Property Taxes Set To Increase, Despite DFL Claims of Relief
Saint Paul – A report released yesterday by the Minnesota Department of Revenue shows that property taxes are set to increase by nearly $300 million statewide. Gov. Mark Dayton and DFL legislators had pledged to reduce property taxes.
Minnesota Jobs Coalition president Mark Drake issued the following statement in response:
“After two years of one-party Democrat control in Saint Paul, Minnesotans are feeling the impact of the DFL’s misplaced priorities. Despite promises of property tax relief from Democrats like Mark Dayton and Paul Thissen, preliminary figures from the Department of Revenue show a massive increase may be on the way. Rather than forcing unfunded mandates like Obamacare onto local governments and increasing costs for all hardworking-Minnesotans, citizens deserve bi-partisan solutions to make government work for our state.”
Background:
Democrats Repeatedly Claimed They Reduced Property Taxes
- “‘This legislature did what we said we were going to do,’ said House Speaker Paul Thissen. ‘We balanced the budget responsibly in order to focus on priorities important to most Minnesotans: investing in education from kindergarten to college, investing in proven job creation initiatives, and reducing property taxes for homeowners, renters and farmers.’” (Paul Thissen “Minnesota House Adjourns 2014 Session, Completes Productive 2013-2014 Biennium Focused on Growing Middle-Class” May 16, 2014)
- Thissen: “[W]e also cut middle-class taxes and reduced property taxes statewide for the first time in 12 years.” (Paul Thissen “Control of the Minnesota House: The DFL pitch” Star Tribune October 31, 2014)
- “We kept the promises we made to the people of Minnesota to complete our work on time, balance the budget honestly, and invest in priorities Minnesotans broadly share like education,property tax relief and job creation,” said Thissen. (Paul Thissen “Minnesota House Finishes 2013 Session with Balanced Budget, Historic Investments in Education, Job Creation, Property Tax Relief” May 21, 2013)
Dayton Pledged Property Tax Reductions For “100 Percent.” “‘The revenues we raised by increasing the personal income tax on the top 2 percent in order to provide property tax reductions for the 100 percent,’ Dayton said.” (Pat Kessler, WCCO, “1st Time in a Decade, Property Taxes May Be Going Down,” July 30, 2013)
DFL Leaders Said Tax Increases Would Bring Property Tax Relief. “Today the Minnesota Department of Revenue released new information showing property taxes are projected to decrease for the first time since 2002 – by an estimated $121 million, or 1.5 percent – thanks to the new DFL budget.” (Minnesota House of Representatives DFL Caucus, “Promises Made, Promises Kept: Property Tax Relief,” Facebook post, July 30, 2013)
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