« MAN WHO CALLED NEW YORK CITY “HYMIE TOWN” TO CAMPAIGN FOR KEITH ELLISON | Home | STAR TRIBUNE: PAWLENTY ENCOURAGES AD SIGNERS: SEND A CHECK »
GOVERNOR PAWLENTY CALLS BLUFF OF THOSE ASKING FOR $2 BILLION PER YEAR TAX INCREASE
By Michael B. Brodkorb | June 22, 2006
The following is a statement from Governor Tim Pawlenty regarding the full-page ad in today's Star Tribune from the "Growth & Justice" think tank calling for a $2 billion per year tax increase.
"After decades of struggle, we are proud to have moved Minnesota out of the top ten in taxes. We now have budget surpluses and double digit revenue growth to the state. We are not undertaxed and will be able to fund our key priorities like education without raising taxes.
"Having read the names of those who signed the full-page ad in today's Star Tribune, I want to issue them a friendly challenge. I invite the people on the list to send in a voluntary contribution to the state, above and beyond the taxes they already pay, of $250,000 to $2 million each.
"Since their contributions will be public information under our Data Practices Act, we will look into listing the names of these generous Minnesotans on a state website. I will also personally pose with each of them for a commemorative photo in the Governor's Reception Room accepting their contribution and issue them a certificate of appreciation. I look forward to the state receiving checks from each of these 203 individuals."
Tags: Uncategorized
Topics: Uncategorized | 30 Comments »
30 Responses to “GOVERNOR PAWLENTY CALLS BLUFF OF THOSE ASKING FOR $2 BILLION PER YEAR TAX INCREASE”
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
June 22nd, 2006 at 5:41 PM
So a cross-section of Minnesota’s richest citizens suggest that, despite what the governor says, they are being undertaxed. Rather than accepting this news, and fixing the problem, the Governor decides to put out a press release to be cute.
Why am I not surprised that he would rather issue a press release than help make Minnesota a better place to live?
June 22nd, 2006 at 5:49 PM
Yeah, that’s fair. And just because I think we need to increase the gas tax, I’ll pay an extra five cents per gallon when I fill up!
I’m duly impressed by Governor Pawlenty’s playground tactics. But apparently he doesn’t much care that the middle class is paying more of their income in taxes than the wealthiest in the state.
June 22nd, 2006 at 5:49 PM
I was thinking the same thing. Or they should do what I (and other conservatives) do. Increase our donations to non-profits. Then the charity gets 100% of what I donate. No funds held back to fund government bur’cy.
If I give an extra $50 to the Salvation Army, then almost the entire $50 goes to local relief.
June 22nd, 2006 at 5:53 PM
Actually some other states have instituted this in response to those who call for higher taxes. A couple of states (Arkansas for one I think) calls it the “tax me more fund”. I don’t like the cynical name. If someone wants to send in extra money to the government, I don’t think we should belittle them. That’s less tax liability for me so I can spend and donate in ways I see best.
June 22nd, 2006 at 7:15 PM
“So a cross-section of Minnesota’s richest citizens suggest that, despite what the governor says, they are being undertaxed.”
Cross section of Twin Cities liberals, maybe, but not regular people.
“Why am I not surprised that he would rather issue a press release than help make Minnesota a better place to live?”
What an absolute load of crap. If these people want to pay more there’s no one stopping them. Instead of “being cute” and buying ads, put up or shut up. The ad should have shown 100 checks showing these people willing to belly up to the bar instead of signing some bogus, petty, childish petition that meant nothing more than grandstanding.
Show me the money, people. You want to be taxed more? You don’t need a law to pay more, just write the check.
“Rather than accepting this news, and fixing the problem, the Governor decides to put out a press release to be cute.”
If everyone of these people doesn’t show up with the Governor in the next 30 days we know it was nothing but a political stunt. I don’t even care if they do the Governor thing. Take out another ad in 30 days showing cancelled checks. Short of that we know it was nothing but politics.
SHOW ME THE MONEY!
June 22nd, 2006 at 8:23 PM
Once again, the Guv calls the liberal rubes’ bluff. Nothing’s stopping them from sending in the check to the Department of Revenue, so quit the posturing and put your money where your mouth is.
June 22nd, 2006 at 9:08 PM
Donating to non-profits is fine but, the government has a responsibility to provide certain services at a certain level. Taxes are the revenues that pay for that.
June 22nd, 2006 at 10:40 PM
What bluff? The governor’s record of being cheap is being noticed all around the state, and played right into the trap. There is fiscally responsible, and then there is cheap. I think a lot of people who see their property taxes, college tuition and, for Hennepin County residents, sales tax, going up, will have a hard time understanding a governor unwilling to accept an helping hand from the state’s residents most able to pay. I think a republican making $20k a year is going to see this offer and the swift rejection, and begin to wornder why they voted for this bobo in the first place.
