Editorial: It's all about jobs

Talk about it

Last week, Gov. Mark Dayton and other Democrats leaders in the Legislature presented a plan they say will spur job growth around the state.

Then, on Monday, the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities came forward with an economic development plan of its own.

Republicans, meanwhile, are planning to tout new legislation they say would ease regulatory and tax burdens for businesses, thereby creating more jobs. The big question, of course, is whether the DFL and GOP can craft a bipartisan jobs effort in the upcoming session, realizing together that economic growth is a top priority.

During a Monday visit to the Daily Globe, Deputy Minority Leader Rep. Debra Hilstrom pointed to discrepancies between metro and Greater Minnesota property tax increases for 2012, noting that metro-area taxes went up by an average of 3.1 percent compared to 8.7 percent for the rest of the state. (Southwest Minnesota cities and towns saw an average property tax increase of 11.5 percent, according to House Research Simulation Report data.)

Declines in local government aid, as well as the termination of the Market Value Homestead Credit and the creation of the Homestead Market Value Exclusion, have certainly contributed to the higher tax figures. These policies are important components of the big jobs picture, too, if rural communities are going to continue to survive.

Between proposals such as new tax credits for businesses, borrowing money to boost infrastructure in Greater Minnesota industrial parks and a new bonding bill — details of which may be announced today — as well as potentially streamlining regulations and re-evaluating the Homestead Market Value Homestead Exclusion, there’s plenty to examine. We urge legislators to pay close attention to non-partisan data, and not partisan doctrine, while moving forward to grow jobs in a balanced fashion throughout the state.

Tags: coalition of greater minnesota cities, opinion, editorials, minnesota, legislature, politics, dayton