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State Representative Joe Atkins

583 State Office BuildingState Office Building
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4192

For more information contact: Christina Gosack 651-296-5524

Posted: 2006-04-17 00:00:00
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DFLers Propose Permanent Property Tax Relief on Tax Day

With property tax increases across Minnesota totaling over $1 billion in the last four years, State Representative Joe Atkins (DFL – Inver Grove Heights) is offering some good news on Tax Day: a fair property tax relief plan that would mail rebate checks to homeowners this summer while providing for ongoing property tax relief.

"What better day than Tax Day to propose meaningful long-term property tax relief," said Atkins, who credited former State Rep. Rebecca Otto with helping develop the proposal. "In addition to rebate checks sent to Minnesotans this year to provide immediate property tax relief, our proposal would also fund permanent tax relief for years to come."

Rep. Atkins' plan provides 12% property tax rebates to Minnesotans this summer using the $160 million generated by closing Foreign Operating Corporation (FOC) loopholes. Future revenues from closing the loopholes will be applied to permanent property tax relief, such as increases to Local Government Aid and buying back school district levy increases.

"Minnesota taxpayers have been subsidizing Foreign Operating Corporations for too long with bogus tax breaks," Atkins explained. "It's time to close those loopholes and return the money to Minnesota taxpayers."

Unlike the House Republican property tax refund plan that proposed a one-time 10% rebate, Rep. Atkins' plan does not depend on the state winning the cigarette tax court case. In addition, Rep. Atkins' plan will provide relief to those who need it, rather than focusing on sending huge rebates to the owners of multi-million dollar mansions.

"The Republican proposal would send the largest rebates to the mansion owners," Atkins said. "In one case, they want the state to send a $7,000 rebate check to the owner of a $12 million mansion on Lake Minnetonka. We'd rather provide relief to the middle class Minnesota family who has gotten slammed by huge property tax increases."

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