Defining middle
class squeeze
The rich are getting richer; the poor are getting poorer; and the people in the middle are losing ground. The governor claims to be a miracle worker solving a $4.5 billion deficit, but the money had to come from somewhere. It came from the tobacco fund, raising fees and shifting the tax burden onto local property taxes, all the while protecting the richest people in the state.
Considering all the taxes in Minnesota, the top 1 percent pay an effective tax rate of 9 percent while the lowest 10 percent in income pay an effective tax rate of 18.2 percent.
It is what you have left after paying taxes that's important. The poor have nothing left and the rich have a bundle. The only way to bring some fairness into the total tax picture is to increase the income tax rates on higher incomes.
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In the last session, the Democrats wanted to raise the income taxes on the 40,000 with the highest income. Gov. Pawlenty and Speaker Sviggum (who controls the Republican House) would not allow that.
If you want this situation to continue, vote Republican. If you want some fairness in our tax system, vote Democratic.
Ed Rasmussen
Bagley
