Rod Hamilton

The Minnesota House passed a $1 billion tax bill this evening by a 86-45 margin. All Democrats backed the measure, while every Republican opposed it. The bill would increase revenues in three ways: a new top income tax bracket for Minnesota’s wealthiest citizens, an increase in taxes on alcohol and a surcharge applied to credit card companies that levy interest rates higher than 15 percent. The $1 billion package was hashed out by legislators in a conference committee late last night.

The Minnesota House of Representative is in the midst of a spirited, often cranky debate over a DFL tax bill that includes $1 billion in tax increases, including one on alcohol.

This year there were at least nine state House contests that were rematches from 2006. In three instances, challengers successfully avenged their previous defeats.

What happened to the “override six” on election day? The half-dozen Republican legislators who crossed party lines to overturn Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s veto of the transportation bill last February were immediately vilified within their own caucus. The Republican apostates were stripped of leadership positions and warned of vengeance at the ballot box.

After a tough 2006 electoral battle in which Democrat Ken Tschumper prevailed over incumbent Gregory Davids, the opponents will face off again this year. It is perhaps the most intriguing rematch of the electoral season, but it’s far from the only one. There are at least seven other competitive state House contests that pit foes against each other for a second — or even third — time.