commentaries

----balances the $1.1 billion deficit in fiscal 2013-14 with $2.1 billion in new revenue and makes an investment of $1 billion in K-12 education, higher education, property tax reductions and jobs.--- If you are raising B2b taxes you are not making an investment in jobs. Want to look at tax or revenue increases to eliminate the deficit all well and good. But fact is the majority of Dayton's taxes are being used to fund increased spending, not to eliminate the deficit.

Enacting business to business taxes is itself a gimmick. It gives citizens the false belief that someone else is paying more in taxes, while they receive their property tax relief. If someone were to propose a budget without gimmicks they would not hide their tax increases where the result is simply hidden in higher prices and fewer jobs. Tax citizens directly and quit hiding your new revenue through "gimmicks" like this.

Richard Coehn I have 3 points for you

#1 ". Instead, he presents a straightforward budget that balances the $1.1 billion deficit in fiscal 2013-14 with $2.1 billion in new revenue and makes an investment of $1 billion in K-12 education," ........ Dayton starts with -$1.1B He proposes spending $2.2B ( not $1.1B)and proposes $2.1B in new taxes. Simple math will tell you you have a $1.2B deficit!

#2 " No Gimmicks" Really??? Dayton proposes a $500 property tax rebate on a tax the State never collected! Thats a gimmick!

#3 "No Gimmicks" Really?? Dayton continues to support the Renters Property Tax Rebate. That is a tax rebate by the State on a tax the State never collected and the renter never paid! Thats a gimmick!

#4 LGA... The State has no business funding cities local government budgets! This cities have their own revenue sources, property tax and sales tax. Plus the distribution is questionable??? Democratic voting cities! THats a gimmick!

"We need to give MUCH more money to education because we have not kept up over the past decade" "let's give the U of M 90mm to hold tuition flat" and these are not gimmicks? This is just political payback. No significant cuts to govt spending? Get seriuous Mark.

Gimmick number one: He wants to "give" you a one time $500 property tax rebate. Liberal after liberal has posted how great that is and how much they are going to enjoy getting "free" money. The entire thought of government giving you something is a gimmick and nothing is free.

In the first part of this piece Cohen calls the K-12 shift a gimmick by the GOP. Then he closes by saying Dayton's budget has no gimmicks, even though the same K-12 shift is continued. I guess if they say it enough it will be true.

I'll take living here anyday over Wisconsin.