Capitol View: August 25, 2010 Archive

Public subsidies for candidates total $3.9 million

Posted at 9:37 AM on August 25, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010

The Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board has distributed $3.9 million in public subsidy payments to 365 candidates running for office this fall.

The payments are going to candidates for governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state auditor and the Minnesota Legislature. In the governor's race, Republican Tom Emmer is getting a total of $511,834 in public subsidies. Tom Horner of the Independence Party is getting $346,368. There's no payment for DFL candidate Mark Dayton, who declined to abide by the required spending cap.

Non-union builders group backs Emmer

Posted at 10:12 AM on August 25, 2010 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Minnesota Associated Builders and Contractors has announced its support of Republican Tom Emmer in the race for governor.

Associated Builders and Contractors is a national association representing nearly 25,000 merit shop construction and construction-related firms in 78 chapters.

Emmer issued the following statement:

"I am humbled by the support of the Associated Builders and Contractors and by the hardworking small businesspeople they represent. They understand that it's not government but businesses which create jobs and opportunities for working Minnesotans. With ABC's support, I know we will make Minnesota a place that's open for business."

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Barden calls for eight debates

Posted at 12:01 PM on August 25, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010

Republican Attorney General candidate Chris Barden is calling on Democratic incumbent Lori Swanson to debate his eight times. Barden told reporters that he wants to have eight debates - one in each congressional district in Minnesota - between now and Election Day. Barden says the debate will give the public an opportunity to learn the differences between the two candidates.

Barden said his top priorities are suing to stop the federal health law, working to institute photo identification at the polls and making Minnesota's business climate more friendly. Barden says he would join a lawsuit filed by other attorneys general challenging the constitutionality of the federal health law. He also said he would lobby the Legislature to pass a law that requires photo identification at the polling place. Barden also said he would work to be an advocate for consumers and businesses if he's elected. He argues Swanson has been too focused on consumer issues at the expense of business.

Barden says the only debate that is currently scheduled is a KSTP-TV/League of Women Voters debate on October 16th.

I'm checking to see whether Swanson has agreed to appear at the KSTP-TV debate or any other debates.

Update:
Here's a response from Brian Bergson, with Swanson's campaign:

"AG Swanson is tending to the office's legal work, and hasn't yet seen Dr. Barden's political correspondence. She will participate in a debate sponsored by KSTP 5/League of Women Voters, but details and scheduling still need to be worked out."

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Voters can now check registration status online

Posted at 12:05 PM on August 25, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010

State officials have unveiled a new online service to help Minnesotans check their voter registration status.

Voters who visit http://www.sos.state.mn.us/ can now enter their name, birth date and address to see if their registration is current. Links and further instructions are provided to those who need to update their registration. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie says the service will make the voting process easier by addressing one of the most frequently asked election questions.

"We know that this service is one that's going to save a lot of voters' time," Ritchie said. "And it's going to save a lot of local elections officials money, because the number of phone calls and just the staff time, they will not have to be devoted to this particular question."

Ritchie says the online tool only verifies registration and does not disclose any information about individual voters. His office staff will demonstrate the new service during the Minnesota State Fair.

PoliGraph: MN more like other states under Horner's sales tax plan

Posted at 2:33 PM on August 25, 2010 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor, PoliGraph

To help reduce the deficit, Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner has proposed revamping the state's sales taxes.

Doing so will "make Minnesota's sales tax consistent with most other states," a press release on his website states.

So, how does Horner's sales tax plan stack up? It's true that his proposal would make Minnesota more like the rest of the nation.

Evidence
Horner's tax plan has several components, but in this instance he's specifically talking about his plan to lower the general sales tax and expand sales taxes to previously exempt products and services.

Currently, Minnesota has the seventh highest sales tax in the country at 6.875 percent. But Horner wants to lower that to 5.875 percent, giving Minnesota the 25th highest sales tax in the country. Doing so would put Minnesota right in the middle of the pack, with a sales tax just above the national average of about 5 percent.

