DFL leaders say Dayton's budget "honest" but not whether they support it

DFL leaders of the House and Senate Tuesday would not say whether they support the tax increases in DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's budget.

House Minority Leader Paul Thissen and Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk, both of whom ran for governor last year, were asked multiple times, in various ways, whether they would back, vote for or want to run on the proposed $4 billion in tax increases and they refused to give a yes or no.

They said it was an honest budget that was better than what Republicans could offer but, despite repeated chances, did not say they supported it.

One exchange:

Question: "Do you support the tax increases in this bill?"

Thissen: "The governor is delivering on what he promised. We have always been in our DFL caucus in favor of a solution that is going to be fair...We need to look at the details of it. I think the most important thing now to look at is asking the Republicans, okay, what's your answer."

Another exchange:

Bakk: "If you look at the tax incidence study, it will show you that more well to do Minnesotans, especially those over $500,000 in income pay a little bit over eight percent of their income in taxes and the rest of us, in the middle class and lower income Minnesotans, pay about 12.3 percent. And I think from a policy standpoint, the governor is right that everyone should be expect to pay about the same percentage of their income in state and local taxes."

A third:

Question: "So yes or no. Do you two support the tax package in the governor's proposal? Yes or no."

Bakk: "Well, I certainly want to see the budget pages and I'm not going to tell you if they offer a vote on it I'm going to vote yes or no on it because we are actually having a hearing in the tax committee (to delve into the budget) either tomorrow or Thursday...After Thursday I can probably give you an answer."