The skies are getting darker over the Capitol as the 2019 Legislative Session winds down. After four months of legislative work, the whole law-making process boils down to negotiations between Governor Walz, Speaker Melissa Hortman and Republican Majority Leader Paul Gazelka. And these negotiations are happening behind closed doors.

We know the Republican Senate is rushing a bill to fund government operations for the next two years to the Senate floor this afternoon. This Continuing Appropriations bill would fund the fraudulent child care program in its entirety.

Action 4 Liberty has demanded that Senate Republicans stick their heals in the swamp mud when negotiating with Governor Walz to defund the fraudulent program. Yesterday we delivered 12,000 of your petitions to end the fraud.

Thanks to the generosity of the thousands of supporters of Action 4 Liberty, we were able to fund a second flight to bring important attention to this issue. $100 Millionof fraudulent child care claims are being stolen from taxpayers in this state and flown in suitcases of cash to Somalia. Now everyone traveling the major metro corridors heading home for the weekend or up to the cabin will see our message.

Senate Tax Committee Chair Roger Chamberlain introduced a provision yesterday that would fund state government operations for the next two years at current projected spending levels in case a deal isn't reached by the Governor and Senator Gazelka in the next 3 days. The Continuing Appropriations provisionwould amend HF 2032 in a fashion similar to the continuing resolutions that the federal congress has been employing for the last decade.

This bill would not freeze spending, despite what some people might be led to believe. It actually grows the government by 6.5% because it uses the February Economic Forecastof upcoming biennium spending. Often times legislators say that our state has automatic spending increases. But this is obviously not the case since a bill like this is needed to avert a government shutdown.

How do we calculate this number? The February Report forecasts that upcoming biennium spending would be $47.4 Billion, but it would also leave a $1 Billion budgetary surplus. That means the government would hold on to that amount for future spending and not give it back to taxpayers.

Since the Republican Senate has failed us tremendously this year in keeping campaign promises to shrink the size and scope of government, Chamberlain's bill would appear to be the best deal on the table. However, the bill as written, would fully fund the fraudulent child care program for the next two years and would ensure the budget surplus does not go back to taxpayers. 

We flew this banner over the Capitol on Monday to tell Republican Senators to end the fraudulent child care program. Yesterday we delivered 12,000 petitions as well.

$100 Million of your money is being stolen through fraudulent child care claims and sent in suitcases of cash overseas. One year ago this week, Fox 9 broke the story.

We say ENOUGH is ENOUGH! End the fraudulent child care program now! Help us get the message out again by chipping in $9 to help us fly the banner today.

Don’t think they are paying attention? The HHS Conference Committee chair watched our aerial banner out of her Senate office window.

We just delivered 12,000 of your petitionsto the Governor and legislators that say "End the Fraudulent Child Care Program". Right now, Governor Walz, Senator Gazelka and Speaker Hortman are meeting behind closed doors deciding the spending priorities for the next two years. They are on the cusp of funding this massively fraudulent program with your tax dollars.

$100 Million of the $250 Million annual program is going towards fraudulent child care claims. There is no accountability at the Department of Human Services, therefore there is no way to protect our dollars other than to end the program.

Action 4 Liberty believes that programs like the Child Care Assistance Program that has rampant fraud need to be defunded. On top of that, paying for people's child care is not a proper role of the state government. Tell your legislator to end the fraudulent child care program now.

Tuesday, May 14th - Legislators from both the House and Senate are going through the massive HHS Omnibus bill in conference committee this week as the 2019 Legislative Session winds down. Monday is the mandatory date for adjournment at the Capitol.

Action 4 Liberty is staying on top of the proceedings at the Capitol, but we want to equip you to follow what's going on as well.

HHS Omnibus Bill Link: HF 2414

Conference Committee Schedule & Video: Click here

At this stage, the Democrats plan to fully fund the fraudulent child care program in the upcoming biennium to the tune of $232 Millionof your tax money. The Republican Senate wants to fund it by $105 Million. Although they don't fund it in FY 2021, we believe they are going to give into the Democrats in the conference committee.

We say the program should be defunded and shut down now. Funding people's child care is not a proper role of the government and the only way to truly end the fraud, is by removing the program. 

$100 Million of YOUR money is being stolen through the fraudulent child care program and flown to Somalia in bags of cash. How do you feel about that?

Well, Action 4 Liberty is not fine with it - which is why we are flying a banner right now over the Minnesota Capitol, the chair of the HHS Committee’s district and the chair of the Human Services Reform Committee’s district.

Our message is simple. HEY GOP: END CHILD CARE FRAUD!

