At a news conference organized by the Minnesota AFL-CIO, analyst Jeff Van Wychen said both Republican Emmer and Independence Party candidate Horner would raise taxes for average Minnesotans.
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| At a state Capitol news conference, tax expert Jeff Van Wychen answers questions from reporters. Behind him is Adam Evenstad, a meatcutter who said he can\'t afford the Emmer/Horner plans. |
DFL candidate Mark Dayton, who is supported by the Minnesota AFL-CIO, has proposed raising state income taxes for the wealthiest Minnesotans to close a projected $6 billion budget gap.
Emmer has said local governments can absorb another cut to their state aid, but Van Wychen disagreed. He said communities have already made larger reductions to their budgets than the state has and “the notion there is infinite room for cuts in local government budgets is false.”
While a member of the Delano City Council, Emmer himself voted for a 16 percent property tax increase to make up for a loss in state funding, Van Wychen noted.
Effect on families
Adam Evenstad, a meat cutter at Festival Foods, and Laura Askelin, a labor leader in Rochester, joined Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson in condemning any proposals that raise taxes on the middle class.
Evenstad bought a home last September and recently was married. He is working to help his wife attend college and can’t afford an increase in taxes on his home or necessary services.
“I’m a middle class American,” he said.
Askelin said cuts to local government aid have already meant $100 million in property tax increases in Rochester. “Statewide, that’s over $3 billion that’s been shouldered by the middle class . . ,” she said.
“In balancing our state’s budget, we must protect our school children, our seniors, and the job creation tools we need,” said Knutson. “However, middle class families can no longer afford to have the budget balanced on their backs with higher property taxes and more fees . . . middle class Minnesotans are already paying more than their fair share.”
In addition to reaching a fair budget solution, Dayton will work to create good-paying jobs in the state, she added. Once elected, he has pledged to sign a $1 billion bonding bill to rebuild the state’s infrastructure and put some 30,000 Minnesotans back to work.
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At a news conference organized by the Minnesota AFL-CIO, analyst Jeff Van Wychen said both Republican Emmer and Independence Party candidate Horner would raise taxes for average Minnesotans.
|
| At a state Capitol news conference, tax expert Jeff Van Wychen answers questions from reporters. Behind him is Adam Evenstad, a meatcutter who said he can\’t afford the Emmer/Horner plans. |
Van Wychen’s research shows that Emmer’s $1.15 billion in cuts to property tax aids and credits would result in at least a $700 million property tax increase. Horner’s plan calls for an estimated $2.75 billion expansion of the sales tax base to clothing and other services like haircuts, oil changes, and funerals.
DFL candidate Mark Dayton, who is supported by the Minnesota AFL-CIO, has proposed raising state income taxes for the wealthiest Minnesotans to close a projected $6 billion budget gap.
Emmer has said local governments can absorb another cut to their state aid, but Van Wychen disagreed. He said communities have already made larger reductions to their budgets than the state has and “the notion there is infinite room for cuts in local government budgets is false.”
While a member of the Delano City Council, Emmer himself voted for a 16 percent property tax increase to make up for a loss in state funding, Van Wychen noted.
Effect on families
Adam Evenstad, a meat cutter at Festival Foods, and Laura Askelin, a labor leader in Rochester, joined Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson in condemning any proposals that raise taxes on the middle class.
Evenstad bought a home last September and recently was married. He is working to help his wife attend college and can’t afford an increase in taxes on his home or necessary services.
“I’m a middle class American,” he said.
Askelin said cuts to local government aid have already meant $100 million in property tax increases in Rochester. “Statewide, that’s over $3 billion that’s been shouldered by the middle class . . ,” she said.
“In balancing our state’s budget, we must protect our school children, our seniors, and the job creation tools we need,” said Knutson. “However, middle class families can no longer afford to have the budget balanced on their backs with higher property taxes and more fees . . . middle class Minnesotans are already paying more than their fair share.”
In addition to reaching a fair budget solution, Dayton will work to create good-paying jobs in the state, she added. Once elected, he has pledged to sign a $1 billion bonding bill to rebuild the state’s infrastructure and put some 30,000 Minnesotans back to work.