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State Representative Paul Marquart
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-6829
For more information contact: Carrie Lucking 651-296-4169
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Marquart calls on Republicans to join him in giving back property tax relief
On Tuesday, September 13, Representative Ann Lenczewski and Representative Paul Marquart unveiled a bill that will give Minnesotans back their Homestead Credit.
Last session, the Republican Legislature pushed hard for and won elimination of the credit, which 95% of homeowners currently receive. All versions of the Republican tax bills starting in March and continuing through July eliminated the Homestead Credit. The provision became law after a prolonged government shut down. The bill being proposed today by Representative Lenczewski and Representative Marquart would reverse that action and give Minnesotans their Homestead Credit back.
"The Homestead Credit is the only state aid that suburban homeowners receive - and the majority party in the Legislature eliminated it," said Lenczewski. "Every homeowner in Minnesota with a house valued below $414,000 will lose their credit because of this action."
The Homestead Credit reduces property taxes by as much as $304 a year for homeowners.
"The elimination of the Homestead Credit hits rural areas especially hard," said Marquart. "Minnesota farmers will see a $37 million increase in ag property taxes due to the elimination of the Homestead Credit. Homeowners in rural Minnesota will see 3 times the property tax increases compared to those in Southwest Hennepin County – for businesses in rural areas the differential is 6 times higher."
Republicans have attempted to confuse voters by replacing the Homestead Credit with a complicated, non-transparent program called the Homestead Market Value Exclusion. Even the Republicans have trouble explaining exactly how it works. The bottom line: Republicans eliminated a program that provides $538 million a biennium in property tax relief and replaced it with a program that provides $0 in property tax relief. The exclusion will do nothing other than shift who pays property taxes.
"Republicans may also try to blame local units of government for rising property taxes – this is flat out false. Even if cities keep their levies exactly the same, property taxes will go up due to elimination of the Homestead Credit," Marquart said.
Representative Lenczewski and Representative Marquart appealed to both Democrats and Republicans alike to sign onto their bill and find a way to bring back the Homestead Credit. "This is common-sense tax relief." Lenczewski concluded.
News Items
- Marquart Selected to Chair House Education Finance Committee - (Posted: 2012-11-16 00:00:00)
- 2012 SESSION UPDATE - (Posted: 2012-05-15 00:00:00)
- May 15th deadline to pay property taxes stings Greater Minnesota homeowners, business owners and farmers - (Posted: 2012-05-15 00:00:00)
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