Minnesota Senate to vote on the tax bill

(ABC 6 News) – Governor Walz has said publicly that he plans to give Minnesotans the biggest tax break in history, but those who are against the bill say it doesn’t reflect that.

“No they shouldn’t be increasing taxes,” said Rochester native Jeffy Steffy.

The Minnesota Senate will be voting on the tax bill this week. But, despite a multi-billion-dollar state budget surplus, that bill includes tax increases. Which worries some Minnesotans.

“If they want to go to the rich and famous, fine. But they should leave the middle class and lower-class people you know people can’t afford that,” said Steffy.

As the bill stands, it will also include some tax cuts including property tax cuts, and a child tax credit.

“But the problem is it has been coupled with tax hikes,” said Republican Senator Carla Nelson.

One proposed tax hike. a new tax that would require Minnesota businesses report and pay taxes on international business deals. Senator Nelson says that’s concerning.

“I hope it’s just a place holder on the tax sheet,” said Nelson.

But Senator Nelson says not all things on the bill are bad. The tax bill also includes rebate checks from the 19-billion-dollar state surplus. The senate majority has proposed 279 dollars for single filers and 558 for those joint file taxes.

“The rebate checks are better than spending one time money on ongoing programs that will build deficits or cause more taxes in the future,” said Senator Nelson.

The bill also features tax cuts for social security but not a complete removal like the one proposed last year.

“We are only one of eleven states that continues to really tax those benefits that people buy year after year as their pay checks were taxed,” said Senator Nelson.

We reached out to our local DFL senators today but didn’t hear back from them. The senate is set to vote on this bill Tuesday and Senator Nelson says she still doesn’t know how she’ll vote.