Minn. Democratic Gov. Dayton Kills GOP Tax-Break Bill

Minnesota Republicans are accusing Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton of shutting down job creation efforts in the state by vetoing a GOP-sponsored package of business tax breaks.
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State House Speaker Kurt Zellers called the veto Monday ?personally offensive and outrageous? and said it would put a ?Closed for Business? sign across the state, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

The bill pushed by Zellers and other Republicans would have provided businesses with property tax breaks many of the state?s top corporate leaders had sought. The bill would have also provided tax breaks for the purchase of capital equipment and for employers who hired veterans.

But Dayton, the Star Tribune reported, ?issued a harshly critical, three-page veto letter,? in which he said the bill overall would have blown a $100 million hole in the state budget.

?It ignored my requirement that any future spending must be paid for and avoid adding to the next biennium?s projected deficit,? Dayton said.

Republicans lawmakers were particularly incensed over the veto, which killed a primary component of their so-called job creation plan, because some of them had agreed to support a bill to help facilitate the building of a new $975 million stadium for the Minnesota Vikings football franchise.

The Star Tribune said some of them thought Dayton might sign the tax break measure as a goodwill gesture in return for their support on the stadium bill.

State business leaders also expressed their frustration with the veto.

?The governor showed a great amount of flexibility on his top priority, the stadium, and little or no flexibility on issues related to small business job creation,? said David Olson, president of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.

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