State of Minnesota Archives: on Tax Reform
Mike Murphy:
Lower income taxes; reduce government spending
Murphy highlighted several priorities including lowering income taxes,
reducing government spending, legalizing sports betting and providing better pay for teachers.
Source: MPR News on 2022 Minnesota gubernatorial race
Feb 4, 2021
Jeff Johnson:
Trump tax cuts lower Minnesota taxes
Q: Support President Trump's tax cuts?Jeff Johnson (R): Support Trump tax cuts, would lower Minnesota taxes.
Tim Walz (D): No. Opposed 2017 tax cuts. Says 86 million middle-class families will see taxes increase while top 1% get 83% of benefit. Cutting MN taxes means cutting programs.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Minnesota Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
Tim Walz:
Trump tax cuts go mostly to top 1%
Q: Support President Trump's tax cuts?Jeff Johnson (R): Support Trump tax cuts, would lower Minnesota taxes.
Tim Walz (D): No. Opposed 2017 tax cuts. Says 86 million middle-class families will see taxes increase while top 1% get 83% of benefit. Cutting MN taxes means cutting programs.
Source: 2018 CampusElect.org Issue Guide on Minnesota Governor race
Oct 9, 2018
Jeff Johnson:
Growth comes from lower spending and increased take-home pay
Government's appetite for overspending in Minnesota goes hand in hand with the desire to push government programs and regulations into every corner of our lives. Taxes and spending issues are not only economic, they are moral.
Empowering Minnesotans starts with us deciding how our hard-earned money is spent--not government. Reducing spending levels and increasing take-home pay will result in a badly needed explosion of economic activity, growth, and opportunity.
Source: 2018 Minnesota JohnsonForGovernor.org campaign website
Sep 1, 2018
Paula Overby:
Wealth does not trickle down
Q: Do you support higher taxes on the wealthy?A: Support--It's not a meaningful question. The federal government supports wealth inequality by spending programs that support the wealthy. Taxes minimize the inflation that results from government's
deficit spending. Wealth does not trickle down. A healthy economy depends on the circulation of money. It is hindered by the accumulation of money which is what we see today with the growing inequality of wealth. We need new spending priorities.
Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Minnesota Senate candidate
May 13, 2018
Jim Newberger:
Opposes higher taxes on the wealthy
Q: Do you support or oppose the statement, "Higher taxes on the wealthy"?
A: Oppose.
Source: OnTheIssues interview of 2018 Minnesota Senate candidate
Mar 15, 2018
Mark Dayton:
Raised taxes only on top 2%, not the other 98%
You might remember that I campaigned for Governor in 2010 on a pledge to raise state income taxes on only the wealthiest 2% of Minnesotans, and not on the other 98%. In 2013, we passed that 2% increase on the top 2% of our taxpayers. The change has made
Minnesota's tax system more progressive and has been crucial in turning chronic budget deficits into steady surpluses; paying off the state's debt to our schools; eliminating other fiscal shenanigans; and building a $1.9 billion budget and cash reserve.
Source: 2018 Minnesota State of the State address
Mar 14, 2018
Jim Newberger:
Simplify our tax code; the IRS has become too powerful
The American tax system is a bloated bureaucratic mess. Today, there are 73,954 pages of tax code and growing. Americans are over-taxed on every level of life. I agree with President Trump. We must simplify our tax code so everyone can understand it.
It should not take more than 20 minutes to do your taxes. Along with simplifying our tax code, we must reduce the crushing burden our tax system places on our citizens. The IRS has become too powerful. Those three letters strike fear into the hearts
of all Americans. This shouldn't be so! The IRS, like all giant federal agencies needs to serve the people of the United States, instead of the people serving the IRS. As your next U.S. Senator, I will work to reduce our taxes, simplify the code and
reign in the IRS. Thanks to Senator Klobuchar's help, government has grown by leaps-and-bounds under the Obama Administration. It's time to turn things around. MAGA!
Source: 2018 Minnesota Senate campaign website JimForUSSenate.com
Feb 22, 2018
Karin Housley:
Supporter of Trump tax reform bill; jobs are being created
I agree with the president on most of his policies that he has put out. I think getting this tax reform bill passed was a huge win for him and for the people of this country. And that's what I'm hearing when I travel around Minnesota is more jobs
[are] being created, companies like Apple bringing $350 billion they had off shore back into the United States creating 20,000 jobs, that's just Apple alone. People are happy with that. You can't argue with that.
Source: Hutchinson Leader on 2017-8 Minnesota special election
Feb 18, 2018
Karin Housley:
Economy will boom with more tax reform and deregulations
State Sen. Karin Housley, R-St. Mary's Point, wants south-central Minnesota to know she cares about one major priority: Jobs, jobs, jobs, here in Minnesota. Better paying jobs. Higher paying jobs. Jobs for college graduates.
