Minnesota Taxes and Tax Plans

State tax policy that prioritizes everyday Minnesotans can expand economic opportunity, build thriving communities, and strengthen our economic future. However, tax policy can also widen income, wealth, and racial inequality if it primarily benefits those who are already doing well in today's economy.

We analyze individual tax proposals and full tax plans from the governor and legislative bodies, as well as the tax system overall, emphasizing the impact on everyday Minnesotans, tax fairness, and the ability of the tax system to raise the revenues needed to sustainably fund public investments that keep us moving forward as a state.

Research

April 2013

Governor Dayton's FY 2014-15 budget focuses on tax reform, financial stability, and investments

Governor Dayton's budget proposal seeks to reach important goals, including sharing the responsibility for funding public services more equitably, putting the state on firm financial footing. and investing in the building blocks of shared economic success.

March 2013

The facts still speak: Time to reform Minnesota's tax system

Tax fairness has declined in Minnesota since 1990, according to the 2013 Tax Incidence Study. High-income Minnesotans continue to pay a smaller percentage of their incomes in total state and local taxes than low- and middle-income Minnesotans. Minnesota policymakers should reform the state's tax system to make it more fair and raise enough revenues to meet Minnesota's needs.

January 2013

The facts speak: It's time to reform Minnesota's tax system

Minnesota's outdated tax system is not meeting the state's needs. The difference between the share of income that the highest-income Minnesotans pay in taxes and the share that the average Minnesotan pays has grown, and Minnesota is not raising adequate revenues to avoid the cycle of budget deficits and gimmicks.

October 2012

Strong Minnesota economy requires sound investments

Minnesota faces significant gaps between public needs and the resources it takes to meet them. Policymakers need to move beyond gimmicks and short-term fixes, and invest in Minnesota's long-term prosperity. The 2013 Legislature should use a balanced approach that includes revenues when setting the next two-year budget in order to put Minnesota back on the right path.

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Taxes and Tax Plans Blog Posts

May 28, 2024

2024 Legislature passes improvements in Child Tax Credit, tax-filing process

The Minnesota Legislature passed some investments in Minnesota families’ economic well-being and improving their tax-filing experience in this year’s final tax legislation, including essential provisions for successful implementation of advance payments of the Child Tax Credit. Here’s a look at how our priorities for the tax bill fared this session.

May 13, 2024

Child Tax Credit and tax-filing improvements in play in final 2024 tax negotiations

Minnesota policymakers could be less than two weeks away from enacting into law innovations and improvements in the Child Tax Credit and Minnesotans’ tax-filing experience. Here's a closer look at the issues we are watching and how they are treated in Walz’s tax plan, the House tax bill, and Senate tax bill. Tax negotiators will need to reach agreement and pass final tax legislation before the legislative session ends on May 20.

May 03, 2024

Direct File could save Minnesotans time and money when filing income taxes

Paying taxes is how we come together to fund public services that Minnesotans value and count on, but with our current system, the majority of folks pay to meet their tax-filing responsibilities. Direct File is a free online tool to file and prepare income taxes, and Minnesota can build on positive federal progress on making this option available. Read our blog to learn about how a Direct File system would benefit Minnesotans by saving time, money, and improving access to tax credits.

April 03, 2024

Joint state budget targets set for 2024 Legislative Session

Governor Tim Walz reached an agreement with House Speaker Melissa Hortman and Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy on budget targets on March 22. The agreement outlines targets of $478 million in net general budget changes, including increased spending or reduced revenues, for FY 2024-25 and $63 million for FY 2026-27. The joint budget targets also set the parameters for final budget negotiations between the House, Senate, and the governor.

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