SAINT PAUL, MN – Representative Jim Newberger (R-Becker) issued the following statement regarding Tuesday's budget proposal by Governor Mark Dayton:
“This budget sends the wrong message to businesses and middle class families. This budget will tax middle class families by extending the sales tax to clothing, auto repair, and over-the-counter medicines. Worse yet, the budget raises income taxes to among the highest in the nation on many of the 92% of small businesses in the state of Minnesota that file through their individual tax returns.
“Rather than taxing middle class families, it’s time for the government to do what millions of families have to do each year – tighten their belts and live within their means. Minnesota is projected to have $35.7 billion dollars in existing revenue for the next biennium—more than enough money, and good enough to be the largest budget in state history. Our last budget was $34.4 billion, and I believe we should be spending as much, if not less than we did during the previous biennium. The path to economic prosperity in Minnesota comes through growing the private sector, and responsibly managing our budget – not increasing the size of government by billions of dollars. Remember, Big Government is NOT sustainable.”