Minnesota Senate passes tax bill on second vote

After first rejecting a DFL tax bill, the Minnesota Senate has narrowly passed a comprehensive throwback nba jerseys overhaul of the state's tax system.

Leaders of the Democratic Farmer Labor majority were surprised Monday, April 29, when senators first defeated the measure kyrie irving jersey on a 34 32 vote. Seven, mostly suburban DFLers voted with the Republican minority against the bill.

But after DFLers met behind closed doors, they returned to the floor, and Sen. John Hoffman, DFL Champlin,nhl hockey jerseys, who had voted "no," moved discount nhl jerseys to reconsider. After a second lengthy debate, the bill passed 35 31.

Two DFL senators who earlier had voted against it Greg Clausen of Apple Valley and John Hoffman of Champlin switched their votes to "yes," and a third who had not voted the first time, Ann Rest of New Hope, also voted in paul pierce jersey favor.

The bill would raise an additional $1.8 billion over the next two years by increasing income taxes on the highest paid, extending sales taxes to clothing and personal services, and raising cigarette taxes.

The Senate vote set the stage for three way tax talks to start at the Capitol.

Gov,nhl hockey jerseys. Mark Dayton and the DFL majorities in both chambers have put separate tax increases on the table,nba all star jerseys 529,nhl hockey jerseys. Now a House Senate conference committee and the governor's team will try to hash out an agreement on how much to boost taxes and who would pay them.

But the Senate almost didn't get there.

Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL Cook, shrugged off the temporary setback.

When Bakk got them in the back room, he said he cheap nhl jerseys from china told them they had taken a lot of easy votes to spend more money, especially for generous education ty lawson jersey bills they passed earlier.

"Now it's time to pay for all that spending," he said he told them. With that, "more than two" volunteered to change their votes. Rod Skoe, left, DFL Clearbrook, talks with a colleague during debate. (Associated Press: Jim Mone)

But Senate Minority Leader karl malone jersey David Hann, R Eden Prairie, charged, "The DFL Party bosses cracked the whip and changed a few votes."

Only one Republican voted for the bill

Sen. David Senjem of Rochester was the only Republican to support the bill. He voted in favor both times it came to the floor.

Although nike nfl jerseys he opposed the tax increases, he said, he supported the measure because it would subsidize "the largest economic development project in this state's history," the expansion of the Mayo Clinic in his hometown.

The bill would provide $327 million in state aid for the clinic's $6 billion "Destination Medical Center" project.

Under the legislation,kobe bryant jersey 040, the state's top income tax rate would increase to 9.4 percent from 7.85 percent on the taxable income of $80,000 or more for singles and more than $141,000 for couples.

The increase would boost taxes on the highest paid 7 percent of Minnesota taxpayers.

Senate Taxes Committee Chairman Rod Skoe, DFL Clearbrook, cited a study that showed the wealth of the top earning 7 percent of Americans had increased by 28 percent in recent years while the assets of those earning less have declined.

"Since we try to tax based on ability to pay, this is appropriate," he said.

But Republicans warned it would boost taxes on middle class taxpayers.

"We're talking about a teacher and a cop; we're talking about farmers," said Sen. Carla Nelson, R Rochester.

Dayton has proposed limiting income tax increases to the top earning 2 percent of taxpayers, and the DFL House voted to raise the taxes for the top 1.1 percent.

Skoe said the Senate bill raises enough money to erase the state's projected $627 million deficit, provide property tax relief and pay for the education, health care and other services funded in the spending bills.

But Sen. Julianne Ortman of Chanhassen, the Taxes Committee's ranking Republican, said lawmakers could balance the budget without increasing taxes.

"Why are we doing dennis rodman jersey this? I would say it's profligate spending and over taxing," she said.

Overall, the bill calls for the most extensive revision of the nba throwback jerseys state's tax laws in a generation. It would broaden the sales tax base by taxing clothing, over the counter drugs and a wide range of tax exempt personal services while lowering the tax rate to 6 percent from 6.875 percent.

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