Constituents and members of the media might not be able to get a crumb of information out of Senators Vicki Jensen (DFL-Owatonna) and Dan Sparks (DFL-Austin) about raising and indexing the minimum wage, but the Owatonna People's Press reports that they're totally into the tax package making itself through the Senate.
For now, Republicans are stalling the process, but both think the changes will pass.
Matt Hudson reports in State senators stall on tax cut bill; Steele County senators support the measure:
Despite pressure from Gov. Mark Dayton to speed through deliberations, the Senate’s Democratic majority couldn’t garner enough Republican support to pass. Senate GOP members said the bill needed additional review before they could sign on.
Before convening for discussion, state Sens. Vicki Jensen, DFL-Owatonna, and Dan Sparks, DFL-Austin, felt confident the bill would go through.
. . . The tax breaks come from the state’s projected $1.2 million budget surplus and are aimed at middle-class families. They center on aligning the state and federal tax codes to offer relief for married couples, former students paying off loans and new homeowners.
The Senate bill would include a $150 million deposit into a state general fund, a move applauded by Sparks.
. . .Three taxes on business transactions that were passed last year would be repealed under both the House and Senate versions of the bill. They include sales taxes on heavy equipment sales and telecommunications devices, as well as a tax on warehouse rental space.
. . . Another provision, introduced by Sen. Jensen, extends state aid, known as location equity revenue, to school districts statewide. Under the law, states assume a portion of cost for a district’s tax base after an operating levy referendum. The original law, enacted last year, included only certain districts, based on a combination of location and number of students.
“I think there was an oversight in some of the calculation that was done,” Sen. Jensen said of the original law, “but this fixes that.” . . .
Read the whole thing at the OPP.
We're happy the Senate bill is set to pass as soon as the Republicans caucus reads it and can't wait for the conference committee.
Photo: Some Benjamins.
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