Architects in Minnesota seeing improvement after some lean years

Article by: David Phelps , Star Tribune
Updated: February 24, 2013 - 10:27 AM

After five lean years, architects in Minnesota are seeing improvement — and a threat from the governor’s tax plan.

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dflleftFeb. 24, 13 9:13 PM

THERE IS A VERY GOOD REASON only 3 states tax services .....it DOESN'T work. Perhaps some of the hard core DFL left liberals can speak up and tell us all why this is a good idea.

supervon2Feb. 24, 13 9:48 PM

These guys are non-union and Dayton has no plans to bail them out.

furguson11Feb. 24, 1310:38 PM

My kid checked out a 5-year architecture program at NDSU last year. 45 graduates and the only one that got a job went to Dubai. He decided that maybe civil engineering would be a better direction to go. Architects have bigger problems than a 5.5 percent tax. I say lower the state sales tax and flatten the rate to everyone. Pick the revenue target you want to hit. Quit picking winners and losers in the tax game.

cyberpunkFeb. 25, 1310:49 AM

For architects, adding a sales tax would be adding insult to injury at this point. While some firms have regained the ground lost during the recession, many have not. As a whole, the profession certainly has not. Even firms that have gotten back to pre-recession baselines and are ‘doing well’ have stagnant or declining profit margins because they don’t have any pricing power. In spite of increasing expenses we haven’t had the ability to increase fees for several years. A sales tax would be yet another expense we would just have to eat.

edcommentFeb. 25, 1312:33 PM

Who knew all these service type companies had this loophole. Why did they get this? How are they any different than any other kind of business? Close these loopholes and lower the rate for everyone--not just those who paid for someone's campaign back in the day when sales tax was implemented.