Should morality play a role in state budget decisions? During its 2005 session, the Minnesota Legislature is directly confronting this question.
Across Minnesota, leaders of several religious faiths have spoken out in favor of tax increases to aid those in need. They have been joined by leaders of nonprofit organizations and labor unions who say the budget cuts made in past years are causing real harm to real people.
The debate reached the House Tax Committee Wednesday when Rep. Michael Paymar, DFL-St. Paul, introduced legislation to roll back the 1999 reduction in tax rates and raise about $1 billion for schools, child care, health care and other services. His key witnesses in support of the proposal were the Rev. Victor Balke, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Crookston; and Rabbi Simeon Glaser of Temple Israel in Minneapolis.
"Our state budget is more than just a document," Balke told legislators. "It is a moral statement."
Balke, who spoke on behalf of the Catholic Bishops of Minnesota, said clergy across the state see people in need every day. "The stories they told us are truly heart-rending."
Glaser said services provided through charity are "little more than Band-Aid approaches to far more significant issues facing the state of Minnesota." He likened the problem to churches "trying to pull babies out of a river with a net that has a lot of holes." The solution, Glaser said, "is to go up river and find out why those babies are falling in."
Minnesota faces a $466 million deficit for the 2006-2007 budget cycle. However, if inflation is taken into account, the deficit rises to $1.2 billion. Halfway through the 2005 session, Democratic and Republican lawmakers remain far apart on legislation to close the deficit while also funding needed state services.
Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty has pledged not to increase taxes during his four-year term. The last budget was balanced through spending cuts, accounting gimmicks and the use of one-time resources ? such as money from the settlement of a tobacco lawsuit ? that are now depleted. When the state cut spending, many Minnesotans paid more in fees for services and property taxes.
Both Balke and Glaser said taxes should be viewed as a moral duty ? not something to be avoided.
"Taxes are one of the means we use to share our blessings with the poor and vulnerable and build up the common good," Balke told lawmakers.
"Very few of us tithe the way the Bible told us to do so, but taxes help us do that," Glaser said.
Members of the Tax Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Phil Krinkie, R-Shoreview, gave little indication whether they were swayed by the religious leaders' moral arguments. After hearing testimony, they laid over the legislation for consideration in the omnibus tax bill.
For more information
The Catholic bishops' views regarding the budget can be found on the Minnesota Catholic Conference website, www.mncc.org
Read more in the Workday Minnesota special section, Legislature 2005
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Should morality play a role in state budget decisions? During its 2005 session, the Minnesota Legislature is directly confronting this question.
Across Minnesota, leaders of several religious faiths have spoken out in favor of tax increases to aid those in need. They have been joined by leaders of nonprofit organizations and labor unions who say the budget cuts made in past years are causing real harm to real people.
The debate reached the House Tax Committee Wednesday when Rep. Michael Paymar, DFL-St. Paul, introduced legislation to roll back the 1999 reduction in tax rates and raise about $1 billion for schools, child care, health care and other services. His key witnesses in support of the proposal were the Rev. Victor Balke, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Crookston; and Rabbi Simeon Glaser of Temple Israel in Minneapolis.
“Our state budget is more than just a document,” Balke told legislators. “It is a moral statement.”
Balke, who spoke on behalf of the Catholic Bishops of Minnesota, said clergy across the state see people in need every day. “The stories they told us are truly heart-rending.”
Glaser said services provided through charity are “little more than Band-Aid approaches to far more significant issues facing the state of Minnesota.” He likened the problem to churches “trying to pull babies out of a river with a net that has a lot of holes.” The solution, Glaser said, “is to go up river and find out why those babies are falling in.”
Minnesota faces a $466 million deficit for the 2006-2007 budget cycle. However, if inflation is taken into account, the deficit rises to $1.2 billion. Halfway through the 2005 session, Democratic and Republican lawmakers remain far apart on legislation to close the deficit while also funding needed state services.
Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty has pledged not to increase taxes during his four-year term. The last budget was balanced through spending cuts, accounting gimmicks and the use of one-time resources ? such as money from the settlement of a tobacco lawsuit ? that are now depleted. When the state cut spending, many Minnesotans paid more in fees for services and property taxes.
Both Balke and Glaser said taxes should be viewed as a moral duty ? not something to be avoided.
“Taxes are one of the means we use to share our blessings with the poor and vulnerable and build up the common good,” Balke told lawmakers.
“Very few of us tithe the way the Bible told us to do so, but taxes help us do that,” Glaser said.
Members of the Tax Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Phil Krinkie, R-Shoreview, gave little indication whether they were swayed by the religious leaders’ moral arguments. After hearing testimony, they laid over the legislation for consideration in the omnibus tax bill.
For more information
The Catholic bishops’ views regarding the budget can be found on the Minnesota Catholic Conference website, www.mncc.org
Read more in the Workday Minnesota special section, Legislature 2005