ST. PAUL —State Representative Patrick Garofalo, R-Farmington, issued the following statement regarding Gov. Tim Walz's 2021-2022 budget proposal. Gov. Walz is proposing nearly $1.7 billion in new taxes including a 10% hike to Minnesota's top tax bracket, a 15 percent hike to Minnesota's business tax, and regressive tax hikes on cigarettes and vaping products that disproportionately hit low-income Minnesotans. The Governor is proposing just .3% in cuts ($150 million) out of a $52+ billion budget.
“Governor Walz’s budget proposal is wrong for Minnesota and will slow the state’s recovery from the economic damage caused by his shutdowns,” said Rep. Garofalo. “Instead of raising taxes, we should focus on cutting spending and streamlining government services as a means of balancing the budget. As lawmakers, we should make sure that government shares in the sacrifice that so many Minnesotans had to bear in 2020.”
Lawmakers and the Governor must pass a new two-year budget by June 30 to avoid a state government shutdown.
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