ST. PAUL – Governor Dayton has submitted his proposed budget to the Minnesota House and Senate, and State Representative Bob Gunther (R-Fairmont) said he was surprised to learn the plan contained almost $4.5 billion in new state government spending.
“The governor wants to increase spending by ten percent, but people generally are only seeing their personal incomes increase by two percent or less,” Gunther said. “Government should live no better than its people.”
Governor Dayton is proposing a $45.8 billion budget over the next two-year budget cycle, which represents a roughly a ten percent increase over the $41.5 billion FY 2016-17 budget.
Despite Minnesota's $1.4 billion surplus, the governor is also proposing a $1.4 billion tax increase on trips to the doctor by extending the provider tax, and $1.5 billion in new taxes and fees in the next biennium alone by increasing the gas tax, tab fees, the Metro area sales tax, new license/title surcharges, and more.
Gunther said the massive tax hike proposals and spending increases won’t make it through the Minnesota House.
“We need to live within our means and honor the people that sent us here by doing their wishes, and their wishes are let them keep more of their money and prosper,” Gunther said.