Renters Credit at Risk: Take Action Today
03/19/2008
Renters Credit at Risk: Take Action TodayFriends, Please consider taking action on this and stop Pawlenty from solving his budget crisis on the backs of low-income families.
Thanks,
Crysta Parkin
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From: Nan Madden
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Subject: Renters Credit at Risk: Take Action Today
Dear Friends:
The Governor has proposed cutting the Renters' Credit by 21%. The Renters' Credit helps over 271,000 low- and moderate-income Minnesota households who have high housing costs, many of them seniors and people with disabilities.
The Legislature is making decisions right now about how to solve the state's budget deficit - and they must hear from Minnesotans that they should not accept the Governor's proposal to cut the renters' credit.
There are three simple things you can do TODAY to protect Minnesotans from this cut:
1. Please see the action alert below and make a couple of calls to members of the tax committee and legislative leadership. Let us know any feedback you receive.
2. If you represent an organization, please join us in a sign-on letter opposing the cuts.
3. Pass this email along to your allies and networks.
When the Governor proposed a similar cut in 2005, a coalition of over 160 organizations from across the state united in opposition and was successful in defeating the cuts to the Renters' Credit. We can do that again this year, but we need your help!
If you need additional information about the renters' credit, please visit our web site at http://www.mncn.org/bp/renterscredit.htm or contact me.
Nan Madden
Minnesota Budget Project
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
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Action Alert: Renters at Risk in Budget Debate: Call TODAY to Oppose 21% Cut in Renters' Credit
The Renters' Credit is an important tool for tax fairness in Minnesota. It provides an average credit of $536 to over 271,000 low- and moderate-income households with high housing costs. Of the households receiving the Renters' Credit, 29% include seniors and/or people with severe disabilities.
In his budget, Governor Pawlenty proposes to cut the Renters' Credit by
21%. The average credit would be cut by $119.
The Governor's budget asks low-income people, persons with disabilities, seniors and other vulnerable populations to shoulder too much of the responsibility for solving the state's budget deficit. The Legislature must take a different path.
The Legislature is making decisions right now about how they will solve the state's budget shortfall. They must hear from Minnesotans: Reject the Governor's proposal to cut the Renters' Credit.
If your Senator or Representative is on the tax committee, please call him or her. Otherwise, please call the chairs of the tax committee and legislative leadership. If you are not sure who represents you in the Minnesota legislature, find out at http://geo.commissions.leg.state.mn.us/districts/start.html.
House Tax Committee:
Chair: Rep. Ann Lenczewski, 296-4218
Joe Atkins, 296-4192
Laura Brod, 296-4229
Lyndon Carlson, 296-4255
Jim Davnie, 296-0173
Chris DeLaForest, 296-4231
Randy Demmer, 296-9236
David Dill, 296-2190
Ron Erhardt, 296-4363
Debra Hilstrom, 296-3709
Mike Jaros, 296-4246
Lyle Koenen, 296-4346
Paul Kohls, 296-4282
Morrie Lanning, 296-5515
John Lesch, 296-4224
Tina Liebling, 296-0573
Paul Marquart, 296-6829
Joe Mullery, 296-4262
Erik Paulsen, 296-7449
Tom Rukavina, 296-0170
Loren Solberg, 296-2365
Cy Thao, 296-5158
Tom Tillberry, 296-5510
Kurt Zellers, 296-5502
Senate Tax Committee:
Chair: Tom Bakk, Cook, 296-8881
Scott Dibble, Minneapolis, 296-4191
Debbie Johnson, Ham Lake, 296-3219
Keith Langseth, Glyndon, 296-3205
Dan Larson, Bloomington, 297-8061
Warren Limmer, Maple Grove, 296-2159
John Marty, Roseville, 296-5645
Senator Mee Moua, St. Paul, 296-5285
Julianne Ortman, Chanhassen, 296-4837
Senator Larry Pogemiller, Minneapolis, 296-7809
David Senjem, Rochester, 296-3903
Katie Sieben, Newport, 297-8060
Rod Skoe, Clearbrook, 296-4196
House and Senate Leadership:
Speaker of the House: Representative Margaret Anderson Kelliher,
296-0171
Senate Majority Leader: Senator Larry Pogemiller, Minneapolis, 296-7809
All phone numbers are (651) area code.
For additional information on the Renters' Credit, please see http://www.mncn.org/bp/renterscredit.htm or contact Nan Madden, Minnesota Budget Project, 651-642-1904 ext. 230, nan@mncn.org
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Sign-on Letter
March 2008
An Open Letter to Governor Tim Pawlenty and Members of the Minnesota Legislature:
The undersigned organizations are deeply concerned about the Governor's proposal to reduce the Renters' Credit. These cuts will harm Minnesotans across the state including seniors, persons with disabilities, and other low- and moderate-income Minnesotans.
The Renters' Credit provides a reduction in property taxes to Minnesotans whose rent is high relative to their income. While renters do not pay property taxes directly, the Renters' Credit recognizes that owners of rental property pass on the cost of property taxes to renters in the form of higher rents.
* In 2005, more than 271,000 Minnesota households received this tax credit. 29% of these households included seniors and/or persons with severe disabilities.
* More than $145 million was brought into local communities and businesses because of the Renters' Credit.
Under the Governor's proposal, the Renters' Credit would be cut by 21%. The average credit would be cut by $119 and 11,200 taxpayers would lose eligibility for the Renters' Credit.
The Governor claims that a cut to the Renters' Credit is appropriate since property taxes were decreased in 2001 for most apartment owners. Renters did not benefit from this property tax reform; the savings have not been passed on to renters.
Even when the Renters' Credit is taken into account, rental property taxes remain one of the most regressive taxes in Minnesota.
At a time when the state faces an economic downturn and a significant lack of affordable housing, renters in Minnesota cannot afford a 21% cut in the Renters' Credit. Many Minnesotans use the Renters' Credit to meet basic needs such as delayed dental care, school clothes and supplies, car repairs, bills, and prescription drugs. Cutting the Renters' Credit harms Minnesota families. We need to stop asking our most vulnerable Minnesotans to bear much of the costs of balancing the state's budget.
We, the undersigned organizations, therefore oppose a cut to the Renters' Credit.
Contact Person Name:
Organization Name:
Organization Address:
City, State, Zip:
Contact email:
Phone:
To join this sign-on letter in opposition to cuts to the Renters' Credit, please provide the above contact information and return to:
Nan Madden
Minnesota Budget Project
Minnesota Council of Nonprofits
2314 University Ave W #20
St. Paul, MN 55114
Fax: 651-642-1517
Email: nan@mncn.org