MN: Senate Republicans say infrastructure bill is 'dead on arrival' without tax cuts
Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature have been largely powerless this year, forced to watch as Democrats have passed a wave of bills that make good on progressive priorities.
When it comes to a big package to improve the state’s infrastructure, however, Republicans have some leverage: The general obligation bonds that lawmakers use to fund those projects require a legislative supermajority, which means Democrats need Republican votes.
Republicans intend to use their bit of influence to win their top priority: tax cuts.
Senate Republicans on Monday said they plan to withhold their votes on a proposed $1.9 billion infrastructure package up for debate in the House and win tax cuts in exchange.
“We just wanted them (House legislators) to know that the bill is going to be dead on arrival, because we believe we need to see some tax cuts tied to that,” said Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, R-East Grand Forks. “We’re not up here being obstructionists … What we want to do is have good infrastructure across the state, but also be the kind of state in the nation that attracts workers and employers and you need that through lower taxation.”
The infrastructure package allocates funding to repair and improve Minnesota roads, bridges, hiking trails and water treatment plants, among many critical statewide public work projects. The DFL package includes about $1.5 billion in borrowing through bonds, requiring a supermajority, while $400 million would be in cash, which requires a simple majority.
https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/senate-republicans-say-infrastructure-bill-dead-arrival-without-tax-cuts
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