And continued tax reform and deregulation from Congress to allow economic development to boom in southern Minnesota. "It's just making sure that the economy continues to grow, and that we have jobs for our kids and for us," Housley said Tuesday.
Source: Mankato Free Press on 2017-8 Minnesota special election
Jan 30, 2018
Rebecca Otto:
Fair and progressive taxes to pay for new benefits
Otto's plan also would provide coverage of mental health and chemical dependency treatment among other benefits. Paying for them would include reducing administrative costs, as well as duplicative and inefficient services and fraud.
The plan would be funded half from "re-directed public dollars" and half from a package of "fair and progressive taxes to be developed with bipartisan input." Eliminating costly insurance premiums and deductibles would save
Minnesotans money overall, her website notes.Otto--who brings to the effort an auditor's emphasis on oversight and measurement--notes that the plan is a start, one that would be fine-tuned as it begins to account for the many variables in play.
It won't be possible to anticipate every unintended consequence, she acknowledges, and "we'll never get it perfect the first time." Instead, Otto calls the plan a "realistic start."
Source: Twin Cities Pioneer Press on 2018 Minnesota governor race
Oct 25, 2017
Tina Liebling:
Progressives taxation with a 4th tier for wealthiest
Tina believes that a fair tax system is "progressive," meaning those who earn more pay a larger percentage of their income. Minnesotans who are doing well must pay their fair share of taxes. Then Minnesota can afford to give everyone opportunities to
succeed.Adding a "fourth tier" higher income tax rate for the wealthiest Minnesotans was a good start. The next step should be to examine Minnesota's tax code for outdated, unfair tax breaks that favor the wealthy and don't move our economy forward.
Source: 2018 Minnesota governor campaign website TinaLiebling.com
May 2, 2017
Mark Dayton:
Tax cuts for the wealthy do not lead to economic growth
Our fiscal stability will be imperiled, if, as some suggest, we "Give it All Back" in tax cuts. A feast of tax giveaways to the wealthy is NOT Minnesota's path to continued economic growth.No one has raised the state sales tax since 2008, except on
tobacco. Nevertheless, some politicians still try to mislead Minnesotans into believing that I have raised their taxes. They also claim that more tax cuts are the keys to our future economic growth. In 1999 and again in 2000, Minnesota's elected leaders
tried just that. Yet, cutting Minnesota's income taxes did not noticeably boost the state's economy, either before the Great Recession, or during it. What those lower tax rates did do, however, was to drive the State Budget into severe and lasting
deficits. NO, low taxes have never been Minnesota's path to prosperity. Instead, it is the public investments we have made with those tax revenues--that have been the keys to our citizens' better standards of living.
Source: 2017 State of the State address to Minnesota Legislature
Jan 23, 2017
Jason Lewis:
You can't tax, spend or borrow your way to prosperity
Our current "recovery" is the slowest in modern history, with just 1% growth in the most recent quarter. If government spending was the answer, we'd be growing like gangbusters. But the fact is you can't tax, spend or borrow your way to prosperity.
It's time to get our economy working for all Americans who want good-paying jobs--and that means making work pay again by cutting taxes and regulations.Today's IRS code--filled with loopholes and tax credits for every conceivable special interest--
has over four million words. All these exemptions do is place a much higher tax burden on the rest of us, especially the majority of America's businesses who can't afford lobbyists. We need a flatter and fairer tax code that not only treats everyone
the same, but encourages work, savings, and investment. I support the Tax Code Termination Act, introduced last year in the House, which would actually sunset the federal tax code in three years, forcing Congress to embrace real tax reform.
Source: 2016 Minnesota House campaign website JasonLewis2016.com
Nov 8, 2016
Tina Smith:
We need to tax wealthier Minnesotans, to fix problems
After observing Dayton's strategy for several months, Smith said she became convinced he could win that fall, even in a tough year for Democrats. "I liked that he was open and straightforward about what he wanted to do. He said, 'We have a problem here
and I think we need to tax wealthier Minnesotans to help solve it,' " Smith said. "I think Minnesotans liked that too."She and Dayton met at a cafe in Minneapolis to talk about his strategy. The two hit it off, and he quickly made her an adviser to
his campaign. Not long after he won the election, Dayton asked Smith to be his chief of staff in the governor's office. With her background in business, Smith became the administration's lead on government reform projects. The two went through a
21-day government shutdown together in 2011, and the following year, Smith was critical in working with sports officials, business leaders and legislators to pass a proposal to construct a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.
