In 2009, Ann Lenczewski proposed tax reform while she chaired the House Taxes Committee. Here’s what she said then:

“This bill proposes the most significant tax overhaul in 20 years,” said the bill’s chief author Rep. Ann Lenczeswki, DFL-Bloomington.

In addition to the tax hikes, Lenczewski’s bill removes a variety of tax breaks for homeowners and businesses. Charitable contributions, the mortgage interest tax deduction and the property tax deduction for homeowners are eliminated and replaced with a tax credit based on income. The bill also eliminates several business tax breaks, like the Research and Development credit and parts of the governor’s JOBZ program.

Lenczewski said she wants to clean up the state’s tax code.

“Which is to sweep the tax code clean of all of the preferential treatment and subsidies and things we can’t afford anymore and instead bring a fairer, more progressive income tax to Minnesotans based on the ability to pay,” she said.

That information is important context to the DFL’s ‘tax reforms’ this year. Gov. Dayton and Sen. Bakk have announced that tax reform is a high priority this year. One of the first tax bills is from Sen. Rest, in which she’d change the sales tax to apply to clothing. This isn’t a new idea by any stretch. Still, combined with higher taxes on “the rich who aren’t paying their fair share”, the DFL’s tax reform will hurt lots of people.

Is Sen. Rest balancing the budget on the backs of the middle class and working poor? Is it that she thinks the middle class and the working poor aren’t paying their fair share?

GOP legislators should ridicule Sen. Rest’s proposal until it’s dropped from committee consideration.

Comments welcome at Let Freedom Ring.