eloquent citizen called "compromise toward a common vision." This same citizen went on to argue that we need candidates who understand that tax dollars are NOT "your money" but money we have exchanged for the benefits of living here, with the understanding that it will be wisely used for the common good.

Tax dollars are earned through the work of Minnesotans, first. That sweat equity is what puts the duty on lawmakers to use them wisely. Legislators are trustees of tax revenues and must constantly remember that Minnesota's citizens are owed the benefits of state spending; the legislature merely holds the right to vote on the spending bills. So, this citizen was correct that legislators should spend in ways that benefit citizens, rather than their partisan or personal interests, but that is precisely because the money being spent was earned by those citizens in the first place. Hence the slogan, "It's your money."

Compromise toward a common vision is a high and worthy goal. Calling for it naturally leads to the question: toward what common vision? We're arguing that out through our political process right now. Emphasizing that tax dollars come from the work and sweat of Minnesota's citizens ought to lead to more compromise and progress, because it ought to humble the legislators as they make decisions.

There are necessary public goods, and there are non-necessary public luxuries. Every dollar taxed for use on common goods is one that can't be used for gifts for the grandkids, can't buy gas to go to the lake, can't pay for an upgraded type of prescription, or pay down the mortgage or buy karate lessons. Let's build consensus around the premise that beyond truly necessary public goods, allocations of tax resources reduce the freedom of all Minnesotans to direct their resources as they deem best, and compromise on the State budget based on that humbling realization.

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