DFL trails further tax hikes if they retain their trifecta in November

With the dust settling on the chaotic conclusion to the 2024 legislative session in St. Paul, thoughts are turning to the elections in November and beyond.

The Pioneer Press reports:

All 134 seats in the House of Representatives are up for election in what could turn out to be a referendum on two years of complete DFL control of state government.

Hortman said the House DFL plans to campaign on its record of creating new social programs like paid leave, child tax credits, free college tuition for low-income Minnesotans, universal school meals and strengthening protections for abortion rights.

“What Democrats will be running on is the most productive biennium in 50 years,” she said. “If you look at the two years together, a remarkable quantity of work got done for the people of Minnesota.”

Hortman said if her party keeps the House, a big priority next year will be working on affordable health care and addressing funding gaps left by the expiration of federal pandemic aid. [Emphasis added]

This last should set alarm bells ringing. As we’ve noted before, in 2023 the DFL “trifecta” of Governor, Senate, and House, not only blew through a forecast budget surplus of $18 billion but also hiked taxes and fees by another $10 billion on top of that to cover an historic spending binge. Some of that money was left over from COVID-19 and, now its is gone, the DFL will be looking for new sources of revenue to cover its vastly expanded spending commitments. That means only one thing: More taxes on Minnesotans.

The Pioneer Press goes on:

Meanwhile, Republicans already have been railing against the DFL’s nearly 40% expansion of government spending, and are asking how the state went through a nearly $18 billion budget surplus without giving more back in direct payments and tax relief.

If Republicans prevail in the race for control of the House, Minority Leader Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, said her caucus will look into controlling government spending and identifying sources of waste.

“It’s very clear that Minnesota has a spending problem,” she said. “We don’t have a revenue problem.”

Rep. Demuth is quite right. Minnesotans will make their judgement at the ballot box in November.