Current Agenda

Minnesota’s strength lies in our families, our friends, and our neighbors being able to fully thrive and contribute to their communities. The Minnesota Budget Project focuses our advocacy on policies that allow all of us to prosper, no matter who we are or where we live.

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Action Alert

As Minnesota policymakers put together the state’s budget these next few weeks, they have an opportunity to ensure all Minnesotans have what they need to get through the continuing crises, and to build a stronger, more equitable recovery.

Send an email to your policymakers today asking them to expand tax credits focusing on Minnesotans living on lower incomes.

Pursuing new, sustainable revenues to fund a more equitable future

Minnesota is a state of abundance. We have what we need to take care of each other, to invest in the health and economic security of all Minnesotans, and build a stronger and more equitable recovery – if we, as a state, choose to do so. We launched the Together We Rise Minnesota public policy campaign to urge policymakers to pursue the recovery that Minnesotans deserve and build a stronger, more equitable future for all of us by asking those with the most resources to pay a bit more.

Protecting and strengthening the Renters' Credit

Like all Minnesotans, Minnesota renters want safe, affordable homes for themselves and their families. But some Minnesotans earning low wages or on fixed incomes struggle to afford their rent and basic necessities. The Minnesota Budget Project supports protecting and strengthening the Renters' Credit, which provides a property tax refund so that low- and moderate-income Minnesotans do not pay too high a share of their incomes in property taxes.

Prioritizing everyday Minnesotans by expanding the Working Family Credit

Supporting Minnesotans' work efforts should be a priority in the state's tax and budget decisions. The Minnesota Budget Project supports expanding the Working Family Credit so that working people across the state can better make ends meet, and to get children off to a stronger start in life. Strengthening the Working Family Credit also makes Minnesota's taxes fairer.

Expanding driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status

For about 85,000 Minnesotans, daily activities like getting to work, dropping children off at school, or buying groceries – require driving. Yet, because of their immigration status and ineligibility to obtain a driver’s license, doing these basic activities risks potentially life-altering consequences for themselves and their families. The Minnesota Budget Project supports driver’s licenses for all, which not only recognizes the contributions of immigrants who call Minnesota their home, but would also provide a boost to our local economies and create safer communities.

Supporting our workers by expanding access to earned sick and safe time

Many Minnesotans – especially low-wage workers and workers of color – are often forced to make impossible choices when they are sick: they can either lose pay while they go to a doctor’s appointment, or they have to go to work sick. Not having access to paid sick leave hampers the health of our workers, and causes further distress and economic hardship with the loss of wages. Expanding earned sick leave would have positive impacts on employees’ earnings, health, productivity, and economic security, and be an important step towards building a more equitable economy.

Past Policy Successes

Ensuring affordable health care through the provider tax

Good health shouldn’t depend on someone’s paycheck or address. Thankfully, our state recognizes this and Minnesota has a long history of investing in health and other things that support our well-being. Keeping Minnesota’s health care provider tax in place is key to a healthy Minnesota. The Minnesota Budget Project supported preserving this critical source of funding by repealing the scheduled sunset of the provider tax during the 2019 Legislative Session.

Making affordable child care available to more Minnesota families

When families have affordable child care, parents can succeed in the workplace; kids can develop, play, and thrive in safe and stable environments; and employers can find and retain the workers they need. The Minnesota Budget Project supports policies to ensure that more Minnesota families have affordable, reliable child care that meets their needs and supports their pathways to economic security.