Sen. Roger Chamberlain (R-Lino Lakes)
Less than 24 hours remain in the legislative session and a top Republican says they have a deal with Governor Mark Dayton on tax cuts, but the governor’s office won’t confirm it and others say there’s no handshake yet. Senate Taxes Committee Chairman Roger Chamberlain says the “implicit agreement” is 660 million dollars in tax cuts. Chamberlain says, “The citizens gave up 500 million dollars — about 40 percent of the [Republican] tax bill — back to the governor and the Democrats so they can spend it…. That should suffice.” Chamberlain says state income tax on Social Security benefits would decrease for many Minnesotans…there would be tax relief for small businesses and farmers and other property owners…and help for students with college loans.
Governor Mark Dayton opposed it, but Chamberlain says the bill *does* eliminate automatic increases in the tobacco tax: “Which I’ll say did surprise me,” he says. “I didn’t necessarily think that was the greatest thing in the world, either, but it got in the bill and he [Dayton] decided to take it.”
The governor’s office would not confirm whether there’s an agreement.
Here’s the interview from Sunday night with Sen. Chamberlain: