THE MOST GOOD THAT I CAN FOR THE MOST PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST.

>> TAXES IS JUST ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT LEGISLATIVE LEADERS WILL NEED TO NAVIGATE IN THE NEXT MONTH.

WE'RE GOING TO FIND OUT MORE FROM REPRESENTATIVE JAMIE LONG, THE MINNEAPOLIS DEMOCRAT IS THE DFL HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER.

REPRESENTATIVE JIM NASH JOINS US WITH A COUNTER VIEWPOINT.

HE'S THE REPUBLICAN MINORITY WHIP FROM WOULD CONIA.

GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE.

REPRESENTATIVE LNG, EVIDENTLY THE TAX BILL IS OUT OF COMMITTEE.

IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE HOUSE FLOOR.

TELL US WHAT'S IN IT.

>> WE HAVE THE LARGEST TAX CUT IN STATE HISTORY IN THE BILL, AND WE ALSO HAVE A CHILD TAX CREDIT THAT, WHEN IMPLEMENTED, WOULD REDUCE CHILDHOOD POVERTY BY 25%.

SO THAT, I THINK, IS HUGELY IMPORTANT.

WE HEARD ROM THE GOVERNOR IN THE STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS, HIS COMMITMENT TO MAKING SURE THAT MINNESOTA IS THE BEST STATE IN THE COUNTRY FOR -- TO RAISE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.

AND THIS WOULD MAKE AN IMPORTANT DOWN PAYMENT TOWARD THAT.

>> HOW MUCH IN TAXES AND FEES IN THIS BILL?

>> WELL, THE BILL HAS, I TINK, SOME TAX CREDITS, AND SOME FEES THAT ARE OFFSETTING.

WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF PUTTING OUR BILLS TOGETHER AND GOING TO NEGOTIATION WITH THE SENATE.

BUT I THINK THE BILL IS REALLY FOCUSED ON TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING MONEY BACK IN THE HANDS OF THOSE WHO NEED IT, AND TRYING TO HELP WORKING FAMILIES.

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS BILL, REPRESENTATIVE NASH?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT WHAT WE'RE GOING TO SEE OUT OF THE PICTURE -- BIG PICTURE IS $20 BILLION INCREASE OVER THE PREVIOUS BIENNIAL BASE.

>> THAT'S SPENDING, YOU'RE SAYING.

>> CORRECT.

AND WE'RE SEEING A LOT OF TAXES AND FEES.

WE'RE SEEING A TAX FOR TRANSPORTATION, WE HAVE A DELIVERY TAX, WE HAVE A LOCAL HOUSING TAX IN THE METRO AREA.

>> IS A DELIVERY TAX STILL IN THIS BILL?

I THOUGHT IT WAS DELETED?

>> IT'S BEEN PULLED FROM THE SENATE, I GUESS.

>> IT'S STILL IN THE HOUSE.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THERE IS A MYRIAD OF THINGS IN THERE THAT ARE INCREASES, AND I THINK THAT I LOOK FORWARD TO THE TAX ILL COMING TO THE FLOOR, BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE 3 QUITE ANIMATED, AND I THINK THAT MINNESOTANS ARE IN A TIME OF A NEARLY $18 BILLION SURPLUS.

THEY ARE LOOKING AT WHAT THE STATE GOVERNMENT IS DOING UNDER THE TRIFECTA, AND THEY'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THEY HAVE SPENT ALL OF THAT AND RAISED ANOTHER -- I THINK CLOSE TO $2 BILLION IN TAXES, WITH DIFFERENT THINGS.

THERE'S A FIFTH TIER INCOME TAX COMING.

>> IS THE -- IS ALL THE SPEND THE DFL IS LOOKING AT SUSTAINABLE?

>> THE PROBLEM IS THAT WE HAVE ONE-TIME MONEY.

AND WE DON'T HAVE ONE-TIME PROBLEMS.

SO WE, FOR DECADES, HAVE NOT ACTUALLY KEPT UP WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION NEEDS.

WE HAVEN'T KEPT UP WITH OUR HOUSING NEEDS, WE HAVEN'T KEPT UP WITH OUR TWELVE EDUCATION NEEDS.

SO WE HAVE STEPPED UP TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEMS THAT MINNESOTANS WANT US TO TAKE CARE OF SO WE NEED ONGOING SOURCES OF REVENUE TO MAKE SURE WE ARE HELPING SCHOOLS.

