|
| Date: | October 5, 2011 | | Contact Name: | Peter Winiecki | | Contact Phone: | 651-297-8077 | | Contact Email: | peter.winiecki@senate.mn | | For Immediate Release | |
|
| INGEBRIGTSEN JOINS AREA LAWMAKERS TO TALK TAXES |
(Alexandria) – State Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen (R-Alexandria) recently participated in a discussion forum with other Alexandria area legislators to field questions and address changes made to the homestead market value credit (HMVC) and other provisions in this year’s tax bill. To fully explain and comprehend the effect of these changes, lawmakers were joined by Representative Greg Davids (R-Preston), Chair of the House Tax Committee.
The effort to eliminate or reform the HMVC was not a new proposal this year at the State Capitol. While this property tax credit was established with the best intentions in 2001, state budget deficits consistently forced lawmakers to scale back on these reimbursements to local governments and the HMVC frequently became a target of budget reductions.
“Quite honestly, the system was broken. The homestead market value credit was only fully funded once in its existence,” said Sen. Ingebrigtsen. “It was appropriate to adopt a responsible reform measure that offers local governments more stability in how they decide how much to spend and how much to levy on to taxpayers.”
Topics of discussion also included unemployment, deficits, taxes and government spending. Consistent battles in Washington, state, and local levels have maintained the focus on jobs and the problematic growth in spending and its impact on taxpayers.
“Taxpayers have a right to be concerned about the consistent state budget deficits and the exponentially rising national debt,” said Sen. Ingebrigtsen. “My colleagues and I remain committed to reigning in government spending and reforming how the state spends tax dollars. At a time of seven percent unemployment in Minnesota, we need to do all we can to encourage private sector job growth as the true remedy to joblessness. Higher taxes, out of control spending and perpetual budget deficits simply sends the wrong signal to business leaders and job creators. I will continue to work as a good steward of taxpayer dollars and seek solutions to state unemployment as we approach the 2012 Legislative Session.”
###
