Senator Howe responds to Governor Walz’s budget proposal

On Tuesday, Governor Tim Walz released his proposal for the upcoming two-year state budget. At $49.4 million, the governor’s proposed budget would be the largest budget in state history – an 8.1 percent increase over the previous budget. In response, Senator Jeff Howe (R-Rockville) issued the following statement:

“Governor Walz’s budget does nothing to address the real challenges Minnesotans are facing. Instead, the governor has proposed massive tax increases to fund unprecedented and unsustainable levels of spending. The governor has proposed nearly doubling the gas tax, raising license tab fees and motor vehicle sales taxes, and levying a sick tax – but with a budget surplus, raising taxes simply does not make sense. Minnesota is one of the highest-tax states in the nation; we don’t need tax increases to fund more reckless spending. What is worse the Governor’s proposed tax increases  hit the people who can afford it the least! Over the next several weeks, the legislature will put together a responsible budget proposal that addresses the needs of Minnesotans without raising taxes.”

Facts about Governor Walz’s budget proposal

  • Increases state spending by 9% in one budget cycle, from $45,549 in 2018-19 (November 2018 forecast, page 12) to 49,471 in 2020-21 (Walz budget documents)
  • Increases taxes on every Minnesotan by over $3 billion:
    • $1.3 billion gas tax increase
    • $991 million sick tax increase
    • $848 million in FY2020-21 through selective Minnesota tax conformity to the federal law
    • $74 million tax increase by clawing back bipartisan tax relief from 2017
  • Ends permanent, bipartisan funding for roads and bridges (via sales taxes on auto parts) and replaces it by almost doubling the gas tax, a revenue source that declines each year starting in 2020. (MNDOT Transportation Funds Forecast November 2018, page 9)

Budget documents

Governor Walz’s budget recommendations

Senate Republicans respond to Governor Walz’s proposal

Senator Jeff Howe, of Rockville, represents District 13, including communities in Benton and Stearns counties, in the Minnesota Senate.