Last thing that Minnesota needs is another tax increase

As usual, the Star Tribune's March 22 editorial "Moderate ground/Support Dorman-Greiling" couldn't be further from the truth.

First, Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville, is an unabashed liberal who during her tenure in the Legislature has been a consistent voice for higher taxes and unlimited spending.

Secondly, as it turns out, after six years in office, Republican Rep. Dan Dorman, R-Albert Lea, is not the fiscal conservative he promised his constituents he would be in that all-important first election. Instead he has morphed into a veritable tax-and-spend liberal -- most recently joining with Greiling in proposing a whopping $358 million increase in state spending above the current proposed $2 billion increase in state general fund spending.

Although Jeb has been bashed by many for "backing down" on the TS affair, I am very glad he is the governor of this red state.

The current proposal on the table increases state spending by $2 billion, but apparently that's not enough for Greiling, Dorman, the education establishment or the Star Tribune. It's never enough.

Change the names and that is true everywhere in the liberal world. - It's never enough.

The Dorman-Greiling proposal and others like it would start Minnesota on a renewed spending spree and, if rendered law, necessitate a tax increase to pay for it. Minnesotans already bear some of the highest corporate income tax rates, capital gains tax rates and personal income tax rates (just to name a few) in the country."

Interestingly, we have no state income tax of any type. And it would require a constitutional referendum to change that.

As usual, the Star Tribune's March 22 editorial "Moderate ground/Support Dorman-Greiling" couldn't be further from the truth.

First, Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville, is an unabashed liberal who during her tenure in the Legislature has been a consistent voice for higher taxes and unlimited spending.

Secondly, as it turns out, after six years in office, Republican Rep. Dan Dorman, R-Albert Lea, is not the fiscal conservative he promised his constituents he would be in that all-important first election. Instead he has morphed into a veritable tax-and-spend liberal -- most recently joining with Greiling in proposing a whopping $358 million increase in state spending above the current proposed $2 billion increase in state general fund spending.

As a candidate for the House in 1998, Dorman told the Legal Ledger newspaper on Aug. 25 that the No. 1 issue in his campaign was economic development and that "fiscal conservatism rings true here."

He added, "we need to lower the tax ... we want to be a low tax state." The Star Tribune editorial staff would say Dorman has "grown in office" since 1998, but his constituents and fellow Republicans are seeing something different -- betrayal.

It bears repeating that the February State Economic Forecast predicts an 8 percent increase in tax revenue -- driven by a 13 percent increase in income tax collections during the next two years. The current proposal on the table increases state spending by $2 billion, but apparently that's not enough for Greiling, Dorman, the education establishment or the Star Tribune. It's never enough.

Dorman's proposal to grow state spending by an additional $358 million is an affront to his caucus, Gov. Tim Pawlenty and our party's platform. This version of fiscal conservatism "rings false."

The Dorman-Greiling proposal and others like it would start Minnesota on a renewed spending spree and, if rendered law, necessitate a tax increase to pay for it. Minnesotans already bear some of the highest corporate income tax rates, capital gains tax rates and personal income tax rates (just to name a few) in the country.

Minnesota is one the highest-taxed states in the Union. The last thing the Minnesota economy needs is another tax increase -- especially one proposed by a phantom conservative.

Back in 1998, candidate Dorman was right to connect lower taxes with economic development. Now we need Representative Dorman to return to the beliefs that got him elected.

Fortunately, the Minnesota House rejected this proposal on a bipartisan basis. During the debate I challenged Dorman and anyone else proposing more spending to bring their companion tax increase bills to the House Tax Committee for a hearing. The challenge remains open -- anyone who wants to propose a tax increase will get a fair hearing in the Tax Committee.

Phil Krinkie, R-Shoreview, is a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives and is chairman of the House Tax Committee.

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