Governor Mark Dayton Says he's not in favor of a property tax funded Vikings Stadium. Click on photo to watch Republicans describe their proposal
Governor Mark Dayton quickly shot down a proposal to build a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings tied to reducing business property taxes.
The proposal was made at a late morning Republican legislator’s news conference. They said it was something they thought the Governor could support. But before noon the Governor issued a statement saying:
“The Party of property tax increases is at it again. Some Republican legislators now want to force me into accepting their scheme for eliminating all property taxes on businesses in order to get their approval for a new “People’s Stadium.”
Evidently, they don’t care about everyone else who pays property taxes in Minnesota, like home-owning families, farmers, senior citizens, and renters. Republican legislators proved last year that they don’t care about those property tax burdens, when they eliminated the Homestead Market Value Credit. If they now eliminated all the property taxes that businesses pay, everyone else’s property taxes would inevitably increase in order to fund our cities, counties, townships, and public schools.
I will not raise taxes on the people of Minnesota to build a new stadium – not property taxes and not any other general tax. I will continue to work cooperatively with the Republican authors of the stadium bill, their DFL colleagues, the City of Minneapolis, and others, who want to find a responsible way to put several thousand Minnesotans back to work.”
The stadium proposal from Senator Roger Chamberlain (R- Lino Lakes) has no site, but would have the state kick in money and reduce the property taxes on businesses. Representative Linda Runbeck (R- Circle Pines) says this is an opportunity for businesses to step up and become part of the solution. Senator David Hann (R- Eden Prairie) says linking the stadium to reducing business property taxes over time is a “critical component” of the proposal.
