Matt Klein
Name: Matt Klein
Public Office Sought: Minnesota Senate District 53
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 651-964-5558
Campaign Website: www.mattklein.org
Twitter handle: @senmattklein
Facebook Page: Matt Klein for Senate
Candidate Bio
I was first elected to the Legislature in 2017, and since then have worked tirelessly for the people in District 52. Now I hope to continue my work for the people of the newly redistricted District 53. In my last 6 years in the state Legislature, I have championed a public health option for health insurance, regulation of the pharmaceutical industry to ensure affordable medications, legislation to become a carbon-free state, workers’ rights, and gun violence initiatives. As the only physician serving in the Minnesota Senate, I have tried to bring the voice of reason and science to the legislature in a time when those ideas are under assault.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Healthcare accessibility & affordability
Fair & equitable tax system
Safe & secure elections
How would you characterize the business climate in the East Metro and what role do businesses play in supporting quality of life issues in East Metro communities?
The business climate in the East Metro is diverse and vibrant. Inver Grove Heights is home to Gertens Greenhouse, which is one of the largest greenhouses in the Midwest, and the headquarters of CHS. West St. Paul is home to Robert Street, which houses hundreds of businesses and community programs in the district. South St. Paul historically has been known for its meat-packing industry and the Saint Paul Union Stockyards, but is now diversifying into manufacturing and other industries. The businesses in the district continue to be the backbone of our communities and play a vital role in contributing to the employment growth and economic security in the East Metro and I could not be more determined to advocate for their needs at the Capitol.
What role do you think the State should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses to and retain existing businesses in the East Metro?
The Legislature should continue to invest in training programs as a means to incentivize businesses to stay in the East Metro. However, I believe one of the best ways to incentivize businesses to stay in the state is to invest in affordable healthcare for employers and employees. This session I was appointed to the Conference Committee to negotiate a bipartisan agreement to extend Minnesota’s reinsurance program. Since its passage in 2017, reinsurance has lowered health insurance rates for enrollees and substantially lowered health costs for small business owners. I will continue to advocate for a health insurance public option to compete with our private insurance plans, which would lower those costs further and improve health care access for all Minnesotans.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address our state’s critical labor shortage?
Several factors contribute to the labor shortage we see in Minnesota. Older Minnesotans are heading to retirement earlier, and there are fewer young Minnesotans trained or incentivized to take those jobs. To address this need, the Legislature needs to invest in training, salary, and benefits for some of our most critical business sectors. This could be investing in rural broadband, creating free or subsidized state training programs, or reducing the financial barriers to homeownership. This session, the Tax committee heard a proposal that would create a new Workforce Training Tax Credit for training-related costs paid by employers to train employees. I am supportive of this initiative and other legislation that will provide similar relief.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of a proposal on the many types of businesses in the East Metro and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
This year, I voted in support of passing the one-time spending to replenish the Unemployment Trust Fund, which prevented pandemic-related tax increases on our small businesses. This investment protected workers and ensured a strong response to any future economic downturn. I also voted in support of essential worker pay that will deliver bonuses to frontline workers. The legislation will provide $500 million for Frontline Worker Bonus Pay for our heroes who kept working at the front lines during the pandemic.
I was grateful to meet with members of the business community and my local chamber of commerce about the impact of the Unemployment Trust Fund tax on their operations. Their feedback and education guided my votes on the issue, and I will continue to seek them out for business related issues in the future.
Public safety and rising crime rates are of serious concern to the business community and residents. What strategies or policies would you use to address public safety issues?
Every Minnesotan – regardless of race, zip code or economic status – deserves to feel safe in their community. With this in mind, I continue to support my caucus in their efforts to address public safety and rising crime rates. This session, I supported legislation for recruitment and retention of law enforcement, community mental health supports, and violence and substance abuse prevention.
What strategies or policies would you use to address transportation issues? Have your strategies or views changed on transportation since we’ve seen shifts in road use, public transportation use, work from home models, etc. due to the pandemic?
I served on the Senate Transportation Committee for my first 4 years in the legislature. During my time, I supported a large, sustained investment in our state’s public transportation system. As we continue to combat the devastating consequences of the climate crisis, we need to continue to fund electric vehicles, and encourage public transit options. I also believe that we need to focus on updating our state's existing infrastructure using IIJA (Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act) grants from our federal partners.
What strategies or policies would you use to address housing issues?