Source: MinnPost.com on 2017-18 Minnesota Special Election
Feb 2, 2015
Tom Emmer:
Keep taxes low to move toward a path of prosperity
Four generations of Emmers have enjoyed Minnesota's prosperity. Tom wants to ensure the next generation of Minnesotans will be blessed with the same opportunities. Tom believes government
has grown too large and has strayed from its duty of service for the people. By keeping taxes low and making government a resource--not a restraint--for individuals and businesses, we can move our country toward a path of prosperity.
Source: 2014 Minnesota House campaign website, EmmerForCongress.com
Oct 10, 2014
Mike McFadden:
Wouldn't vote for tax increases
McFadden has started to flesh out his positions on top issues. He takes a traditional Republican line on some, saying he wouldn't vote for tax increases and lining himself up as against abortion rights.But he steered a middle course on some
hot-button issues. On immigration, McFadden said any changes to immigration law would have to start with securing U.S. borders, but said he isn't opposed to finding a way for millions of immigrants now here illegally to obtain citizenship.
Source: CBS Minnesota WCCO on 2014 Minnesota Senate race
Jul 23, 2013
Tim Pawlenty:
Get Minnesota out of the top ten states in taxes
It's plainly obvious that Minnesota's tax system is not even close to competitive. We've made some progress by achieving a decades-long goal of getting Minnesota out of the top ten states in taxes. We've dramatically slowed down state government spending
And even in this economy, we've seen Minnesota's GDP grow more than 25% during my time in office. While our unemployment rate is too high, it's significantly below the national average.
Source: Minnesota 2010 State of the State Address
Feb 11, 2010
Amy Klobuchar:
Roll back tax cuts on people making over $336,000 a year
KENNEDY: Ms. Klobuchar’s $1.5 trillion increase in taxes would be devastating for the economy and would kill jobs. KLOBUCHAR: This Congress has taken a $200 billion budget surplus and turned it into a $250 billion budget deficit. One out of 12 federal
tax dollars that you pay goes to interest on that debt. We need to roll back the Bush tax cuts on people making over $336,000 a year. That’s the top 1%; that brings in $56 billion a year. Closing the tax shelters, $70 billion a year; taking back the oil
giveaways, that balances the budget. We can’t keep living on a credit card.
KENNEDY: If you look at her tax proposal of $1.5 trillion, the top 1% only covers about a third of that. When someone like Ms. Klobuchar says she wants to tax the rich, the
middle class gets drenched.
KLOBUCHAR: The proposals I’ve made does not change the tax cut for the middle class, in fact it adds tax cuts for the middle class. We’re going to pay for it by rolling back the tax cut on those in the top 1%.
Source: Minnesota 2006 3-way Senate Debate, sponsored by LWV
Oct 30, 2006
Mark Kennedy:
Tax relief promotes job growth
Q: Which taxes should be made permanent, and which should be allowed to expire? KENNEDY: The solution is to focus on the spending side. How do we control spending so we can keep taxes low and keep growing jobs? Ms. Klobuchar’s $1.5 trillion increase
in taxes would be devastating for the economy and would kill jobs. We ought to continue with the tax relief that helps to promote that job growth.
KLOBUCHAR: We need to roll back the Bush tax cuts on people making over $336,000 a year.
KENNEDY:
If you look at her tax proposal of $1.5 trillion, the top 1% only covers about a third of that. When someone like Ms. Klobuchar says she wants to tax the rich, the middle class gets drenched.
KLOBUCHAR: The proposals I’ve made does not change the tax
cut for the middle class, in fact it adds tax cuts for the middle class. We’re going to pay for it by rolling back the tax cut on those in the top 1%.
Source: Minnesota 2006 3-way Senate Debate, sponsored by LWV
Oct 30, 2006
Robert Fitzgerald:
Bush tax cuts will be paid for by young people in the future
Q: Which taxes should be made permanent, and which should be allowed to expire? KENNEDY: We ought to continue with the tax relief that helps to promote that job growth.
FITZGERALD: The Bush tax cuts are set to expire on a schedule set forth
by Republicans. We’re in a war. You do not have tax cuts when you’re running $300 billion deficits. You have tax deferments, which falls on the backs of young people and young families, who are going to have to pay off this debt. That impedes their
ability to earn and to pay for their retirement. I do not support extending the Bush tax cuts.
KLOBUCHAR: We need to roll back the Bush tax cuts on people making over $336,000 a year. That’s the top 1%; that brings in $56 billion a year.
FITZGERALD: The tax code is incentivized by those who can afford to cheat, shirk, and duck their tax responsibility. We need to have clear and concise legislation on our tax policy, which we don’t have right now.
Source: Minnesota 2006 3-way Senate Debate, sponsored by LWV
Oct 30, 2006
Norm Coleman:
Clinton tax increases failed to create jobs
Q: Do you favor extending tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans?A: I have to respond to Senator Wellstone’s comments.
