State Senate Republicans lay out their agenda for 2020 this morning, just under a month from the start of the legislative session. Republicans have been saying they’d like more tax cuts — either personal and/or for businesses. After the fall economic forecast showed another billion-dollar-plus budget surplus that topped off the state’s “rainy day” fund, Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka said, “It’s time to give the rest back.” Governor Tim Walz’s response: “We did the tax bill last year and we did that and we saw a middle-class tax cut — and I’m kind of unsure why they don’t want to tell people that. It’s almost as if they don’t want ’em to know that I signed a tax cut.”
Senate Republicans have also talked about completely eliminating state income tax on Social Security benefits. Governor Tim Walz says about that:
“This was part of a discussion that was in the last budgeting cycle. That is probably one that they certainly are valid, and I’m interested in talking with them about it, but that’s probably best left for a budget cycle of 2021.”