Dayton proposes tax breaks for hiring vets, jobless

Gov. Mark Dayton is proposing a revised budget that would give tax breaks to companies that hire veterans and unemployed workers, restore some health care cuts and increase benefits for veterans.

Department of Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson says the plan would restore cuts the governor and Legislature made last year to personal care attendants, medical research and emergency medical assistance.

"We chose to propose restoring these things because we see immediate risk of harm very much to people if we don't take these steps," Jesson said.

The governor's plan spends an extra $60 million, would be collected by raising taxes on corporations that operate overseas and by requiring online retailers like Amazon to collect and pay state sales taxes on purchases.

Dayton said the current tax break for companies with overseas operations doesn't make sense.

"Why do we want to give incentives to companies, big companies most of them, for putting jobs overseas rather than investing that money in the future of the people of Minnesota?" he said.

Republicans have been reluctant to raise taxes on corporations that operate overseas. They say companies would be less likely to hire workers in Minnesota if the law were changed.