Social Security, uno mas...

"Fact of life. Pensions from companies have become either parsimonious or non-existent. Love it or hate it, most of us have been sucked into the vortex of Social Security in our working years."

Fair warning before I start this. Once it is completed, I plan to send it to every representative or senator I know who is running for re-election (and even some who are not up for re-election). And I am talking about Minnesota representatives and senators. Why would I do it? It is simply that important. THIS is a winning issue for us this year. It will be a winning issue next year also. It is one where too many of the "low information" voters are not yet up to speed. Once they are, they will not longer be "low information".

First off - who does this article pertain to? Anyone on Social Security. Anyone getting close to drawing Social Security. Anyone with parents on Social Security. Anyone with friends or loved ones on Social Security. If you don't fall into any of those categories, feel free to turn the page. 

Fact of life. Pensions from companies have become either parsimonious or non-existent. Love it or hate it, most of us have been sucked into the vortex of Social Security in our working years. And if you worked a fair amount of years, the monthly checks you receive when retired are just okay - not good, not bad - just okay. However, they are certainly not enough to pursue the dreams one had while working. But it is what it is.

In Minnesota it is particularly bad. Minnesota is one of seven states who fully tax seniors on their seniors on Social Security checks. Seven states. To make matters worse, since 2008, COLA for Social Security has been little to none. It has been zero for three of those years (including last year). In 2017, there will be raise. It will be 1/3 of one percent - about $3/month. By the way, that raise will be wiped out by the rise in the extra money taken out of Social Security checks for a Medicare increase. 

Like I say, we can't fix Social Security. It is what it is. In Minnesota, we can however fix the taxation of it. By the way, the first three months of our state's fiscal year saw our projected revenue drop by almost $100M. Why? Some of that might be due to seniors being driven out of this state by the unfair taxation of Social Security. A move across the border to Wisconsin or South Dakota can save seniors thousands of dollars a year.

Here comes the punch line. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A PARTISAN ISSUE!!! SOCIAL SECURITY TAXATION AFFECTS REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS AND INDEPENDENTS ALIKE! We can fix this, and we can do it now. Republicans need to take the lead on this and keeping pressing until it is done. No more excuses from the Governor or the other side of the aisle. No hearing "the state can't afford it". It must be fixed now!