Seifert signs tax pledge (again)

Posted at 1:14 PM on April 6, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (5 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

Minnesota Republicans will endorse their candidate for governor in three and a half weeks, and state Rep. Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, wants them to know where he stands on taxes.

Seifert, one of two frontrunners in the GOP race, appeared at a Taxpayers League of Minnesota news conference today to sign a pledge that he will not support tax increases. Standing in front of the cameras, Seifert put his signature on an oversized pledge card. But he actually signed the pledge privately about a month ago.

Seifert said most people he meets on the campaign trail tell him they feel they are overtaxed.

"There's no equivocation," Seifert said. "There's no question mark for people as they go forward in the election process (about) what they're going to get, not only with my candidacy, but should I be elected, what they will get with an administration."

Seifert's chief rival for the endorsement, state Rep. Tom Emmer, R-Delano, did not sign the pledge.

Phil Krinkie, president of the taxpayers league, said Emmer told him he was leaving his options open. Krinkie insisted his non-profit, non-partisan organization was not endorsing Seifert or any other candidate.

Comments (5)

Oh puhleeze....

Why do the Republicans have this fixation with pledging their allegiance to Grover Norquist and his local sales rep Phil Krinkie? Oh, that's right. Campaign funds.

Eight years of that nonsense is enough. I expect the next candidate for Governor that I vote for will be able to make decisions without having to get permission from a special interest group first.

Posted by John O. | April 7, 2010 6:25 AM

Is this the same Taxpayers League that supports building a redundant three-quarter-billion-dollar bridge across the St. Croix River six miles from an existing bridge?

Posted by Karl | April 7, 2010 6:31 AM

Emmer should sign the pledge, this is a no brainer. Guess Emmer wants to "keep his options open' to raise taxes on us!

Posted by gary rosenbloom | April 7, 2010 7:15 AM

Tom Emmer has a higher lifetime rating from the Taxpayer's League. I think his record of votes speaks far louder then signing a piece of paper (twice).

Posted by AAA | April 7, 2010 7:26 AM

Anybody who says "Emmer wants to 'keep his options open' to raise taxes on us" is either (a) not paying attention or (b) lying.

Posted by Gipper | April 7, 2010 8:38 AM

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