This session, my priority was to get property tax relief to working Minnesotans immediately, to allow them to stay in their homes as property values skyrocket. I authored bills expanding the property tax refund program. This program is a way to direct property tax credits to homeowners who have large property value increases from one year to the next. This legislation will allow for more taxpayers to receive the benefits of this program, and increase the dollar amount of the credits available. I also authored a bill that would make two changes to the Senior Citizen Property Tax Deferral program. Property tax continues to be among the most financially burdensome assessments for seniors on a fixed income. I’m hopeful that legislation similar to these two bills will pass in future sessions and help more Minnesotans stay in their homes.
What are your priorities for the State’s budget? Are there any services currently provided by the State that you believe should be expanded, cut back or eliminated? Are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
My top priority is to use our large surplus to help working Minnesotans and seniors who need relief. This includes a complete elimination of the tax on social security, and an expansion of the working family and renters credit. We need to work to ensure that each student who goes to public school receives a top-tier, quality education. This means both fully funding the cross subsidy and investing in school counselors. Lastly, we need to ensure that Minnesotans won’t go broke when they receive healthcare services. We need to invest in affordable healthcare options in this state either through a public option or through state-based tax credits. And we must transition to a carbon-free state to preserve our planet for our kids.
What will you do to expand your district’s tax base?
For the past two years, I’ve served as the DFL lead on the Senate Property Tax Committee and as a member of the full Senate Tax Committee. During my time, I’ve worked tirelessly to create a broad tax base for the constituents in my district and across Minnesota. This year, I have turned my attention to the taxation of THC edibles, as we navigate the nuances of partial cannabis legalization. This means making decisions about where the tax revenue generated from sales and ways to invest in the community and addiction services. I look forward to continuing this important work in future sessions with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce, and address the achievement gap?
Before being elected to the State Senate in 2016, I worked on the school board in West St Paul to address disparities in our state’s public education system. I know that a high-quality public education system is the most hopeful pathway to equal opportunity for everyone in our state. During my time in the Legislature, I have championed legislation that provides investments in education equity, universal pre-k funding, and student loan relief to protect and support working Minnesotan families.
What is the role of the State in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses?
The state plays an important role in supporting and encouraging minority-and women-owned businesses and we must continue to invest in legislation that reflects the communities we serve.
An example of this would be through the city of South St. Paul. The city of South St. Paul was designated as a redevelopment area under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 by the United States Department of Commerce and since that time has sustained the decline of the food processing industry and the closure of several major factories and employers. Following these closures, several abandoned buildings, constructed prior to 1950, were privately sold and ultimately occupied by first-generation, immigrant-owned businesses that are still open today. During the 2021 session, the city of South St. Paul asked the legislature for one-time spending to preserve these vital businesses. For this reason, I authored a bill that would allocate $6 million in fiscal year 2022 for the City of South St. Paul to plan, engineer, and design a new industrial campus and infrastructure within an Industrially Zoned Area in South St. Paul. The bill was ultimately included in the final Tax omnibus bill that session.
What further policies can the State of Minnesota adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
As we deal with the economic downturn of COVID-19, the state has a duty to help our businesses thrive and I continue to support this important work. An example of this would be through the elimination of state taxes on the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). During the 2021 session, this was the biggest concern my office heard from businesses in the district. Many businesses, including those from the East Metro communities, stepped up to provide jobs for essential workers and closed down when COVID-19 levels presented unsafe community spread. Often these businesses received a PPP loan from our federal partners and were taxed at both the state and federal levels for the amount received. In the final Tax omnibus bill, we were able to fully conform to the federal treatment of PPP loans received, meaning that the total loan amount can be fully subtracted from income, and PPP-supported expenses can also be deducted from business expenses.
This session, I also authored a bill that was heard in the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Committee that would create a hospitality grant recovery program for restaurants, bars, hotels and similar businesses impacted by the COVID-19 shutdowns. The idea for the program stemmed from a constituent who owns and runs a successful family restaurant in down St. Paul who did not receive federal relief through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF). The program would provide recovery grants to eligible businesses for up to $10,000 and would give priority to businesses that have not received any state or local COVID-19 grants/aids, excluding business relief payments. I believe this bill, and similar legislation, is important one-time spending and should be reintroduced in future sessions.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?
