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State Representative Leon Lillie
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-1188
For more information contact: Ted Modrich 651-296-5809
NEWS COLUMN
TOO MUCH AT STAKE TO NOT FIGHT FOR FAIRNESS FOR ALL
The budget stalemate boils down to the same argument about taxes that we’ve been having for the last 5 months, if not the last 5 years or more. We adjourned on May 23 without a balanced budget and I’m very disappointed we couldn’t come to an agreement. Now at some point before July 1, a budget deal must be negotiated, or state government shuts down.
Keeping his central campaign promise, Governor Dayton proposed raising income taxes for the wealthiest Minnesotans as one part of a balanced budget solution. Originally, his plan would have raised taxes on the richest 5 percent. When a February budget forecast showed a smaller deficit, he substantially lowered his proposed tax increase.
Keeping another campaign promise that he would work with the legislature and work toward a compromise, Governor Dayton offered a new plan of half cuts and half new revenue. His compromise proposal raised the income levels where his tax increase would kick in, and would only affect the wealthiest 2 percent of Minnesotans.
I support Governor Dayton. Minnesotans need to know that the wealthiest people in our state have paid a smaller percentage of their income in taxes than middle-class families. This is really not fair. I believe fairness to be a Minnesota value and all of us — including the wealthy — should be paying our fair share in taxes.
The Republican majority has flat out refused to compromise. Their feet are stuck in cement. They sent the governor a budget that throws 140,000 people off of health care — and cuts $10 million from St. John’s Hospital right here in Maplewood — cuts 30,000 jobs, and raises property taxes by $1.3 billion, all to protect the richest 2 percent of Minnesotans. Republicans ignore the fact that taxes are at historic lows and trot out the same tired talking point that says taxing the rich causes jobs to disappear.
We’ve done it their way for the past 10 years. We’ve reduced taxes for the wealthy at the state and federal level and watched job after job disappear while property taxes skyrocketed, tuition increased dramatically, health insurance costs went through the roof, and our schools continued to struggle.
There is little to no evidence that raising taxes on the wealthy would drive them out of the state. Businesses come to Minnesota for our highly talented workforce, our high quality of life, and for the services provided by our state government. Good roads, good schools and colleges, accessibility to broadband, and access to health care are among many of the factors considered by companies looking to set up shop in Minnesota. State government and the taxes paid to state government help provide all of these, making it more attractive for businesses to locate here and create jobs here.
Governor Dayton has proposed a reasonable compromise that makes tough cuts while positioning Minnesota for long-term economic growth and success. Now it’s the Republicans’ turn to come to the table and compromise. We’ve done it their way for more than a decade and it’s gotten us nothing but job loss and a deteriorating state. I’m ready to go in a different direction.
As always, please feel free to contact me with your questions, suggestions and concerns. My office is room 281 in the State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Saint Paul, Minnesota 55155. I can be reached by phone at 651-296-1188 and by email at rep.leon.lillie@house.mn. You can also monitor activities at the House, track bills, watch live video and sign up for my email update list by going to http://house.mn.
Leon Lillie
State Representative
District 55A
News Items
- SUPPORTING RESPONSIBLE HOMEOWNERS AND STABILIZING NEIGHBORHOODS - (Posted: 2012-03-01 00:00:00)
- Email Update -- Feb. 16, 2012 - (Posted: 2012-02-16 00:00:00)
- 2012 LEGISLATIVE SESSION PREVIEW - (Posted: 2012-01-26 00:00:00)
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