Republican TV tax ad - everyone's take

[KitchenWitch]

Is this in response to the legislature wanting to roll back the tax cuts for the wealthiest Minnesotans?

[FormerDittoHead]

1. which ad? do you have a link or description? n/t

[KitchenWitch]

2. Sorry - here is a link

I thought others here may have seen it.

http://www.mngop.com/media/1billion.wmv

[katinmn]

3. GRRR! I'm sure it is

"holding the line on taxes" simply means that property taxes and fees will go up again. There's no way around it.

I wonder if people are asleep. A boat license that cost $100 last year costs $400 this year.

DUH!

[KitchenWitch]

4. No kidding

Do not get me started on these people. I just wish that people would use (or obtain) their critical thinking skills...

[katinmn]

6. when the RW policies affect them personally. And that day

is coming for all.

Did you see the report in the Strib yesterday about the rapid growth in home foreclosures?

[KitchenWitch]

7. I caught that

And I am sad to say it did not surprise me.

[indigo32]

5. I'd also like to know

and will see if I can find out, is what the 4th highest and 1rst highest taxed state in the nation numbers are based on. What is it taking into account? Those are the numbers that stuck out to me. Frankly I'm proud of our state and the reputation it's enjoyed, which is something we pay for, but I can see how those numbers would affect other people.

[kikiek]

8. What I understood is tax increase only on couples making 300G's or more

a year. Highest state taxes for people in that income bracket. It is singles 200G's or more and couples 300. It would be 10.65 pct. Here is a good link with a graph http://minnpolitics.blogspot.com/2005/05/senate-votes-to-increase-top-income.html

[SupormomFreeAtLast]

10. Nick Coleman addressed this question.

I'll check out his site to see if he posted the actual numbers.

The 4th highest taxes in the nation is based on income tax only, I believe. If you take into consideration sales and property taxes, Minnesota ranks somewhere between 22nd and 24th in the nation.

There are many states with higher property taxes. Minnesota does not impose a sales tax on necessities such as food and clothing. So, overall our taxes are in the median range.

[Eric J in MN]

9. My blog article on the Senate DFL proposal to raise taxes on the rich.

http://www.moveleft.com/moveleft_essay_2005_05_09_conservative_con_republican_governor_claims_raising_taxes_on_rich.asp

Conservative Con: Republican Governor Claims That Raising Taxes on Rich Minnesotans is 'Profoundly Stupid'


Minnesota had three brackets for the state income tax we paid last month.
For single people (link to pdf):

$0-$19,890 at 5.35%
$19,891-$65,330 at 7.05%
$65,330-plus at 7.85%
This isn't very progressive.
The distinction between the middle rate and the top-rate is only going from 7.05% to 7.85%.

The Democrats in the Minnesota Senate proposed last week creating a fourth tax bracket of 11% on income of single filers over $166,000 ("State's wealthiest are target of tax proposal" by Patricia Lopez, Minneapolis Star Tribune , May 5, 2005.)

The proposal would affect the state's richest 42,000 people and would raise nearly a billion to pay for extra spending on schools and health care (ibid.)

Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty responded by calling the proposal "profoundly stupid" ("Pawlenty calls DFL tax plan a job killer" by Patricia Lopez, Star Tribune May 6, 2005.)

Pawlenty is using disrespectful language to con us.

He is being tacky to create a distraction from the state's needs.

Pawlenty wants to obscure the issue of funding health care and education.