You see, it’s up to Republicans in the Senate to do something about this issue. Democrats in the House have shown their true colors. They have no plans to go after the fraud out of fear of being labeled “islamophobic” or “racist” because the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) has defined the issue this way.

But $100 Million of stolen taxpayer money should be a concern to everyone, regardless of race, religion or political party.

Republicans are the last best hope to end this fraudulent program. They have a 3-person majority in the Minnesota Senate.

But we have just learned that Senate Republicans are about to cave to the Democrats and fully fund the fraudulent Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) in the next two-year budget.

We say END THE PROGRAM NOW!

It’s the not the role of the state government to fund people’s child care in the first place. In fact, it’s not even an enumerated power given to our elected officials in the state Constitution.

On top of that, the only way to ensure our tax money is not stolen in the future is to cut the head off the snake. If Democrats get their way, more fraudulent claims will be processed - and more of your dollars will be sent overseas!

That’s why we are flying our banner in Minnesota. We are bringing awareness to thousands of Minnesotans about this important issue.

Can you help us fly the banner again? Chip in $10, $25, $50, $100 or moreto help get our plane back up in the air in this last week of the 2019 Legislative Session.

The only way to get these Republican Senators to act is if they see our message. In these last few days of session, online messages would be lost - but who can ignore a plane towing a banner talking directly to THEM?

We are going to promote our message by dominating the sky over the Capitol. And you can help us with that.

Please consider helping with a gifttoday and let’s get our plane back up in the air.

The Management and Budget office release a reporttoday showing that the Minnesota state government took in $573 Million more in revenue this year than was originally forecasted. This means, the high taxes in this state continue flowing into our state coffers while politicians at the Capitol look for ways to spend the money.

Message to Democrats: There is no need to raise our taxes on gasoline or extend the provider tax when our state has this much money. 

Message to the Republican Senate: Stop creating new fees and start reducing the high taxes in this state so Democrats can't spend more of our money!

Sunday is Mother's Day. Like all good husbands and sons, this is a day to treat the most important women in our life like a queen (perhaps that should be every day, am I right?). The vast majority of the working families that Democrats like to talk about on the campaign trail struggle every Mother's Day to buy the women in their lives a nice gift.

Sure, spending money isn't the most important thing in the world. There are plenty of things we can do for our mothers and wives that don't cost a thing. But spending money on them is far more important than paying more in taxes to a bloated, wasteful government.

If Governor Walz had his way, the average working family would pay another $200-300 a year in taxes on gasoline. This awful tax is disguised as a necessity to pay for our roads, but our state government is running a massive $4 Billion budget surplus. They have plenty of revenue to fix the roads!

So what does $300 cost a working family? Well, I'm sure most of them would like to spend that money on mom to buy her a:

• Roomba
• 6 pack of massages at Massage Envy
• Apple Watch Series 3
• $300 gift card to her favorite spa

Taking the money from our Mother's Day budget to fund a big, bloated government is not Minnesota Nice. Tell your Republican Senator to stand against the Walz gas tax!

WHO REPRESENTS ME

Governor Walz will spend Saturday morning on the water for the traditional Minnesota Governor's Fishing Opener. This year the event will be held in Albert Lea, a mere 101 miles from St Paul (many of us travel further).

If Walz and Democrats had their way, that round trip would cost you an additional $2-$3 depending on how bad towing your boat affects your gas mileage. In other words, Walz' gas tax increase will cost you a dozen nightcrawlers for the Opener.

In case you're worried, I'm sure Walz' trip won't hurt him financially. Costs are most likely covered by you, the taxpayer.

Annually, the gas tax increase would cost an average family nearly $300. We assume Walz' fishing expeditions are the typical politician PR gigs, so from an angler's perspective, let's break down what that $300 could buy us so he can learn a little something about fishing in Minnesota.

Here are a few items that $300 could buy:

• 43 new Rapalas
• A nice pair of new waders
• Fixing the 'ol outboard
• Helix 5 Fish Finder with GPS
• A really sweet new St Croix rod, or
• 7 highly dependable Ugly Sticks

It doesn't matter what kind of fishing budget you have, if Governor Walz and Democrats have their way, you will have less money to spend on the lake this summer. That's not Minnesota Nice of them!

Action 4 Liberty believes in lowering government spending and reducing taxes. Our state is running a massive $4 Billion budget surplus. Walz has plenty of money for roads and infrastructure, he just needs to prioritize spending on the right areas of government. 

Please sign up below to stay in touch with Action 4 Liberty or DONATEto help us spread the message about the damages of the gas tax increase.