state + local

Mark, you need to show some real cuts and more of a moderate proposal. We have a very fragile economy and a huge increase in govt spending isn't wise at this point.

DAYTON should have no worries, DFL controls the House and Senate and the Unions are on board; who could possibly stop this? other than perhaps common sense.

Gee, I thought Democrats were for helping the poor and middle class, but then they want to raise the taxes that hit those groups the hardest. Easy for Dayton to ask for raising regressive sales taxes and other fees that hit the poor and middle class the hardest when he has never paid his "fair share" into the system by hiding his money in South Dakota.

Dayton paid a tax rate of about 22% on his 2010 income of $671,000. So much for him paying his "fair share."

The first honest budget we've had in a decade. And it does not increase taxes on the poor and middle class. It changes the sources of taxes, and actually makes the rates more fair. Thank you, Governor Dayton.

Nice to see Dayton likes Pawlenty's "health impact fee" so much that he wants to raise it even more because only rich people smoke! Here are a few ideas of names for Dayton's new "fees". 1. My teenage daughter saved for months to buy a pair of designer jeans fees. 2. I spread manure for a living so hammer me on my licensing fees. 3. My son plays football which is combative so take your chunk out of his hide fee. 4. I embalm people for a living but to hell with letting them rest in peace fee.

mrhands Jan. 29, 13 10:26 PM Dayton paid a tax rate of about 22% on his 2010 income of $671,000. So much for him paying his "fair share."******************************The regressive presidential candidate payed 13% and it was the only tax return he would show. because on all the other ones he payed less then that obviously. The only reason it got so high for him is because he was going to be a candidate ,otherwise it would have been zero.

"The first honest budget we've had in a decade. And it does not increase taxes on the poor and middle class. It changes the sources of taxes, and actually makes the rates more fair." ~ ginny6

You are correct, ginny6 -- in contrast with the gaggle of naysayers posting here who, in keeping with Oscar Wilde's definition of the critic, "know the price of everything ... and the value of nothing."

Dayton basically does what the unions want which is more government spending and increased salaries and benefits for government union workers. Think about the single mom who's car breaks down and when she gets it repaired, she has to pay an extra $30- $40 for the "Dayton Tax." Or what about the young couple who have a five year old and are barely making ends meet. Their pet gets sick and they take it to the vet and now the visit costs an extra $10 thanks to the Dayton tax. You don't think this has an impact on people's lives? It does and it hurts. It's easy to cut spending in this state - first, you freeze spending on things like higher education. They will be just fine. Do not build more stupid things like the "Wolf Interpretative Center." Cut the number of state workers by 10% over the next five years through attrition and improved use of technology. Freeze state government wages for five years and increase the amount that government workers pay towards benefits to 25% - the private industry standard.

After reading the cheap shots at Dayton about raising taxes on the middle class, I am beginning to reconsider where I fit in all this. I knew I had slipped for middle class to lower middle class when I retired from one of my two jobs, but what Dayton has proposed, gives me a break on the sales tax and $500 that was taken away when SOMEONE removed the homestead credit. So I have to pay tax on clothing over $100? Do you know the last time someone in my financial group paid $100 for an article of clothing? Sorry, if you are complaining, you are probably not middle class or, have a very different definition of middle class than I do.