Senator Julianne Ortman (R-Chanhassen) says the state needs to make an “emergency landing” because it has “too much weight and not enough fuel to get to our destination”. She says the budget solves the state’s $5 Billion deficit “without raising one dime of new taxes”. Senator Ortman neglects to mention that the Republican drafted budget bills include new fees and raises old ones. House and Senate non-partisan analysis of the bills have concluded that Minnesota property owners would see significant property tax increases because of the cuts to local government aid.