“Very good news for Minnesotans,” says Minnesota House Speaker, Republican Kurt Daudt, about the latest forecast showing Minnesota with a 329-million-dollar budget surplus. Republicans call it one of the largest turnarounds in state history from last November’s projected deficit, and they say it’s because Republicans did tax relief in Minnesota and in Congress. Daudt says, “Republicans put more money back in Minnesotans’ pockets and the state has benefited from that.”
But Democratic Governor Mark Dayton urges lawmakers to use caution when deciding what to do with that expected extra money. He says, “After the temporary boost to the national economy provided by the federal government’s massive tax cut and spending increase, both real GDP growth and consumer spending will recede to below their previous forecast.”