Today the Senate passed a tax bill that provides more than $100 million in tax relief for Minnesotans. Senator Nathan Wesenberg (R-Little Falls) issued the following statement:

“While I’m happy our first bill off the Senate floor provides tax relief for Minnesotans, this bill is not enough. I’ve spoken with numerous families in my district—they want real and tangible relief, and they want life to be affordable. Minnesota has some of the highest taxes in the country, and this bill is a drop in the bucket when it comes to providing tax relief. If we want lasting tax reforms that make a difference, we need to eliminate the tax on social security income and the first-tier income tax bracket. If we eliminate the first tier, every Minnesotan that pays income tax will receive a tax cut. This is a good bill that helps some, but we need to do more.”

Notably, Senate Republicans offered two amendments that were rejected by Senate Democrats:

• An amendment to eliminate the tax on Social Security benefits
• An amendment to eliminate the first-tier income tax bracket