A CONTRAST IN PRIORITIES

Republicans focused on the wrong priorities:

Extreme agenda that shut down state government. Irresponsibly borrowing billions from schools. Protect rich corporations while raising property taxes on middle class Minnesotans.

Democrats focused on the mainstream priorities:

Reduce property taxes for the middle class. Close corporate tax breaks to pay back our kids. Create jobs by investing in a 21st Century education system and a strong middle class.

GOP
PROTECTED CORPORATE SPECIAL INTERESTS
The Republican-led Legislature consistently made corporate special interests the priority over middle class Minnesotans. Dozens of times they voted to protect corporate tax breaks at the expense homeowners, students, seniors, and small businesses.

DFL
PUT MIDDLE CLASS MINNESOTANS FIRST
Democrats focused on mainstream Minnesota priorities such as reducing property taxes for the middle class and closing corporate tax breaks to pay back the money Republicans borrowed from our kids.

MORE BUDGET DEFICITS

Republicans did nothing to solve our states fiscal problems. Their shutdown budget maxed out the states credit card by borrowing over $2 billion from our schools, and they left a massive $3.5 billion deficit for the next Legislature to solve.

FAIR BUDGETING TO REDUCE DEBT

Democrats supported a balanced and fair approach to budgeting instead of the Republicans extreme budget that made record cuts to schools, seniors and health care, while protecting corporate special interests.

RAISED PROPERTY TAXES ON HOMEOWNERS, FARMERS, AND SMALL BUSINESSES

Instead of asking corporations and the richest Minnesotans to pay their fair share, Republicans eliminated the homestead credit, triggering $370 million in property tax increases across the state. In 2012, they refused to clean up their mess, favoring more corporate tax breaks instead of middle class property tax relief.

FOUGHT FOR MIDDLE CLASS TAX RELIEF

The way to grow jobs and strengthen our economy is to strengthen the middle class, not stick it to them. Democrats voted against the GOPs property tax raising shutdown budget and worked to restore the Homestead Credit.

GOP
BORROWED BILLIONS FROM OUR KIDS
The Republican shutdown budget protected corporate tax loopholes while borrowing a record amount from Minnesota schools. In 2012, they refused to pay back our kids, leaving them a $2.4 billion IOU.

DFL
PUT KIDS AHEAD OF CORPORATIONS
Democrats worked to ensure every student has access to a great education that prepares them for college or a career. They voted against the GOPs record borrowing from Minnesota schools and introduced the only plan to fully pay back our kids by closing corporate tax loopholes.

VOTED FOR RECORD HIGHER ED CUTS

Tuition and student debt were already at record levels, yet Republicans voted for the biggest cut to our state colleges and universities in state history. In 2011, their budget disproportionately cut higher education by double-digits and cut higher education funding to 1998 levels.

STANDING UP FOR STUDENTS

Democrats were unified against the Republicans historic cuts to higher education and instead advocated for a budget approach that recognized the importance of an affordable higher education to our states long-term economic competitiveness and job growth.

DEEP CUTS TO SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Some of Minnesotas most vulnerable citizensseniors, children and people with disabilitieswill suffer from Republican cuts. While protecting corporations and the very richest Minnesotans, Republicans chose to cut nursing home funding and voted to raise property taxes on 85,000 seniors and people with disabilities by slashing the renters credit.

STANDING UP FOR SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Democrats successfully worked to reverse some of the Republicans worst health care cuts, including restoration of life-saving emergency medical care and a 20 percent cut to personal care assistants. DFLers fought for increased funding for nursing homes and senior property tax relief but Republicans blocked both measures.

DO-NOTHING TO CREATE JOBS

Despite promising a laser focus on jobs, Republicans focused on constitutional amendments and failed to deliver results for Minnesotans. In fact, their 2011 budget would have eliminated 30,000 jobs statewide, and their state government shutdown resulted in 19,000 layoffs.

BREAD AND BUTTER FOCUS ON JOB CREATION

Recognizing the need to get Minnesotans back to work, DFL members made job creation a top priority. DFL members did the heavy lifting to pass significant legislation to create jobs in 2012, pushing for a strategic bonding bill that maximized job creation throughout the state.

GRIDLOCK AND GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

Republicans refused to cooperate with Governor Dayton, taking Minnesota to a 21-day state government shutdownthe longest in state history. Their shutdown budget protected corporate special interests and the richest Minnesotans; borrowed record amounts from our schools; and increased property taxes by $370 million on Minnesota homeowners, seniors, farmers and small businesses.

FOCUSED ON ISSUES THAT MATTER TO MINNESOTANS

DFLers have proven the ability to get things done on the issues that matter to Minnesotans. State government was never shut down in the previous four years of DFL leadership with a Republican Governor. In 2012, the only significant jobs legislation signed by Governor Dayton was a strategic bonding bill, which was a DFL priority.