Commercial Property Tax Relief: The current economic climate has wreaked devastation on main street businesses of all descriptions. Some are struggling to keep the lights on until this down-turn in the economy recovers. In many cases, the property tax on commercial facilities is sapping the remaining limited capital in these businesses. Unless a business can be profitable, no jobs or property tax can be paid. Workers can be sent home. Yet property tax is due without regard to income. Property tax is a mill stone around the necks of Main Street with no relief in sight. If the property tax causes a business to be dismantled, the likelihood of that business returning to pre-recession employment levels is greatly reduced.
6) Would you support property tax relief for struggling businesses unable to support their own payroll much less the onerous tax on facilities, whether they are productive or not? The state provides a ‘circuit breaker’ to poor individuals, but not to poor businesses. Would you provide leadership in this area?
| Benoit: Yes, I agree that small businesses need to be treated fairly as other property owners. I believe that small businesses and family farms should be taxed accordingly by the “circuit breaker” system. I see no separation between a home owner and small business owner. Commercial real estate taxes are excessive and are part of the reason more home-based businesses never get the chance to grow and employ people because of the tax structure within our state. I would definitely provide leadership on this issue. | Newman: This question is a bit vague so I must try to answer it in a more generic fashion. If you are describing a form of corporate welfare or business subsidy, no I would not support such measures. If however you are describing tax reform which will put all business owners in a position to succeed by allowing them to invest in their business rather than struggling under an unfair tax burden, then yes, I support such reform and have done do in the past. |
| Mahlstedt: NO. The circuit breaker that will work is smaller government. If we start providing a weaning tool to save businesses as we reduce government, we simply create more dependency on the state. Then every two years a new election, new politicians, and some will likely get traction at home, from the voters, on the new dependencies and here we go again. Game lost. Serious injury is imminent. | Wilson: I will always work to lessen the burden of property tax and all revenues collected by the state. Having said that, we must not neglect the management and care of infrastructure and become poor stewards of this state. The people should expect us to provide affordable yet adequate services. |
Tags: H Kimball, Hal Kimball, MN Senate 18, S Newman, Scott Newman