Reality Check: Dayton, Taxes And The Middle Class
You'll be seeing a lot of a new Halloween political ad in the next few days, calling Democrat Mark Dayton's income tax hike a "horror show."
It's produced and paid for by a corporate political fund called "MN Forward." What's really scary: How misleading the ad really is.
"I've been a police officer for 20 years," says a man on screen identified as a "deputy sheriff." "My wife's a nurse. Mark Dayton says we're rich and we should pay higher taxes."
That is seriously MISLEADING.
The average Minnesota cop makes about $55,000 a year. The average nurse, about $74,000.
Together that's less than $130,000 a year, and far less than the $173,000 adjusted gross income where Dayton says his income tax hike would kick in.
The ad continues:
"You think that's bad, if Mark Dayton gets elected, more of our hard-earned money will be taken away. Dayton's new taxes will be a horror show! "
That's NOT THE WHOLE STORY.
If "Deputy Dave" is a manager, and his wife a specialized nurse, they could be making about $193,000, according the Minn. Department of Economic Development.
But they'd only be taxed on the amount they make above $173,000, which is $20,000. So for Deputy Dave's family, that could be around $200 more in taxes each year.
In FACT, 90 percent of Minnesota taxpayers would not be affected by Dayton's proposed income tax hike. A spokesman for MN Forward says -- accurately -- that Dayton is $1 billion short on his plans to fix the state's $5.8 billion deficit.
"Dayton has a $1 billion gap he still needs to fill," said Brian McClung. "So it's anyone's guess as to who all would be taxed in the end if he wins."
We tried to verify that "Deputy Dave," who wears a brown law enforcement shirt without identification, but with a badge, is in fact a real deputy in Minnesota.
McClung confirmed he is a real, but won't give WCCO-TV his name or where he's from because of possible "threats." Leaving one interesting question: If you don't want people to know who you are, why are you in a television commercial?
That's Reality Check.
To check the resources for this Reality Check, click on the links below.
MN Forward: Trick Or Treat
Positively Minnesota: Occupational Employment Statistics
Mark Dayton: Taxes & Budget
Minnesota Revenue: Minnesota Tax Incidence Studies
Pioneer Press: 3 Minnesota Governor Candidates: How They Would Balance State's Budget