It's important to note that Horner would also allow counties to increase sales taxes by half a percent to offset his proposed reductions in state aid. So, in counties that take this option, the net impact on the consumer would be a half percent reduction in the sales tax.

Unlike most states, Minnesota exempts clothing from sales tax. Horner's plan would change that. (He's also talked about expanding sales tax to other services, but hasn't detailed his ideas.)

The Verdict

Horner's claim is accurate: The sales tax reduction and the expansion of sales tax to clothing would make Minnesota more like other states.

SOURCES
Tom Horner for Governor, Horner-Mulder Release Budget Outline, accessed Aug. 24, 2010

Tom Horner for Governor, Minnesota Works: Horner-Mulder Budget, accessed Aug. 24, 2010

Minnesota Public Radio News, Horner outlines budget plan: Taxes, cuts, delays, by Mark Zdechlik, Aug. 23, 2010

The Federation of Tax Administrators, State Sales Tax Rates and Food & Drug Exemptions, January, 2010

Minnesota Department of Revenue, Minnesota Sales and Use Tax, accessed Aug. 24, 2010

The Minneapolis Star Tribune, Is it time to tax clothing sales?, by Baird Helgeson, March 4, 2010:

Interview, Mark Haveman, executive director, Minnesota Taxpayers Association, Aug. 24, 2010

Gov candidates talk infrastructure

Posted at 2:29 PM on August 25, 2010 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

At their latest debate, Republican Tom Emmer, Democrat Mark Dayton and Tom Horner from the Independence party talked transportation issues during a 90 minutes debate this morning sponsored by a variety of transportation interests.

Dayton is proposing a one billion dollar bonding bill, which he says could create nearly 30,000 jobs. He said it makes sense to borrow because the need for road work comes when interest rates are low.

"There's both the short term benefit of a $1 billion bonding bill in a state that has a gross state product of $263 billion, I mean that's not going to tip the scales But in terms of the economic recovery, it's going to make a significant contribution. 28,500 jobs through a $1 billion of public investment is a good deal for the people of Minnesota."

Horner would spend less than half of that. Horner used the debate to rip Dayton's spending plans and his income tax increase on the top ten percent of wage earners.

"That's not nearly enough to pay for the billions and billions and billions of dollars that you're promising in new spending and there aren't enough bonding bills in the world that are going to help small businesses if they're not in business because they're having to pay rates that are at the top of the nation."

Dayton defended his tax proposal, saying more than 90 percent of small business owners don't report enough income to get hit by the higher rate.

Republican Emmer has never voted for a bonding bill as a state legislator. He said the bills should be used only for long-term projects and that they are instead used for political purposes.

"They should not be used to pass policies like a policy on greenhouse has emissions that would not otherwise not get through the legislative process. They should not be used to give out a Christmas tree full of gifts to convince career politicians to give their votes in other areas where they might not otherwise provide them."

You can listen to the full debate here: Listen

The three candidates are scheduled to take part in another debate tomorrow. The TwinWest Chamber will host that debate in the morning.

MPR's Mark Zdechlik wrote the story and gathered the audio for this blog post.

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Planned Parenthood backs Dayton

Posted at 2:47 PM on August 25, 2010 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Campaign 2010, Campaign 2010: Minnesota Governor

The Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund has endorsed DFL candidate Mark Dayton in the race for governor.

In a news release today, PPAF president Sarah Stoesz said that Minnesotans have embraced Dayton's vision for the state, including his commitment to affordable and accessible health care for all.

"As our U.S. Senator, Mark Dayton demonstrated his dedication to Minnesota women and families." Stoesz said. "He has a long history of fighting for what's right: access to affordable and high quality health care, including family planning, and protecting the health and safety of women. He has always been a true champion for women's health."

Stoesz also praised Dayton's selection of state Sen. Yvonne Prettner Solon as his lieutenant governor running mate. She said Solon is a proven advocate for women and families.