Senate Republicans try to force tax vote

Republicans in the Minnesota Senate tried unsuccessfully today to force a vote on tax cuts.

During the morning floor session, Senate Minority Leader David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, offered a motion to suspend the rules for an immediate vote on the tax bill passed by the House last week. The motion failed on a 26 -38 vote.

The House bill (HF1777) cuts taxes by more than $500 million, by repealing three new business sales taxes and lining up state and federal tax law. Hann said the House should be commended for moving with “great speed.”

“Why are we waiting?,” Hann asked. “We know right now that there are thousands  of Minnesotans who are in the process of filing their taxes, and they deserve to know what the Legislature intends to do.”

Senate DFL leaders have been taking a much slower approach than the House on the proposed tax cuts. Tax committee chair Rod Skoe, DFL-Clearbrook, said he wants to have committee hearings on provisions that are in the bill and those that are not.

“There are a number of those provisions that I think would be important, for the Senate to take a little bit of time, not a lot, but take a small amount of time and contemplate whether they should be included in this bill,” Skoe said.

A tax committee hearing is scheduled next week on the federal conformity issues.

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