June 22nd, 2006 at 10:59 PM
Once again, the Guv calls the liberal rubes’ bluff. Nothing’s stopping them from sending in the check to the Department of Revenue, so quit the posturing and put your money where your mouth is.
Republicans may dream of the day when all tax collection is merely voluntary, and everybody just pays what they want.
But our tax system needs to be fair and equitable. It’s not fair and equitable if only certain people pay more, while Bill Cooper and Brian Sullivan pay less of their income than a middle income family trying to juggle jobs, kids, school, their mortgage, health insurance, and fueling their cars.
Another Republican campaign slogan: “Sure, the wealthiest 1% of Minnesotans pay less of their income in taxes than you do. What are YOU going to do about it, whiners?”
June 22nd, 2006 at 11:02 PM
And a serious question for those Republicans out there: does not not bother you that the top 10% of wage earners in this state pay a lower percentage of their income in taxes than the people in the middle? Shouldn’t it at least be equal, to say nothing about the idea of a progressive tax system?
June 22nd, 2006 at 11:06 PM
OK, those of you who don’t like taxes. then stop going to our parks, don’t use the water out of the tap, and get off the roads. Seriously though, why are taxes bad? You pay for the quality of life you want. Unfortunately, over the last four years–really going back to 2000–my quality of life has gone down. The extra $20 I have on each paycheck is hardly worth the tax cut it took to get it…..
June 22nd, 2006 at 11:55 PM
If these selfish, arrogant, lefty nut-jobs had an ounce of self respect or true compassion, they would be writing checks to the Salvation Army or the Catholic Church rather than trying to buy some fraudulent compassion by running self-serving ads in the Star Tribune.
I will be waiting anxiously to see if they divert some of their campaign contributions from the Hatch or Klobuchar campaigns for additional contributions to the State Government alter they all worship at.
June 23rd, 2006 at 6:29 AM
For this group to demand a tax increase on everybody making $275K or more is like Kirstie Alley calling on everybody over 60 pounds to go on a diet.
Removing millions of dollars in billionaire welfare from the pockets of Hennepin County taxpayers seems not to have been enough for the Pohlad family. I don’t remember any Pohlads complaining about money burning a hole in their pocket when they were threatening to take the team away because they could not afford a stadium. Now Jim Pohlad and his billionaire friends wants to raise taxes on small business owners.
Tell you what Jim, when their small businesses get the same breaks your family does, then you can speak for them. Until then, you and the rest of the under-taxed billionaires can cry in your Homer Hankies.
June 23rd, 2006 at 7:54 AM
Why is it when the Governor responds to the super rich liberal left, all of the other liberals just can’t stand to listen to his answer? Maybe liberals are the ones who aren’t being honest or sincere about supporting higher taxes. Maybe the super rich in the liberal left should stop whining and start sending in checks and then maybe Governor Pawlenty will then take them seriously.
As I learned along time ago, “No guts, no glory†and that goes for the super rich, super wacko’s who have so much money they waste it taking out big ads in liberal newspapers.
June 23rd, 2006 at 8:29 AM
I see Americans gave more to non-profits/charitable organizations last year then the GDP of the entire country of Sweden.
Seems the tax cuts are working. The economy is good, tax receipts are way up and people are donating huge cash to groups they support.
June 23rd, 2006 at 9:39 AM
I’m really not sure what my tax pmts are in relation to my income, but for state and fed’l income tax, sales tax, property tax, etc I’d estimate around 35%. My income is not very high. I think I pay enough.
I’d feel better about if there was some accountability in gov’t spending. When gov’t employees start working 50 hour weeks, 50 weeks a year like I do, then I’ll feel better about giving them more.
June 23rd, 2006 at 9:39 AM
When the Catholic Church and the Salvation Army start fixing our roads, protecting our environment and providing other necessary government functions, maybe I’ll send then a dollar or two.
June 23rd, 2006 at 9:47 AM
“When the Catholic Church and the Salvation Army start fixing our roads, protecting our environment and providing other necessary government functions, maybe I’ll send then a dollar or two.”
Apparently you’ve never been a little “down on your luck”. If you are ever homeless, those two groups will do a lot more for you then a gov’t bur’cy. If you house burns down, they will be there first and more effiecently.
Last fall I gave $50 to the Humane Society to assist with Katrina work. Most likely the entire $50 went there for good work.