WE PASSED A TREMENDOUS K-12 BILL, THE LARGEST IN STATE HISTORY.

WE ALSO PASSED A GREAT TRANSPORTATION BILL WHICH WILL TAKE CARE OF LONG-TERM PROBLEMS.

THE LAST TIME WE RAISED SIGNIFICANT REVENUE WAS WHEN THE BRIDGE FELL IN THE RIVER.

WE DON'T WANT TO WAIT UNTIL WE LOSE MORE LIVES ND ANOTHER TRANSPORTATION ACCIDENT.

WE EED TO ADDRESS THESE PROBLEMS NOW, AND WE ARE.

>> HOW MUCH OF THE -- IN THE PROCESS HAVE REPUBLICANS HAD A VOICE?

IN THE HOUSE?

>> WELL, IT DEPENDS IF YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ARE WE DEBATING ON THE FLOOR OR IN THE CONSTRUCT OF THE BILLS?

I WOULD SAY AS WE BUILD HE BILLS, WE HAVEN'T BEEN TALKED TO VERY MUCH.

AND THE GOVERNOR ALLUDED TO THAT THE OTHER DAY IN HIS STATE OF THE STATE, THAT JUST WATCH US.

WE HAVE A TRIFECTA.

WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE WANT AND TAND BACK AND WATCH.

>> WHY NOT MORE COLLEGIALITY, COOPERATION?

>> EVERY BILL WE PASSED OFF THE FLOOR TODAY WAS A UNANIMOUS GREEN VOTE, INCLUDING NE THAT REPRESENTATIVE NASH HAD CARRIED IN THE PAST.

SO I THINK SOMETIMES YOU LOOK AT THE -- THE OUTSIDE, AND IT'S EASY TO FOCUS ON THE BIG STUFF AND THE FIGHTING, BUT WE PASS A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE BIPARTISAN AND GETTING THE WORK DONE.

>> I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT, THERE ARE MOMENTS OF BIPARTISANSHIP, THAT DON'T ALWAYS GET COVERED ON TELEVISION OR IN THE NEWSPAPER.

BUT WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS THE LARGE BUDGET BILLS.

WE HAVE HAD VIRTUALLY NO VOICE AT ALL.

AND WHEN WE RAISE OBJECTIONS, WE'RE -- WE'RE PATTED N THE HEAD, AND THANKED FOR OUR INPUT, AND THAT'S ABOUT IT.

>> SOCIAL SECURITY ELIMINATION.

WHERE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT THAT QUITE A BIT.

IS THAT GOING TO HAPPEN?

>> SO THE TAX BILL THAT THE HOUSE HAS INTRODUCED WOULD ELIMINATE SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES FOR 80% OF MINNESOTANS, SO ONLY THE TOP 20% WOULD CONTINUE TO PAY SOCIAL SECURITY TAXES.

>> DIDN'T THAT TOP 20 TO PUT IN MONEY TO PAY TAXES AND DON'T THEY DESERVE A TASTE COMING BACK?

>> I THINK THIS STRIKES A RIGHT BALANCE.

THE HIGHEST INCOME EARNERS IN OUR STATE MORE THAN DOUBLED THEIR INCOMES AND THE LOWEST SAW A 9% DECREASE IN THEIR INCOME.

SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE MEETING THE NEEDS OF THE STATE.

AND THAT MEANS THAT SOME OF THE WEALTHIEST MINNESOTANS CAN AFFORD TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE PAYING THEIR FAIR SHARE SO WE CAN HELP OUT WITH SCHOOLS AND CHILD CARE NEEDS AND THE REST.

>> YOU DISOBEDIENT LOOK LIKE YOU'RE BUYING THIS.

>> SADLY, I DON'T.

WE'RE STILL GOING TO BE TAXING SOME ELEMENTS OF OUR SOCIAL SECURITY, AND THAT WILL KEEP US AS ONE OF THE 12 STATES THAT ARE STILL TAXING SOCIAL SECURITY.

WHEN WE HEARD IT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, IT WAS GOING TO BE THE ELIMINATION OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY TAX.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE IT BE THE ELIMINATION OF A SOCIAL SECURITY TX.

AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A VERY FULL-THROATED CONVERSATION.

YOU HAD ASKED EARLIER, HOW IS IT GOING.