Public Office Sought: Minnesota Senate District 53
Email: [email protected]
Campaign Phone: 651-964-5558
Campaign Website: www.mattklein.org
Twitter handle: @senmattklein
Facebook Page: Matt Klein for Senate
Candidate Bio
I was first elected to the Legislature in 2017, and since then have worked tirelessly for the people in District 52. Now I hope to continue my work for the people of the newly redistricted District 53. In my last 6 years in the state Legislature, I have championed a public health option for health insurance, regulation of the pharmaceutical industry to ensure affordable medications, legislation to become a carbon-free state, workers’ rights, and gun violence initiatives. As the only physician serving in the Minnesota Senate, I have tried to bring the voice of reason and science to the legislature in a time when those ideas are under assault.
What would be your top three priorities if elected?
Healthcare accessibility & affordability
Fair & equitable tax system
Safe & secure elections
How would you characterize the business climate in the East Metro and what role do businesses play in supporting quality of life issues in East Metro communities?
The business climate in the East Metro is diverse and vibrant. Inver Grove Heights is home to Gertens Greenhouse, which is one of the largest greenhouses in the Midwest, and the headquarters of CHS. West St. Paul is home to Robert Street, which houses hundreds of businesses and community programs in the district. South St. Paul historically has been known for its meat-packing industry and the Saint Paul Union Stockyards, but is now diversifying into manufacturing and other industries. The businesses in the district continue to be the backbone of our communities and play a vital role in contributing to the employment growth and economic security in the East Metro and I could not be more determined to advocate for their needs at the Capitol.
What role do you think the State should have in attracting and retaining jobs, and what steps would you take to solicit new businesses to and retain existing businesses in the East Metro?
The Legislature should continue to invest in training programs as a means to incentivize businesses to stay in the East Metro. However, I believe one of the best ways to incentivize businesses to stay in the state is to invest in affordable healthcare for employers and employees. This session I was appointed to the Conference Committee to negotiate a bipartisan agreement to extend Minnesota’s reinsurance program. Since its passage in 2017, reinsurance has lowered health insurance rates for enrollees and substantially lowered health costs for small business owners. I will continue to advocate for a health insurance public option to compete with our private insurance plans, which would lower those costs further and improve health care access for all Minnesotans.
What policies, if any, would you support to help employers address our state’s critical labor shortage?
Several factors contribute to the labor shortage we see in Minnesota. Older Minnesotans are heading to retirement earlier, and there are fewer young Minnesotans trained or incentivized to take those jobs. To address this need, the Legislature needs to invest in training, salary, and benefits for some of our most critical business sectors. This could be investing in rural broadband, creating free or subsidized state training programs, or reducing the financial barriers to homeownership. This session, the Tax committee heard a proposal that would create a new Workforce Training Tax Credit for training-related costs paid by employers to train employees. I am supportive of this initiative and other legislation that will provide similar relief.
Do you support any specific employment-related proposals? If so, what steps would you take to understand the impact of a proposal on the many types of businesses in the East Metro and how would you define any exceptions to those policies?
This year, I voted in support of passing the one-time spending to replenish the Unemployment Trust Fund, which prevented pandemic-related tax increases on our small businesses. This investment protected workers and ensured a strong response to any future economic downturn. I also voted in support of essential worker pay that will deliver bonuses to frontline workers. The legislation will provide $500 million for Frontline Worker Bonus Pay for our heroes who kept working at the front lines during the pandemic.
I was grateful to meet with members of the business community and my local chamber of commerce about the impact of the Unemployment Trust Fund tax on their operations. Their feedback and education guided my votes on the issue, and I will continue to seek them out for business related issues in the future.
Public safety and rising crime rates are of serious concern to the business community and residents. What strategies or policies would you use to address public safety issues?
Every Minnesotan – regardless of race, zip code or economic status – deserves to feel safe in their community. With this in mind, I continue to support my caucus in their efforts to address public safety and rising crime rates. This session, I supported legislation for recruitment and retention of law enforcement, community mental health supports, and violence and substance abuse prevention.
What strategies or policies would you use to address transportation issues? Have your strategies or views changed on transportation since we’ve seen shifts in road use, public transportation use, work from home models, etc. due to the pandemic?
I served on the Senate Transportation Committee for my first 4 years in the legislature. During my time, I supported a large, sustained investment in our state’s public transportation system. As we continue to combat the devastating consequences of the climate crisis, we need to continue to fund electric vehicles, and encourage public transit options. I also believe that we need to focus on updating our state's existing infrastructure using IIJA (Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act) grants from our federal partners.
What strategies or policies would you use to address housing issues?
This session, my priority was to get property tax relief to working Minnesotans immediately, to allow them to stay in their homes as property values skyrocket. I authored bills expanding the property tax refund program. This program is a way to direct property tax credits to homeowners who have large property value increases from one year to the next. This legislation will allow for more taxpayers to receive the benefits of this program, and increase the dollar amount of the credits available. I also authored a bill that would make two changes to the Senior Citizen Property Tax Deferral program. Property tax continues to be among the most financially burdensome assessments for seniors on a fixed income. I’m hopeful that legislation similar to these two bills will pass in future sessions and help more Minnesotans stay in their homes.
What are your priorities for the State’s budget? Are there any services currently provided by the State that you believe should be expanded, cut back or eliminated? Are there new opportunities to share services with other entities?
My top priority is to use our large surplus to help working Minnesotans and seniors who need relief. This includes a complete elimination of the tax on social security, and an expansion of the working family and renters credit. We need to work to ensure that each student who goes to public school receives a top-tier, quality education. This means both fully funding the cross subsidy and investing in school counselors. Lastly, we need to ensure that Minnesotans won’t go broke when they receive healthcare services. We need to invest in affordable healthcare options in this state either through a public option or through state-based tax credits. And we must transition to a carbon-free state to preserve our planet for our kids.
What will you do to expand your district’s tax base?
For the past two years, I’ve served as the DFL lead on the Senate Property Tax Committee and as a member of the full Senate Tax Committee. During my time, I’ve worked tirelessly to create a broad tax base for the constituents in my district and across Minnesota. This year, I have turned my attention to the taxation of THC edibles, as we navigate the nuances of partial cannabis legalization. This means making decisions about where the tax revenue generated from sales and ways to invest in the community and addiction services. I look forward to continuing this important work in future sessions with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
How will you work with K-12 and post-secondary educational institutions and businesses to ensure our region develops and retains an educated workforce, and address the achievement gap?
Before being elected to the State Senate in 2016, I worked on the school board in West St Paul to address disparities in our state’s public education system. I know that a high-quality public education system is the most hopeful pathway to equal opportunity for everyone in our state. During my time in the Legislature, I have championed legislation that provides investments in education equity, universal pre-k funding, and student loan relief to protect and support working Minnesotan families.
What is the role of the State in fostering increased minority- and women-owned businesses?
The state plays an important role in supporting and encouraging minority-and women-owned businesses and we must continue to invest in legislation that reflects the communities we serve.
An example of this would be through the city of South St. Paul. The city of South St. Paul was designated as a redevelopment area under the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 by the United States Department of Commerce and since that time has sustained the decline of the food processing industry and the closure of several major factories and employers. Following these closures, several abandoned buildings, constructed prior to 1950, were privately sold and ultimately occupied by first-generation, immigrant-owned businesses that are still open today. During the 2021 session, the city of South St. Paul asked the legislature for one-time spending to preserve these vital businesses. For this reason, I authored a bill that would allocate $6 million in fiscal year 2022 for the City of South St. Paul to plan, engineer, and design a new industrial campus and infrastructure within an Industrially Zoned Area in South St. Paul. The bill was ultimately included in the final Tax omnibus bill that session.
What further policies can the State of Minnesota adopt to help the business community recover from the COVID-19 pandemic?
As we deal with the economic downturn of COVID-19, the state has a duty to help our businesses thrive and I continue to support this important work. An example of this would be through the elimination of state taxes on the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). During the 2021 session, this was the biggest concern my office heard from businesses in the district. Many businesses, including those from the East Metro communities, stepped up to provide jobs for essential workers and closed down when COVID-19 levels presented unsafe community spread. Often these businesses received a PPP loan from our federal partners and were taxed at both the state and federal levels for the amount received. In the final Tax omnibus bill, we were able to fully conform to the federal treatment of PPP loans received, meaning that the total loan amount can be fully subtracted from income, and PPP-supported expenses can also be deducted from business expenses.
This session, I also authored a bill that was heard in the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Committee that would create a hospitality grant recovery program for restaurants, bars, hotels and similar businesses impacted by the COVID-19 shutdowns. The idea for the program stemmed from a constituent who owns and runs a successful family restaurant in down St. Paul who did not receive federal relief through the Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF). The program would provide recovery grants to eligible businesses for up to $10,000 and would give priority to businesses that have not received any state or local COVID-19 grants/aids, excluding business relief payments. I believe this bill, and similar legislation, is important one-time spending and should be reintroduced in future sessions.
Is there anything else you would like to share with voters not covered above?