On Wednesday, April 15, Tax Day, Senate Republicans held a press conference to spotlight how DFL tax increases and unchecked spending have driven up costs and made life less affordable for Minnesota families.
“From rising property taxes to climbing license tab fees, Minnesotans continue to tell me they want our state to be more affordable,” Sen. Bill Weber (R-Luverne), Republican lead on the Senate Taxes Committee, said. “We are unfortunately seeing what happens when our state leaders treat taxpayers as an unlimited cash machine.”
Under DFL control, the state budget has ballooned, devouring an $18 billion surplus while imposing $10 billion in new taxes — yet that still wasn’t enough to prevent future deficits. The Tax Foundation ranked Minnesota two places lower this year on its State Tax Competitiveness Index (from 42nd to 44th), keeping the state in the bottom 10 for another year. Data from the National Association of State Budget Officers and the U.S. Census Bureau shows state spending has risen 48% while population has grown just 6%.
This session, Democrats have proposed new taxes on social media companies and advertising services, extending the sales tax to financial advice, creating a fifth tier of income taxes, imposing a new statewide property tax, and advancing a constitutional amendment to raise sales taxes for housing.
“I often hear from constituents who are shocked by the increase in their vehicle tab fees,” Weber said. “During the 2023 session, Democrats increased the base vehicle tab rate and slowed the rate of depreciation. Some of us might actually be okay with the increase, if, quite frankly, our road conditions reflected the increase in the amount of money we have paid. Unfortunately, our roads remain in the same poor shape.”
In addition to tab fees, Republicans blame DFL spending and regulations for driving up property taxes across the state. During the 2026 session, county leaders warned Democrats that their spending would impact property taxes. Minnesotans are now seeing high property taxes, which are the result of unfunded mandates and unsustainable state government spending.
This session, Democrats introduced a bill to add a new state property tax segment that could cost some homeowners thousands of dollars each year on top of their local property taxes.
In contrast, federal tax changes are delivering some of the largest refunds in years, up nearly 11% and averaging about $3,500 nationally, with nearly half of all filers using new deductions. Additionally, 25% of filers have taken home more of their pay by deducting taxes on tips and overtime. Yet Democrats in Minnesota remain opposed to reducing taxes on tipped and overtime wages, despite bipartisan support during the 2024 presidential campaign.