Pawlenty vetoes gas tax, income tax bills

05/16/2007

By Patricia Lopez,
Star Tribune
May 15, 2007


Gov. Tim Pawlenty struck swiftly and with strong language Tuesday to veto a gasoline tax increase and an income-tax-for-property-tax swap that were at the heart of the DFL's agenda for the session.

DFLers accused him of protecting the state's richest 1 percent -- those who would have borne most of the income tax increase, which would pay for the proposed property tax relief -- at the expense of everyone else. But they conceded that some of their top objectives are fast sliding out of reach.

"Property tax relief is not really on the way," said Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis. Pawlenty, he said, "has roadblocked significant property tax relief, and that is a big disappointment." Pogemiller said DFLers lack the votes to override the income tax veto and added that proposals to expand early childhood education "are at risk."

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