Capitol View: May 1, 2012 Archive

Dayton talks taxes, pending votes

Posted at 10:56 AM on May 1, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

(MPR Photo/Tim Pugmire)

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton says Republican legislative leaders have not yet responded to the tax bill offer he presented to them yesterday.

Dayton told reporters today that his proposal includes a tax credit for employers who hire people who are currently out of work or veterans, an upfront rebate for business equipment purchases and additional funding for the state's angel investor program. But Dayton did not include the business property tax reduction that Republicans want. He said the GOP plan would "rob from the financial future of the state."

"In 14 years, it would cost the state $2.3 billion in revenue," Dayton said. "That's just fundamentally unfair to future legislatures and governors, as well as the fact that it's all focused on business property tax relief."

House and Senate Republicans have already agreed on a tax bill that includes the property tax provision for businesses. Lawmakers could vote on that bill any day.

Dayton said he was fine with the Legislature remaining in session as long as necessary to complete work on its three unresolved issues. Lawmakers missed their self-imposed April 30 deadline for adjournment. In addition to the tax bill, they have not yet taken votes on a bonding bill or a Vikings stadium bill. Dayton said he doesn't want the disagreements over taxes to hold up the other two issues.

"The stadium bill deserves an up or down vote," he said. "The bonding bill bill deserves an up or down vote, and if they want to do a tax bill up or down vote, fine. Let's put everyone on the line, have up or down votes on the three remaining measures and then everybody can go home."

Dayton stressed that the bonding bill and stadium bill would result in thousands of needed jobs for construction workers. Republicans want to boost job growth through tax breaks for businesses.

GOP releases alternate stadium plan

Posted at 5:15 PM on May 1, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Republican leaders in the Minnesota Legislature say they're moving forward with an alternative stadium plan that borrows state general fund money to pay for the state's portion of a stadium with no roof.

Republicans wouldn't say how much the state would borrow, how the bonds would be financed or what the state would pay for in terms of infrastructure. But Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers said the plan has more support among Republicans than the stadium agreement reached by the Vikings, a bipartisan group of legislators and Governor Dayton.

"This is yet another plan," Zellers said. "As I said all along, before you know what plan hits the floor, it's actually too early to say, but in concept I do think this is a good idea based on how much member support it has."

The plan would also require a super majority to pass because it would be included in a public works bonding bill. Vikings lobbyists say they oppose the idea.

Governor Dayton and DFL legislative leaders also criticized Republicans for not voting on the stadium bill that is already before the House and Senate. Several Democrats said they believed Republicans were trying to "kill the stadium bill" for the year.

"This is some kind of an endgame gimmick," DFL Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk said. "I expect that they probably are going to throw this Hail Mary out there and probably plan to go home. This will be the largest do-nothing Legislature in state history."