Gov. Tim Walz on Tuesday announced the details of his state budget proposal. The $49 billion proposal is a 9% increase over the last budget. State Senator John Jasinski (R-Faribault) released the following statement in response to the budget:

“Wow. There’s not much else to say. He nearly doubles the gas tax. He increases license tab fees and the motor vehicle sales tax. He reinstates the $1 billion sick tax. We can’t keep punishing working families like this.”

Watch the Republican response to the Governor’s budget.

Facts about the governor’s budget:

• 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 million gas tax increase
  • $991 million sick tax increase
  • $848 million in FY 2020-21 through selective Minnesota tax conformity to the federal tax bill
  • $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). 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)