The Senate and House property tax relief bills represent the boldest and most significant legislative action in behalf of tax fairness in many years.   Tax bills for many property owners, including those at low- and middle-income levels, have been rising annually by double-digit percentages.   Meanwhile, the Minnesota Department of Revenue's studies show that on the bottom line, state-and-local effective tax rate on top incomes amounts to about 9 percent, compared to more than 12 percent for middle-income Minnesotans.   The same study projects that the rate at the top will continue to decline.  The Legislature can and should do more to target additional revenues from tax increases on investments in education and health-care and transportation and in other areas that we know will help improve the economic well-being of all Minnesotans.  But in the meantime, a revenue-neutral adjustment to an increasingly unfair tax system makes a lot of sense.

Growth & Justice is a nonpartisan progressive economic think tank focused on developing and communicating public policy strategies and agendas to make Minnesota's economy simultaneously more prosperous, fair, and environmentally sustainable. The 501c3 nonprofit organization was founded in Dec. 2002 by Joel Kramer and is governed by a distinguished board of 24 community leaders representing diverse backgrounds and areas of the state.  You can learn more about Growth & Justice's work at www.growthandjustice.org.

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