ST. PAUL - Minnesota Senate Republicans say their 2016 priorities are tax cuts and a long-term transportation plan.
"We can’t let another session go by without passing a long-term transportation plan and significant tax relief and reform," Senate Minority Leader David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, said Thursday. "Our plan focuses on ideas that will actually work to build roads and bridges, let Minnesotans keep more of the money they earn and lower their healthcare costs."
Among tax relief GOP senators want is a $78 million-a-year cut in farmland taxes. It would reduce the amount of tax owed to pay off school bond issues. Sen. Paul Gazelka, R-Nisswa, said the provision is in a House-Senate conference committee that was held over after last year's Legislature did not pass a tax bill.
Atop the GOP tax list is reducing tax paid on Social Security benefits. The senators said that more than 600,000 Minnesotans would benefit.
"It’s time for Minnesota to put out the welcome mat for retirees by lowering their taxes," Sen. David Senjem, R-Rochester, said.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Republicans agree with their House counterparts that new transportation funding should come from existing taxes, not new ones like Democrats want.
