Property tax statements bring new round of political acrimony - Bring Me The News

Property tax statements bring new round of political acrimony

DFL lawmakers say higher property tax bills appearing in mailboxes show that Republicans were not honest when they claimed to have balanced the state's budget without raising taxes. But the current political clamor over taxes is likely just a warm-up for next year, which happens to be an election year.

Author:: BMTN Staff
Publish date:: Nov 20, 2011

DFL lawmakers say higher property tax bills appearing in mailboxes show that Republicans were not honest when they claimed to have balanced the state's budget without raising taxes. But the current political clamor over taxes is likely just a warm-up for next year, which happens to be an election year.

DONTCHA KNOW?

BMTN Newsletters Deliver The Biggest MN Stories

Get Our Newsletter

The highway.

Four cars were damaged last Wednesday night.

Screen Shot 2018-10-21 at 8.51.32 AM

A ramp to eastbound I-494 will be closed for several hours.

Screen Shot 2018-10-21 at 8.55.07 AM

It's not clear what started the fire at the St. Paul encampment.

Duluth, Lake Superior storm

Giant waves battered the city's shoreline, damaging public walkways and parks.

Maplewood Fire ambulance

The person struck is a 68-year-old man from Hopkins.

Craft beer flight

It's from a Minneapolis brewery considered unique in its field.

Screen Shot 2018-10-21 at 7.32.36 AM

Butler sat out for rest purposes.

Gophers-Nebraska

Minnesota fought back from a 28-0 deficit but didn't last.

Gold Cross Ambulance

It happened Friday morning in Renville County.

44315174_685865398479493_7477689438458347520_n

Police are asking the public for help finding the vandals.

Mega Millions

There have been no Mega Millions winners since July.

Alayna Tanaka

She was struck when a semi truck ran a red light.

Gov. Dayton and lawmakers earlier this year replaced the homestead market value credit, which lowered many Minnesotans' property taxes, with a new program. But local governments say the new plan is raising property taxes significantly. And poor, rural Minnesotans are bearing the brunt of it.

A bill from the chairman of the House Taxes Committee would grant larger tax refunds to homeowners whose property tax bills are soaring. The bill would also slash taxes for all businesses. But the top House Democrat on property taxes says Republicans missed a chance to cut property taxes earlier this year.

Republican leaders say the change would save Minnesota businesses $50 million the first year. That amount may well be added to the state budget deficit. The Senate GOP says the job creation would be worth it. DFL critics say there's no assurance that companies would used the money they save to create jobs.

Minnesota Public Radio takes a look back at the year and finds two trends in how communities across the state are wrestling with budgets. Property taxes, which have been rising for more than a decade, continue to go up as local governments try to make up for losses in state aid. Many municipalities are also cutting into their own budgets and payrolls to find savings on the other end.

The proposal would cut taxes by about 30 percent over the next six to 12 years. The House Taxes Committee Chairman Greg Davids told the Pioneer Press it would be the "bigger job creator." DFL Gov. Mark Dayton hasn't ruled out the Republican plan, but doesn't know how they plan to pay for the tax cut.

Voters in North Dakoka -- flush with oil boom money and enjoying the lowest unemployment in the nation -- had the chance Tuesday to become the first state to cast off property taxes. But in the end, voters decided to keep the $800 million a year the taxes raise.

MPR cautions that property taxes can be a complex thing in Minnesota. Most increases will be in the single digits.

But many homeowners will see their tax bills increase anyway because lawmakers cut the Market Value Homestead Credit as part of a debt deal to end the government shutdown earlier this summer.