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State Representative Tom Hackbarth
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-2439
For more information contact: House GOP Communications 651-296-5520
NEWS COLUMN
$34 Billion isn’t enough? Well it should be.
Currently the State of Minnesota is looking at a $34 billion budget, with $2 billion of that being in the form of a surplus. With this large of a budget and a good sized surplus one would assume that the wallet of Minnesota families would be safe from further intrusion. But half-way through this legislative session we have seen a proposed tax increase that would approach $3 billion.
One proposal, by Rep. Greiling, would be to increase the income tax. She says this proposal will only affect the wealthy. Actually her proposal will raise the income tax to 8.5% for an individual who has a net income of more than $57,710 annually. That tax increase could greatly affect many people in our area, where the median household, in 2000, income for Elk River was $58,114 and in St. Francis it was $51,982. This tax increase will take more money from the people of Minnesota, which will likely have negative effects on the overall economy of our state.
With gas prices currently floating around $2.50 per gallon they want to raise the gas tax by 10 cents per gallon. On top of that there is a proposal to tax you $20 every year for each car you own. If that’s not enough tax on your vehicles they want to increase the registration taxes and tab fees. Suddenly a lot more of the family budget will go towards your vehicle.
Another increase would be 5 cents per gallon on paint. If you want to repaint your home this coming summer, or redo the color scheme in a few rooms, you’ll be paying a little more.
You got a gift? Well now you could pay a gift tax on that!
You bought a new prefabricated house? You’ll pay a new tax on that!
You went shopping? You’ll pay an extra half cent sales tax!
The state legislature needs to live within its means. State officials need to come to the realization during the campaign season that you cannot promise the moon. The Legislature gets its funds from you, the people. The Legislature should protect your paychecks, not take progressively more away.
I do not know of anyone who is getting a 9.5% pay raise this year, equal to the amount of new spending the Governor has proposed without raising taxes. The Legislature needs to wake up to the realization that increasing taxes is not an option. I know of no one who can go to their boss and say they need a pay raise to meet their monthly expenses. Every family must live within their means, and the state must do the same. It’s time the Legislature does what it’s been elected to do, make the hard choices, live with a budget, and not raise taxes.
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