The economic plan he’s talking about was the Clinton tax increase in 1993. And I think it’s absolutely outrageous to somehow lay claim that 18,000 jobs were grown in St. Paul because Bill Clinton raised taxes.
Source: Minnesota Public Radio, Senatorial debates
Oct 21, 2002
Norm Coleman:
Permanently repeal the estate tax
On the controversial estate tax, Coleman said he favors a permanent repeal.
Source: Minnesota Public Radio, Election 2002 coverage
Aug 30, 2002
Norm Coleman:
Wrong, wrong, wrong to not topple Saddam in 1991
Coleman said Bush needs to make a case for war to the nation, in much the same way Kennedy spelled out his administration’s position during the Cuban missile crisis. And Coleman, who’s long been critical of Wellstone’s record on defense, said Wellstone
should have supported the initial invasion of Iraq. “The senator was wrong, wrong, wrong in the first Gulf War when he opposed U.S. involvement and opposed going after Saddam Hussein. We should have gone after him then. That was a mistake,” Coleman said.
Source: Minnesota Public Radio, Election 2002 coverage
Aug 30, 2002
Jesse Ventura:
Need balance between tax relief, services expected
I have continued my effort to find an appropriate balance between the amount of money the state collects and the high level of services that Minnesota citizens have come to expect. This is always a dilemma. My administration has carefully managed to
bring down your property taxes, your income taxes, many business taxes and the cost of your car license tabs. However, in addition to lowering taxes, we have also worked hard to make sure that the taxes you do pay bring the most value possible.
Source: State of the State address to 2002 Minnesota legislature
Jan 3, 2002
Jesse Ventura:
Tax increases may be necessary, but use every dollar well
Every legitimate option should be on the table and therefore we should talk about taxes that could be raised to avoid even bigger spending cuts. Some people have suggested increasing the gas tax. Others have suggested raising the tax on cigarettes,
extending the sales tax to clothing or re-visiting my proposal to lower the sales tax but extend it to some services. We will work with you, not only to find every dollar, but also to ensure that every dollar we find is used to its greatest value.
Source: State of the State address to 2002 Minnesota legislature
Jan 3, 2002
Jesse Ventura:
Property tax needs to be smaller, simpler, fairer
The property tax puts an unfairly high burden on businesses and rental housing, which hurts our competitiveness and creates economic development barriers. Many question the basic fairness of the property tax as a way to pay for government. How much
does the value of a property have to do with how much it costs government to serve it, or the ability of the owner to pay the tax? The property tax needs to be reformed so it is smaller, simpler, fairer, and more truly a local tax, and we can do it.
Source: 2001 State of the State Address to Minnesota Legislature
Jan 4, 2001
Jesse Ventura:
Across the board reduction in state income tax rates
We have the 10th highest top rate and the third highest starting rate in the nation. Those high income tax rates also make it harder to attract and keep skilled workers in our state, the very people we need if our economy is to continue to grow.
I will propose an across the board reduction in state income tax rates that will reach .5% in all three brackets, and I will propose increases in the Working Family Credit to ensure that work is rewarded at all income levels in our state.
Source: 2001 State of the State Address to Minnesota Legislature
Jan 4, 2001
Jesse Ventura:
Find a way for state taxes to be collected on ecommerce
The growth of ecommerce, while essential for economic growth, causes a growing tax loss because sellers from outside Minnesota don't collect our sales tax and put our Minnesota retailers at a competitive disadvantage. We must find a way to create a
way for out of state sellers to charge and collect our sales tax, just as our in state businesses must. If we don't, more of the tax burden will be shifted to those who find themselves on the wrong side of the "digital divide" and that's not fair.
Source: 2001 State of the State Address to Minnesota Legislature
Jan 4, 2001
Mark Dayton:
Target tax cuts to middle class, not the rich
I believe in tax cuts targeted to the middle class and I oppose a massive tax cut for the rich. We should use our surplus for targeted tax cuts for working people and to pay down our national debt.
Examples of targeted tax cuts include: expanding child tax credits to $1,000 per child, increasing the childcare and dependant tax credit to 50% and, providing for tax deductions for college tuition expenses, including room and board.
Source: Minnesota Newspaper Association Election Questionnaire
Jul 2, 2000
Jesse Ventura:
Reforming property tax system a high priority
It's time to quit taxing senior citizens out of homes that they own and force them into nursing homes or assisted living. It's time to confront the inequities of how we fund public schools, and how unfair that is to children and taxpayers in communities
all over Minnesota. Even well-intentioned "fixes" end up making the system more complicated, and one taxpayer's fix becomes another taxpayer's problem. Reforming the property tax system is one of my administration's highest priorities.
Source: 1999 State of the State Address to Minnesota Legislature
Mar 2, 1999
Page last updated: Oct 13, 2021