Like most Americans, Bluestem Prairie is feeling the increased cost of living.
And so went we received a legislative email from Tim Miller slugged Massive State Budget Surplus, he had our sympathy.
Until he didn't.
Miller wrote:
. . .This projected surplus is not due to an influx of one-time money. Instead, this surplus was created by consistent revenue streams such as taxes on business and sales tax. As runaway inflation increases the prices of goods, it only stands to reason that tax profits from those goods will increase. For example, if the price of gas goes up, the amount of tax the government collects on that gasoline will also increase. [emphasis added] In my view, this means government is getting rich at the expense of your family budget.
Er, no.
The Minnesota gas tax isn't calculated by the price per gallon of gasoline. Rather, it's a fixed amount per gallon. Currently, the Minnesota gas tax isn't tied to inflation, although the idea has been floated (unsuccessfully) as recently as spring 2021.
Minnesota's gasoline tax is a fixed $.285 gallon at the pump, according to the Petroleum Tax Fuel Excise Tax Rates and Fees chart at the Minnesota Department of Revenue. There's also a penny inspection fee, which brings the total taxpayers fork over per gallon to $.286.
Miller's tying the gas tax to inflation is almost as brilliant as his claim about a Minnesota public officials' war on livestock farmers that we examined in State rep Tim Miller: MN state public officials beholden to radical anti-livestock enviro groups.
Miller sits on the Minnesota House Tax Committee. Perhaps he was thinking of another tax. Perhaps a staff member wrote the email. We're not that close to Miller to know what he was thinking.
Miller's claim made us curious about the gasoline tax in sunny Summit, South Dakota. As current residents of South Dakota, we grew curious what the tax per gallon is here in the Rushmore State. It's $.30 per gallon, so no wonder Governor Noem rides her horse so much. We'll have to consider filling up in Ortonville next time we visit our gopher state friends.
Screengrab: Miller's email, for our mailbox.
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