Families in our district don’t need another new tax. Unfortunately, Governor Dayton and the DFL are hinging our budget negotiations on the largest gas tax increase in Minnesota state history.
The money people have to spend because of falling gas prices has decreased yearly costs for families throughout our district and our state. In fact, falling gas prices “are comparable to a tax cut,” said the governor’s own agency, “freeing up disposable income for spending on non-gasoline food and services.”
Why, at a time when Minnesota families are finally starting to feel relief at the pump, would the government push for a gas tax that will cost our families an additional $600 every year? Those savings belong in the pockets of Minnesota families, where they can determine the investments that best suit their needs – from car or home repairs, to bill payments, to investments in education saving funds.
Minnesota is poised to face a $2 billion surplus, proving that Minnesotans were overtaxed in the last biennium. Now is not the time to lay another tax on Minnesota families.
It’s time to put aside partisan requests that harm Minnesota families and come to the negotiating table with real offers, ones that will make Minnesota work better for our businesses and our families.