April 23, 2007
DFLers in the Minnesota House have released the details of their tax bill. The bill increases taxes on Minnesota's highest earners and uses the money to give homeowners a property tax break. The governor has made no secret of his plans to veto a tax increase. Some lawmakers are indicating that they may be willing to drop the income tax proposal but want the governor to find some other form of revenue for property tax relief.
St. Paul, Minn. — House Taxes Committee Chair Ann Lenczewski, a DFLer from Bloomington, says her bill would provide direct property tax relief for 90 percent of Minnesota homeowners. She says she would pay for the package by increasing income taxes on married joint filers earning more than $400,000 a year and for single filers making more than $226,000 a year. She says her proposal would create a fairer tax system since wealthier Minnesotans pay a smaller portion of their income in taxes than middle class Minnesotans.
The House and Senate both want to raise income taxes on high earners. Lenzcewski says it's possible that they may drop the income tax proposal, but she says Gov. Pawlenty has to find some other revenue to pay for some form of property tax relief.
4.23.2007
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MPR: House DFLers unveil tax bill |
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MPR: Minn. Senate votes to raise income taxes on highest-paid |
"The Minnesota Senate has approved a nearly $1 billion income tax increase that would make the state's top bracket the highest in the nation. Lawmakers voted 35 to 29 Saturday to pass the DFL-backed measure which also provides funding for public schools, early childhood education and state colleges and universities. But Republicans promise the bill will never get past Gov. Pawlenty and his veto pen.
St. Paul, Minn. — The DFL-controlled Senate had already passed a tax bill and an education funding bill last week. But senators were back at the Capitol on Saturday debating both issues a second time.
DFL leaders tucked a new income tax plan in a new education bill that would provide families with money to enroll kids in early childhood programs. The basic school funding formula would grow by 2 percent each of the next two years, and more money would go to higher education with the hope of holding down college tuition costs.
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2007/03/31/taxes/
