Minnesota Business Taxes Low Relative to Benefits Received

by | Jul 2, 2018

The public in general and businesses in particular understandably pay close attention to the taxes they pay. However, the other side of the coin—the benefit derived from the expenditure of tax dollars—is frequently overlooked. This makes about as much sense as...

No Significant Net Migration from Minnesota

by | Jun 27, 2018

In recent years, Minnesota conservatives have fretted over the net loss of population to other states. As with nearly every problem the state confronts, the culprit—according to conservatives—is Minnesota’s progressive tax and fiscal policy. The problem with this...

Myths of the 2017 Federal Tax Act

by | Jun 20, 2018

The “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” (TCJA)—the massive federal tax cut passed in December 2017—has failed to produce the benefits touted by its promoters. And if history is any indicator, there is no reason to believe things will change in the future. The following debunks...

State Aid Decline Coincides with City Property Tax Increases

by | Jun 18, 2018

Some state elected officials regularly express angst about the growth in city property taxes, blaming local elected officials for this trend. However, this is a case of misplaced attribution. True, city property taxes have increased since 2000. However, the primary...

City Spending Drops Significantly Since 2000

by | Jun 13, 2018

Some conservatives like to complain about growth in city spending. In reality, spending by Minnesota cities has fallen significantly since the beginning of the century, after properly adjusting for inflation and population growth. The vast majority of this reduction...

Tax Conformity Impasse Was Only Partially About Conformity

by | Jun 5, 2018

In the recently concluded legislative session, lawmakers failed to agree on how to conform Minnesota’s tax code to the new federal tax law passed late last year. The Governor and conservative leadership agreed on most of the mechanics of federal tax conformity, with...