A Brief History of LGA

by | Apr 7, 2016

For four and a half decades, the Local Government Aid (LGA) program has provided assistance to Minnesota cities to pay for essential services and infrastructure and to help hold down property taxes. In recent years, some state policymakers have attempted to increase...

Minnesota in the Middle on Middle-Income Taxes

by | Apr 4, 2016

In conservative quarters, it is accepted as gospel truth that Minnesota is a high tax state. However, to some extent Minnesota’s high tax reputation is undeserved. While state and local taxes on high income households in Minnesota are above average, taxes paid by...

Working Family Credit Works

by | Apr 1, 2016

Conservatives and progressives don’t agree on much—especially in the area of tax policy. However, one program that draws support from both ends of the political spectrum is Minnesota’s Working Family Credit. This tax credit helps families across the state meet basic...

2015 Tax Proposals Comparison

by | Mar 25, 2016

North Star Policy Institute recently published an article asking the question, “What if the 2015 tax proposals from the Minnesota legislature had been enacted?” This post includes a one-page summary of the findings from that article. 2015 Minnesota Tax...

State Property Tax: A Good Deal for Businesses

by | Mar 23, 2016

Since 2002, property taxes on Minnesota businesses have been growing less rapidly than taxes on most other classes of property. As with all things pertaining to the property tax system, the explanation for this trend is varied and complicated. However, the state...

2015 Tax Proposals: a “What If” Analysis

by | Mar 21, 2016

The legislature failed to pass an omnibus tax bill during the 2015 legislative session. But what if the Governor’s 2015 tax proposal had been enacted in 2015? Or what if the Senate’s 2015 omnibus tax bill had been enacted? Or the House’s? The analysis below will...