AND I TELL MY FRIENDS, I FEEL LIKE I'M A NORWEGIAN JON SPEED BUMP.

I'M HERE TO FORCE CONVERSATIONS AND SLOW THINGS DOWN SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AND WE GET TO HAVE OUR VOICE AS THE MINORITY PARTY IN THE PROCESS.

>> THERE'S GOING TO BE A VOTE MONDAY, I BELIEVE, IN THE HOUSE ON LEGALIZING RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA.

WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENS WITH THAT?

>> IT WILL PASS.

WE HAVE STRONG SUPPORT.

AND THIS IS A BILL THAT HAS BEEN PUT TOGETHER REALLY THOUGHTFULLY OVER MANY YEARS.

WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO MAKE SURE WE'RE GETTING THIS RIGHT, THAT WE'RE LEARNING FROM THE MISTAKES OF MANY OF THE OTHER ESTATES THAT HAVE IMPLEMENTED THIS.

BUT IT WILL BE ADULT-USE CANNABIS CANNABIS.

WE'RE INVESTING AND MAKING SURE WE'RE DEALING WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER.

BUT THIS IS A BILL THAT MINNESOTANS ARE READY FOR.

THE MAJORITY WANT IT AND IT'S WIPE.

>> DO WE REALLY NEED THIS?

>> WELL, NEED IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER.

I THINK IT WILL PASS.

BUT MY OBJECTION HAS BEEN FOR A VERY LONG TIME THAT IT EXCLUDES THINGS LIKE LOCAL CONTROL.

SO CITIES THAT MAY WANT TO OPT OUT OF HAVING A DISPENSARY IN THEIR CITY HAVE NO VOICE.

THERE HAS BEEN NO CONSIDERATION FOR LOCAL CONTROL AT ALL.

AND I THINK THAT -- THAT THE MAJORITY PARTY HAS MISSED THE MARK ON THAT, AND WE HAVE BROUGHT IT UP IN COMMITTEE A NUMBER OF TIMES, AND IT'S BEEN VOTED DOWN.

I THINK THAT A GOOD PORTION OF OUR STATE MAY NOT WANT TO DO THIS.

AND MAY WISH TO HAVE A VOICE IN WHETHER IT IS LOCATED WHERE THEY LIVE OR NOT.

AND THAT'S BEEN TAKEN AWAY.

>> WITH THE SPENDING, WITH THE TAX BILL, WITH THE SOCIAL ISSUES THAT HAVE COME UP IN THE HOUSE, DID THE DEMOCRATS OVEREXTEND?

HAVE THEY OVERREACHED WHAT THEY WERE SENT TO DO?

>> NOT AT ALL.

WE ARE DOING THE THINGS THAT FOLKS HAVE ASKED US TO DO.

THE FIRST BILL WE PASSED WAS THE STRONGEST REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS PROTECTIONS ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.

THAT WAS THE TOP ISSUE WE HEARD FROM VOTERS IN THE CAMPAIGN.

ANOTHER TOP ISSUE WE HEARD FROM VOTERS WAS ACTING ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND WE PASSED ONE OF THE NATION'S LEADING 100% CLEAN ENERGY STANDARDS, ONE OF THE STRONGEST IN THE COUNTRY.

>> I THINK YOU HAD THE BILL.

>> THAT WAS MY BILL, YEAH.

WE ARE STEPPING UP TO HELP OUT WITH SCHOOLS, TO HELP OUT WITH CHILD CARE, TO HELP OUT WITH HOUSING.

THESE ARE COSTS HITTING FAMILIES AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN KEEP MORE MONEY IN HEIR POCKETS.

>> IF THE ELECTION WERE HELD ON MAY 23RD, WHAT WOULD BE YOUR PITCH?

>> THE TRIFECTA HAS COST MORE THAN IT PURPORTED TO IN A TIME OF ALMOST AN $18 BILLION SURPLUS.

THEY'RE RAISING MORE AND MORE TAXES AND THEY WILL HAVE INCREASED THEIR BIANNUAL SPEND BY $20 BILLION.

>> NO CHANCE FOR A SPECIAL SESSION OR DOES IT GO INTO NEXT YEAR SFL.

>> I THINK WE'RE SHOWING THAT GOVERNMENT IS WORKING.

WE'RE GETTING OUR WORK BE DONE.

GRIDLOCK IS OVER.

>> SLOP WAS