Letter to the editor:
 
Governor Walz and the MN Senate both agree resolving the unemployment insurance trust fund deficit with surplus dollars is the right thing to do.  The Minnesota House of Representatives is on the clock.
 
If they do not pass a clean bill (SF 2677) to resolve the unemployment insurance trust fund deficit by March 15, businesses in our community will see double digit payroll tax increases. 
 
Thirty-one other states across the country have repaid unemployment insurance trust fund debts with surplus dollars, taking the burden of massive payroll tax increases off of employers.
 
Our businesses had no control over the pandemic and the forced business closures – but now could face double digit tax increases at a time of great economic uncertainty.  They shouldn’t be penalized for unemployment created by the pandemic and forced closures. The last thing we need is another cost increase, and more barriers to economic recovery.
 
The Senate has acted and passed SF2677-Thank you to Senator Jasinski for voting for this bill.   The House of Representatives needs to get this done.  Thank you Representative Petersburg for your support in the House.