We need opportunities in Minnesota. For Minnesotans. Then Minnesota won’t be in such a bad fiscal shape.

But here goes anyway: Not even Steve Forbes, Mr. “Flat Tax” himself, would espouse that the richest Minnesotans should pay less percentage of their tax than the middle class or poorer Minnesotans. That’s not liberal thinking: If anything, saying that the rich should pay the same percentage as the poor is arguing for anti-progressive (yes, “regressive”) taxation.

As for the local property taxes making up the schools difference, so, no big deal, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, Anti Socialism. Perhaps if you lived in this state and thus had a stake in the outcome other than your blinkered, “liberal-conservative” partisan wars, regardless of the context, you’d know that the state *explicitly said that the state would pick up the lion’s share of education costs” during the “Big Fix” session during the Ventura Administration, when Tim Pawlenty was a leader in the Legislature and voted for these programs. The state then had to renege on this pledge to support education, putting the burden back on property taxes. Got it? It was a broken promise by state politicians and prominently shifted the tax burden on to local units of government. Whether you think that is where it belongs or not, that wasn’t the intention or the political record of Pawlenty and company when it was passed–the record he used to get elected Governor.

Next time, know what you are talking about before opening your mouth, okay?

Also, the increased property tax (it makes sense that local scools should be funded by local property taxes) was close to making up the “shortfall” the author talked about.

Democrats love taxes and raising them. They are often socialists that want government in control of people instead of the other way around. How many social programs run into trouble because political
people can't keep their hands out of the big pots of money they create? Social Security and medicare are great examples. They have the greatest of intentions when they start out. But, the programs go broke because too many people are promised too much money!

Also, just throwing tax money at problems is no guarantee of success. A well spent $500 is often better than three times as much money thrown around loosely.

The author of this article is obviously liberal, and obviously wouldn't like how any GOP Gov. in his state spent money.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121694341497482…

He has been a disaster in a state that used to be pretty well run. The troubles we have all date from Pawlenty's reign, and he needs to take the blame. Hatch should have run against him as not being competent rather than … whatever he mumbled.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121694341497482877.html?mod=djemEditorialPage

He has been a disaster in a state that used to be pretty well run. The troubles we have all date from Pawlenty’s reign, and he needs to take the blame. Hatch should have run against him as not being competent rather than … whatever he mumbled.