In the final day of the legislative session, one thing looks clear: There will be no tax relief for Minnesotans who pay some of the highest taxes in the country, despite a $1.9 billion taxpayer surplus.
Here’s where some of it is going: (no budget detail readily available)
- $166 million for colleges and universities
- $400 million for K-12
- $111 million for judiciary/public safety
- $38 million for agriculture
- $30 million for transportation
- $30 million for jobs/economic development
- $10 million for state government/veterans affairs
In total, nearly $800 million has been spent and Governor Mary Dayton is stating he wants an additional $150 million for K-12, or he’ll veto the K-12 bill that passed late last night sending the legislature into a special session. The Governor also wants $173 million to create half-day universal PreK, and an unspecified amount for various other state projects.
Legislators plan on holding $1 billion in budget reserves to spend next year, an election year.