Sen. Rob Kupec and Rep. Jim Joy discuss issues at joint town hall in Detroit Lakes on June 22

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – Lakes area legislators, Sen. Rob Kupec, DFL-Moorhead, and Rep. Jim Joy, R-Hawley, held a joint town hall attended by  dozens on Thursday at La Burista in Detroit Lakes.

The event was hosted by the League of Women Voters and lawmakers recapped many of the legislative accomplishments, or detriments, from the 2023 session, depending on which one was asked the question.

Joy said the state’s surplus money was used to pay for ‘wish list’ items for the DFL instead of being returned to the state taxpayers. He was also upset that an income-cap was placed on individuals paying tax on their social security benefits.

“If you’re the kid that was 10 years old and didn’t play the Xbox and started a lemonade stand at the end of your driveway and, all of a sudden, you became an entrepreneur and made a great big fortune out of your lemonade stands and did real well, you are getting shamed for that because you are not getting your social security tax relief,” said Joy. “You are getting taxed. I think the surplus went out fast and I just think the tax increases, there was a lot of wish list that got filled with the money that should’ve went back to the people.”

Kupec said he agreed with Joy on the social security tax relief issue, but was still happy 76% of Minnesotans will now no longer have to pay state taxes on those benefits.

“Seventy-six percent of Minnesotans now will not pay any tax on their social security,” said Kupec. “I too wanted it to be 100% of that. And I would say people who are in my party, who are much further left of me, they did not want to see that social security tax cut … and I think (Joy) is right, it’s a fairness issue. You pay taxes on that once, you shouldn’t have to pay taxes on it again.”

Kupec said the tax bill passed by the legislature this session featured $3 billion in tax cuts and credits, plus, property tax relief provisions for seniors and increased local government aid spending, which should help small rural cities with their budgets and save their residents some money. Adding, the Detroit Lakes police department should get close to $500,000 in one-time funds from the state’s public safety bill.

By the end of the 90-minute forum, at least a half-dozen different topics were discussed, and the lawmakers offered their closing thoughts.

Joy concluded the forum by saying worried to see what the state budgets are going to look like in 2 years.

“A lot of things happened this session and I can’t put the crystal ball together and I’m worried about the taxes that are going to happen,” said Joy, during the closing statement. “I hope we don’t tax people out of their houses who are on a fixed income. I am worried about that, and 160% on license fees worries me. We didn’t need that, but it went through and that’s what’s going to happen. When you have a $17.5 billion surplus, to spend that and spend the other $22 billion added to our budget now worries me about what it’s going to look like two years from now.”

Kupec used the time to highlight his personal electronics right to repair bill that passed during the session, which gives individuals the right to maintain or fix their own electronics without having to go through the original manufacturer. In fact, he said, the manufacturer needs to send you the repair tools for the device. 

“This is a really good bill that is not only good for economics, but it’s good for you,” said Kupec. “The electronics that you own are yours and you should have the right to take them to whomever you want. This bill requires (the manufacturer) to give you the manuals, the tools, instructions, free of charge for people or businesses so they can get their stuff repaired.”

Some attendees said it was refreshing to have both lawmakers from opposing political parties hold an event together because it offered a much broader viewpoint on each topic area discussed.

Both Kupec and Joy stayed for at least 30 minutes after the event to talk to anyone who wanted to ask follow-up questions about the issues they discussed during the town hall. Both lawmakers also encouraged residents to reach out via email if they have concerns about issues within the district.