Mark Dayton vetoes $900 million GOP budget-cutting bill

Dayton issues his first veto.

The Republican-controlled Legislature sent DFL Gov. Mark Dayton a $900 million budget-cutting bill today, after no public hearings and with no Democratic support, and he wasted no time in striking it down with his veto pen.

He lambasted it as an effort to protect wealthy Minnesotans while boosting property taxes on everyone else.

"The Minnesota Department of Revenue estimates that your bill would increase property taxes by $4528 million in the next biennium," Dayton said. "It would be a terrible mistake to target tax increases on the middle class, on seniors, on low0income renters, and on small businesses, while largely protecting the wealthiest Minnesotans from paying a fairer share of taxes."

The GOP-run legislature and DFL Gov. Mark Dayton begin a constructive working relationship.

Republicans criticized Dayton's State of the State speech yesterday for his call to increase state spending while the state's budget deficit hovers at the $6.2 billion mark.

Dayton submits his own budget proposal on Tuesday.

Related:

• Download Dayton's veto message here.
• Read the bill here.