Republicans Call On Governor Dayton To Sign Tax Relief Bill
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- There is a showdown at the State Capitol over a major tax relief bill that the Governor says he will veto.
Gov. Mark Dayton has until 11:59 p.m. Monday to sign or veto the measure, which provides $800 million in tax relief over the next three years.
Now Republican leaders are turning up the heat, accusing Dayton of holding the bill hostage to so he can force them to support more spending programs in a Special Session.
House Republicans brought a number of Minnesotans to the Capitol who are affected by the Tax relief bill, including Ryan Visher from Madelia. Visher owned a Madelia floral shop that burned to the ground during a midnight blizzard in February.
Now, Visher is upset that Dayton might veto a tax bill that includes disaster relief for Madelia businesses.
"He said that he would help us. And he hasn't yet," Visher said at a State Capitol news conference where Republicans urged the Governor to sign the bill, which includes tax relief for students, small business owners -- even a new soccer stadium for St. Paul.
Fillmore County farmer Steve Fruechte is hoping for property tax relief. Fruechte said his land value went down the same year as his property taxes went up.
"It's really getting hard on the farmers, and we need to have a little help," he said.
The biggest glitch for the Democratic Dayton: The bill contains a one-word error that could cost the state $100 million in the fund that pays off the billion dollar Vikings stadium.
"I'm not going to sign a tax bill that contains a $101 million dollar error," Dayton told reporters Friday.
Dayton is also pressuring Republicans to support a transportation funding package that includes light rail transit as part of any special session.
GOP leaders refuse.
"To use relief for college students or veterans for political leverage -- I'm sorry," said Republican House Speaker Kurt Daudt. "I'm not going to play that game."
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