I see the gov’t estimates…is a $1,000,000,000 of federal money was wasted there? Much of it they have no clue where it went. And much of it they do…such as hotel rooms in Hawaii and purchases at adult book stores.
June 23rd, 2006 at 10:02 AM
Bleeding hearts can only be healed when it’s YOUR money they spend, not theirs. That’s why I’m 100% certain not one of the 203 richies will be sending the revenue dept. any extra money.
June 23rd, 2006 at 10:08 AM
“If you are ever homeless, those two groups will do a lot more for you then a gov’t bur’cy. If you house burns down, they will be there first and more effiecently.”
I absolutely agree.
While one could argue that the government shouldn’t be in the business of providing these types of servies (although I would disagree), I think it’s a harder case to make that the private sector, non-profits and NGO’s should be the ones in charge of tranportation, public safety and regulatory services.
June 23rd, 2006 at 10:12 AM
Hey Eric, a lot of us are more than willing to pay for roads and the protection of our environment and other public goods. And the Catholic Church and the Salvation Army are not designed or well equipt to do those things necessarily.
Here is a deal for you. I’ll agree to pay in state taxes a lower rate than I am currently paying that it would take to maintain a clean environment, build some roads, educate our kids (while allowing for choice) and provide a judicial system and public safety if you agree that state government will get out of almost everything else and that you will start doing as I do, giving to the Catholic Church, the Salvation Army, et al for all of the compassion stuff that Government currently plays a totally counter productive role in.
Deal?
June 23rd, 2006 at 10:24 AM
Sure thing, write out a check to the Catholic Church:
http://www.spokesmanreview.com/sections/diocese/
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/07/06/national/main627724.shtml
http://atheism.about.com/b/a/114300.htm
http://www.catholic.org/national/national_story.php?id=20016
http://writ.news.findlaw.com/hamilton/20040713.html
June 23rd, 2006 at 10:35 AM
I wonder if Roving can tell me how many “poor” people create jobs and have employees??
Let me guess, you also hate Wal-Mart?
June 23rd, 2006 at 10:46 AM
Dwight, I agree. The homosexual priests have been a huge problem the the church handled incredibly poorly.
I’m not Catholic and don’t contribute to them, but Catholic Charities still does much good. How much good does the ALCU Charities do?
June 23rd, 2006 at 10:57 AM
“Here is a deal for you. I’ll agree to pay in state taxes a lower rate than I am currently paying….”
As long as they’re based on a progressive tax system–with tax cuts for the poor and middle class and a fourth bracket added for those making, say, more than $500k/year.
“if you agree that state government will get out of almost everything else.”
Including the bedroom?
“…and that you will start doing as I do….”
If you can get everyone to give to the orgs of their choice, you may have a deal. But how do you convince John or Mary Doe to pass up that new HD TV or a new SUV and give to their church/mosque/synagogue or favorite non-profit?
For the record, I don’t mind paying my fair share in taxes AND giving to charitable organizations, which I do.
June 23rd, 2006 at 12:17 PM
“As long as they’re based on a progressive tax system–with tax cuts for the poor and middle class and a fourth bracket added for those making, say, more than $500k/year.”
Let me guess…..you make $499K/year?
June 23rd, 2006 at 1:32 PM
You f—ing Democrats don’t have a clue. Spending in the State of Minnesota is over $30 billion a biennium. It’s doubled in the past decade. Wisconsin has 500,000 more residents than Minnesota does and they spend less in their state budget than we do.
Taxing the wealthy to redistribute the money to someone else is bad economics. It’s been tried in countries, like Cuba, where they call it Socialism. It hurts people who own farms and run small businesses – the very job creators who have propelled Minnesota’s unemployment rate to the lowest in the region and one of the lowest in the nation.
All the Democrats know how to do is tax and spend, tax and spend. There isn’t a problem in the Democrats’ world that can’t be solved by taking from someone who has money and giving it to someone else. If you people want to run on that platform, then bring it on!
June 23rd, 2006 at 2:47 PM
I find it amusing how some people can be so generous with other people’s money.
June 23rd, 2006 at 9:12 PM
C’mon liberal dudes. The wealthy already do pay a higher % of their income in taxes. We have a “progressive” tax code. Really! Look it up. In fact, please get more facts in general to support your arguments. Don’t worry, I’m still all for gay rights and abortion. Seriously!
June 24th, 2006 at 9:21 AM
Hey Chris et al,
Wisconsin is right next door, let me show you the way. Only some transplant from some crappy state could suggest we set our standards to what Wisconsin does.
This state had a great reputation and you Republicans are crapping on it every single legislative session. I can’t wait until next year when order is restored.