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Dominica.Bernstein@house.mn.gov Rep. Jim Joy: Tax Committee Delivers Key Wins for Minnesota Families and Local Communities ST. PAUL, MN — On Monday, the Minnesota House passed its final state budget, with Representative Jim Joy (R-Hawley), Co-Vice Chair of the Taxes Committee, playing a leading role in defeating costly tax hikes and standing up for hardworking Minnesota families. Joy, a strong voice for rural taxpayers and responsible budgeting, said the final tax agreement reflects a return to common sense after years of runaway government growth. “Families across Minnesota are already doing everything they can to make ends meet — the last thing they need is another tax increase,” said Rep. Joy. “House Republicans fought tooth and nail to hold the line on taxes, and I’m proud to say we won that fight.”
Joy helped lead efforts to ensure no new taxes were passed onto Minnesota families this session, even as Democrats pushed for billions in new revenue through expanded sales taxes and a controversial fifth-tier income tax bracket. House Republicans successfully blocked both proposals — including a 12.45% income tax rate on incomes over $500,000, which would have been one of the highest rates in the nation and a staggering $8 billion hit to families and small businesses. “The fifth-tier income tax wasn’t about fairness — it was about fueling even more government spending,” Joy said. “We protected the middle class, job creators, and the future of our state’s economy by shutting it down.”
Republicans also stopped a plan to expand the sales tax to include professional services, which would have tacked on over $400 million in new costs for everything from legal help to accounting and consulting. “Adding a tax on services like legal or financial help would have made everyday life more expensive for Minnesota families and businesses alike,” Joy said. “We kept that proposal out of the final bill because Minnesotans deserve better.”
Other key victories in the final tax bill include: Blocking a mandate that would have forced the Department of Revenue to publish confidential corporate franchise tax data for businesses with over $250 million in U.S. sales. Protecting rural communities by minimizing harmful cuts to Sustainable Forest Incentive Aid (SFIA) and Aquatic Invasive Species Aid (AIS) — both of which provide crucial funding to counties and townships. Joy said that in a year when the House was evenly split 67-67, every detail mattered. “This budget is the result of tough negotiations and real teamwork,” said Rep. Joy. “It reflects the priorities of the people who sent us here: lower taxes, smarter spending, and more accountability. I’ll always stand up for rural communities, working families, and the principles that make Minnesota strong.”
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