“We can start fixing the budget with fairness and compassion if we ask the richest Minnesotans to pay their fair share of income taxes,” AFSCME Council 5 said in a statement. “It’s simply wrong to continue shifting their burden onto the middle class, the jobless and the vulnerable.”
Council 5 is a union of 43,000 workers, including 20,000 state employees. The union pointed out that the rich have gotten richer – and the middle class has struggled – under outgoing Governor Tim Pawlenty.
According to the Minnesota Department of Revenue’s 2009 Tax Incidence Study, the average household now pays a greater share of its income in state and local taxes, while the richest 1 percent of households pays less. At the same time, median household income has dropped while the average household income of the richest 1 percent has doubled.
“Sadly, the multi-billion dollar revenue crisis comes as no surprise,” said Shar Knutson, president of the Minnesota AFL-CIO. “Eight years of Governor Pawlenty’s policies have left middle-class Minnesotans paying more fees and property taxes while getting fewer services back. All the while, there are fewer jobs available.
“Mark Dayton and the Legislature have an opportunity to finally move Minnesota forward. Middle-class Minnesotans are counting on them to help create family-sustaining jobs soon and finally solve the revenue crisis fairly.”
The Minnesota AFL-CIO is a labor federation made up of more than 1,000 affiliate unions, representing over 300,000 working men and women throughout the state.
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“We can start fixing the budget with fairness and compassion if we ask the richest Minnesotans to pay their fair share of income taxes,” AFSCME Council 5 said in a statement. “It’s simply wrong to continue shifting their burden onto the middle class, the jobless and the vulnerable.”
Council 5 is a union of 43,000 workers, including 20,000 state employees. The union pointed out that the rich have gotten richer – and the middle class has struggled – under outgoing Governor Tim Pawlenty.
According to the Minnesota Department of Revenue’s 2009 Tax Incidence Study, the average household now pays a greater share of its income in state and local taxes, while the richest 1 percent of households pays less. At the same time, median household income has dropped while the average household income of the richest 1 percent has doubled.
“Sadly, the multi-billion dollar revenue crisis comes as no surprise,” said Shar Knutson, president of the Minnesota AFL-CIO. “Eight years of Governor Pawlenty’s policies have left middle-class Minnesotans paying more fees and property taxes while getting fewer services back. All the while, there are fewer jobs available.
“Mark Dayton and the Legislature have an opportunity to finally move Minnesota forward. Middle-class Minnesotans are counting on them to help create family-sustaining jobs soon and finally solve the revenue crisis fairly.”
The Minnesota AFL-CIO is a labor federation made up of more than 1,000 affiliate unions, representing over 300,000 working men and women throughout the state.