Minneapolis, Minn. – Governor Dayton again misled Minnesotans during the second debate. Get the facts on Governor Dayton’s record below.
“Governor Dayton is hurting farmers in Greater Minnesota by delaying the Sandpiper Pipeline, increasing property taxes and signing a bill that contained a farm equipment tax that completely stunned Minnesota’s farmers,” said Keith Downey, Chairman of the Republican Party of Minnesota. “Governor Dayton bizarrely claimed underemployment wasn’t an issue after expressing his deep concerns about it as recently as last year. Minnesota is 41st when it comes to private sector job growth. But Governor Dayton’s only plan is to raise taxes again, further burdening folks in Greater Minnesota and killing private sector job growth. Minnesotans deserve better from their governor and that’s why Minnesotans will elect Jeff Johnson on November 4.”
Facts on Governor Dayton’s Record in Greater Minnesota:
Mark Dayton is killing jobs in Minnesota and hurting farmers. “Minnesota regulators on Thursday ordered a broader search for the best pathway to build a major new crude oil pipeline across the state. The 3-2 decision by the state Public Utilities Commission was a setback for Enbridge Energy, which wants to build the $2.6 billion Sandpiper pipeline through northern Minnesota to carry North Dakota oil to a terminal in Superior, Wis., that feeds refineries across the Midwest.”
(David Shaffer, Minnesota regulators want broader look at pipeline route, Star Tribune, September 11, 2014)
“Minnesota rail delays costing farmers – $100M and counting” “The study — by Edward Usset of the U’s Center for Farm Financial Management — estimated the rail delays cost Minnesota corn growers $72 million in lower prices from March to May, an average loss of 30 cents per bushel. He put the revenue losses at $18.8 million for soybean growers, or 40.5 cents per bushel, and $8.5 million for wheat growers, or 41 cents per bushel.”
(Steve Karnowski, Minnesota rail delays costing farmers – $100M and counting, Pioneer Press, July 10, 2014)
Property taxes could increase by $238 million. “Statewide, property taxes are projected to increase by $238 million, or 2.8%, according to the simulation. Approximately $99 million in property taxes falls on new construction – property that will appear on the tax rolls for the first time in 2015, so that the net impact on existing properties is an increase of $139 million. The overall tax increases are projected to be 3.3% in Greater Minnesota and 2.4% in the Metro area.”
(Steve Hinz, House Research Simulation Report: Property Tax, House Research, July 10, 2014)
Mark Dayton burdened farmers with farm equipment tax. “‘They don’t like it, and I don’t blame them,’ Will said. ‘If you have a $5,000, $10,000 or $20,000 repair bill, this amounts to a lot of money.’”
(“Minn. farm equipment repair tax faces wide disdain,” AP, August 19, 2013)
Minnesota ranks 41st in private sector job growth. “According to the new data, which everyone agrees is more reliable than the monthly numbers, Minnesota ranked 41st in the nation in private sector job growth from March 2013 to March 2014, with a growth rate of 0.8 percent.”
(Adam Belz, “New data ranks Minnesota last in Midwest in private sector job creation”, Star Tribune, September 26, 2014)
“49 percent of this state’s working adults are underemployed.” “Median income: Minnesota’s median household income was also $6,000 less in 2012 than it was at its peak in 1999…Underemployment: three out of five Minnesotans with bachelor’s degrees hold jobs that don’t require one. Some of them undoubtedly love what they do. But that stat still sounds to me like a lot of unfulfilled dreams — and like an economy that’s not healthy…49 percent of this state’s working adults are underemployed — that is, working at jobs for which they are overqualified, and presumably earning smaller paychecks than they once expected.”
(Lori Sturdevant, “Minnesotans are on the job, but overqualified for what’s available,” Star Tribune, April 4, 2014)
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