Governor Dayton wasn't alone yesterday in calling out legislative Republicans for "shifts, gimmicks and raids" as they seek to balance the budget without admitting a need to increase revenue.
Earlier, the editorial board of the New Ulm Journal, which leans to the right, called them out in Taking money that’s not their own? over a plan to swipe local sales tax money:
Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature are bound and determined that they are not going to raise taxes to balance the state's $5 billion budget deficit.
But apparently they are not averse to taking someone else's tax revenue.
A major transportation funding bill that is makings its way through the GOP-controlled Legislature seems to transfer $69 million in sales tax revenue raised by five metro counties for rail and bus rapid transit to replace some $51 million the state would cut from general fund spending on bus operations.
Now hold on here. This is a sales tax revenue levied in Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, Washington and Dakota counties. The money, approved by the county boards in those counties, has been going to the Metropolitan Council for future light rail projects like the Southwest Corridor project.
Since when does the state have the power to grab revenue from other sources of government?
New Ulm levies a half-percent sales tax to pay off the bonds that built the New Ulm Civic Center and several other park and rec facilities expansions. If the state can divert money from the metro counties' sales tax, what's to stop them from diverting our sales tax revenue, too?
Apparently the philosophy of "living within our means" that state Republicans espouse really does mean "our" means, as in your's as well as mine.
I gather those planning this pilfering met with a wall of similar criticism; the Strib reported Republicans on House panel back off transit money fight. However, the article notes it's not over until it's over:
The decision clears the way for the spending bill to reach the House floor next week -- where the issue could surface again.
DFLers had lambasted the diversion of sales tax money that five Twin Cities counties have collected to expand metro mass transit.
Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville, said the provision was "amazingly insulting to our local taxpayers." Rep. Frank Hornstein, DFL-Minneapolis, added, "This is raiding money that the five counties have raised," and said it set a precedent for the state to tap other local tax money to shore up its budget.
The Albert Lea Herald editorialized about a cut in health care spending in Budget plans beat hopes:
. . .The charitable interpretation of the House Republican budget is that it’s a case of hope trumping reality, as opposed to intentional smoke and mirrors. But either way, counting on a waiver from a federal government whose boss, the president, seems committed to health care benefits for the poor and elderly, strikes us as unlikely to bear fruit.
We’ve noted several times this winter that those in control at the Capitol seem unable to put forth a useful plan for erasing the state’s budget deficit. It is, however, still not too late — and Minnesotans must hope that lawmakers have some ideas that are less fanciful and more likely to produce results.
The Republican Party of Minnesota likes to claim it's the party of rural values, but it's not looking like Greater Minnesota feels it's getting value for that premise.
Photo: What are the values of the party led by failed burrito baron Tony Sutton?
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