The DFL's tax cut mistake

Though DFL legislators reached agreement with GOP senators on a tax cut package, they didn't get it passed. The DFL failed Minnesota voters who are getting hit with high gas prices, high grocery prices and high rents and mortgage payments. Simply put, the DFL's priorities aren't Minnesota families' priorities.

First, Rep. Paul Marquardt, DFL, the chair of the House Taxes Committee, said "This is an historic tax bill. We have in this bill the largest tax cuts in the history of this state and it’s going to positively impact in a real and meaningful way families and senior citizens and businesses across the state." What a pile of BS. They dropped the marginal tax rate on the lowest bracket from 5.35% to 5.10%. That isn't "historic." That's microscopic.

The DFL didn't get the bill across the finish line because they insisted on spending $4,000,000,000 on education. They insisted on that even though the education budget bill was passed last year. They were fully funded. The vast majority of the projected $9,250,000,000 surplus should've gone to help Minnesota families, not to the DFL's special interest allies. If the DFL wants to argue that their special interest allies deserve as much extra funding as Minnesota families need relief from Bidenflation, Republicans should welcome that fight.

This shouldn't have happened:

As an example of how difficult some agreements are to come by, the Republican and Democrat working on the $450 million public safety funding bill remain at odds over funding for police. Republicans say they won’t shortchange public safety funding in that area.

"Violent crime is absolutely out of control in the state of Minnesota," Senator Miller told reporters. "We need to provide funding for more police officers. They’re retiring at a faster rate and younger than ever before. Now is the time to invest in law enforcement."

The legislature passed the education budget last year in the budget year. We clearly need to improve police budgeting. They aren't properly funded. The DFL is in a difficult position politically on policing. If they move in the GOP's direction too far, they risk dampening their urban turnout. That's something they can't do. On the other hand, if they don't move in that direction, they'll alienate suburban voters.

The legislature got some things done. They just didn't get the most important things done.