Early this morning the House and Senate passed a tax bill, which Governor Dayton signed into law. The tax bill includes cuts to Local Government Aid and the Market Value Credit, but no levy limits. In 2011, a city will receive the 2010 paid LGA or certified 2011 LGA, whichever is less. [...]
Dueling Press Conferences, But No Budget Resolution
It’s Day 12 of the Shutdown and legislative leaders from both parties held press conferences staking out their positions on the stalled negotiations.
This morning, DFL House leaders and members held a press conference on the capitol steps calling on Republicans to come to the table and support Governor Dayton’s tax proposal to end the government [...]
The Longest Shutdown
Minnesota has now achieved the dubious record of the longest state shutdown in recent United States history. The Governor and GOP legislative leaders continue to trade comments on how it could be resolved but the two sides do not appear to have moved closer. Here’s a recap of today’s statements and news:
Updates from Governor Dayton
Governor [...]
Little Progress in Budget Negotiations
The Minnesota government shutdown is entering its second week. The Legislature and the Governor do not appear any closer to a budget resolution and as of now, there are no negotiations scheduled. On Wednesday, the Governor sent a letter outlining two different proposals to bridge the gap. Both options included tax expenditure reform, health care [...]
Minnesota media focuses attention to budget battle
The ongoing budget stalemate is receiving extensive coverage in the news media and opinion pages. Several of these papers highlight the importance of cities and local government aid. Others emphasize the need for a balanced budget solution that includes revenue. Here are a few of the recent articles:
The Mankato Free Press [...]
Governor vetoes budget bills
This morning, Governor Dayton vetoed all of the budget bills that were sent to him within the last 4 days, including the tax bill, H.F. 42. In his veto letter regarding the tax bill specifically mentions his concerns about the cuts to local government aid and the impact those cuts would have on property taxes. [...]
Tax Conference Committee Approves LGA Cuts
Last night, the tax conference committee adopted the House’s position of phasing out LGA to Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth. The committee also adopted the Senate position of paying LGA at the 2010 paid amount, rather than the certified 2011 levels for greater Minnesota. Rep. Ann Lenczewski (DFL-Bloomington) was the sole vote against these provisions. [...]
