Take ACTION on the Governor's Tax Proposals

CLICK HERE to contact legislators and the Governor!

Governor Dayton's budget and tax proposals threaten Minnesota's economy and your business.  

• Huge increases in spending, huge increases in taxes and little reform in either.
• End result will harm the Minnesota economy, competitiveness and jobs.
• There are other ways to solve the problem.

The business to business sales tax base expansion (legal, accounting, computer services, consulting, advertising, etc.) raises business taxes by $2.1 billion in the next biennium alone.

The new 4th tier on the personal income tax increases the top rate from 7.85% to 9.85% for taxable incomes greater than $250,000 married joint, and $150,000 single, raising $1.1 billion in the next biennium.

Spending reform is absent from the proposal. State budget reforms must focus on outcomes and priorities. Lawmakers need to become serious about spending reforms to position Minnesota for economic success.

Please contact the Governor, legislative leaders and your legislators immediately. Share the impact of this historic tax increase on your business and your employees.

Tool Kit:
To learn more about the Governor's proposal, and access tools to contact your legislators and engage your employees, access the Minnesota Chamber's toolkit at http://info.mnchamber.com/2013-proposed-budget-toolkit/

Also, share your story with the Minnesota Chamber and offer to testify on February 27th at 7 PM or be present during the House Tax Committee hearing that night with your company logo-wear--showing business strongly opposes the budget and spending plan.

Chamber Support of Viracon Expansion-TIF

Scott Kubicek, Advantage Cabinets and OACCT Chair of the Board delivers a letter of support at the February 19th City Council meeting for the work being done by the Owatonna Partners for Economic Development to secure a major expansion and investment by Viracon.  Specifically, the OACCT supports the use of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and the vacation of a portion of 4th Avenue to provide Viracon what is needed for the expansion to happen in Owatonna.

Pictured left to right: Dr. Mike Peterson, McGregor Chiropractic
and OACCT Public Policy Chair and Scott Kubicek, Advantage Cabinets
and OACCT Board Chair deliver a message of
support to City Council on the use of Tax Increment Finance
for the proposed Viracon expansion project.

A few of the reasons for support,include: job retention; keeping Viracon competitive in a global market; no tax loss; storm water improvements in the entire industrial park. and others.
Council voted to approve the TIF at the February 19th meeting.

Highway 14 Testimony-Senate Transportation Hearing

Pictured L to R:  front- Noreen Otto (State Government
Relations Director, Hy-Vee, Inc.), Sen. Jensen,
Katie Nelson (Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism), 

Amanda Duerr (U.S. Highway 14 Partnership); 

back-Jonathan Zierdt (President/CEO, Greater Mankato Growth), 

Aaron Lambrecht (VP/COO, Shelter Products, Inc), 

Roy Srp (Mayor, City of Waseca), 

Les Abraham (Owatonna City Council/U.S. Highway 14 Partnership President)

The U.S. Highway 14 Partnership gave a great presentation on the safety and economic concerns regarding Highway 14 in the Senate Transportation and Public Safety Budget Division on February 13th.

President Abraham discussed the importance of the 20 year plan and the long history of the project.  Katie Nelson discussed the concerns of medical facilities transporting patients on Highway 14.  Noreen Otto explained that Hy-Vee has many stores along the corridor and operates its own trucking fleet, and how travel on Hwy 14 is a concern both for their employees and their profit margins.  Jonathan Zierdt highlighted the growing populations and economies of the Highway 14 region and how the highway will become more insufficient with continued economic activity.  Aaron Lambrecht discussed how he and his wife don’t allow their children to ride the school bus on Highway 14 and how operating his sales/delivery business along Highway 14 puts him at a competitive disadvantage.  Mayor Srp explained the regional significance of the project and how government and business leaders have rallied together to complete Highway 14.

As with the other bills on the agenda, Sen. Jensen’s bill (SF 168) was laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus transportation bill.  Committee staff followed up with Amanda Duerr, lobbyist/communciations director for Flaherty & Hood, P.A. after the meeting and was told that Highway 14 had by far the best presentation of the eight bills before the committee.  Legislators were very engaged in the discussion and recognize the needs on Highway 14.  

This hearing was be helpful as the Hwy. 14 Partnership moves forward in the session.

County Board Notes-Feb. 5, 2013

A part of the OACCT's Public Policy efforts for 2013 is for volunteers from the Public Policy committee attend both City and County meetings and report back on items that are of interest/concern to business.

• Tax increment finance public hearing moved to 2/19/13 meeting due to changes JOBZ vs. TIF
• Prolonged Concrete crushing permit for Safeway Foods spot until March 31st.
• Flying Time Taxi LLC Licensing in city of O-Town approved.
• Reconfiguring stop sign alignment approved @ 32nd and Bridge.
• Approval made for proposal to create an escrow account in cases of fire damage over 50% of property value.
• Approval for reserve police unit.
• Small cities development grant public hearing to be held same evening as TIF 2/19/13
• Approval to set a cap of property assessments at 50% of property value.
• Item #8 above affected a number of further discussions; due to 50% assessment cap further improvements such as sidewalks may have to be re-figured to fit within cap.
• Approval for improvements on 12th Ave. NW
• Approval for improvements on Lemond Road
• Approval for possible changes to sidewalk configuration on school street between walnut and Mosher (which entailed long discussion and a back to the drawing board option).  Adding a sidewalk section to complete the stretch over the 35 bridge west on bridge street(Towards Fleet Farm).  Adding a stretch again to complete the sidewalk on 21st Ave. NW to Hoffman drive.

County Board Notes-Jan. 22, 2013

A part of the OACCT's Public Policy efforts for 2013 is for volunteers from the Public Policy committee attend both City and County meetings and report back on items that are of interest/concern to business.

A report from Charity Floen on the “SE MN Delivery Area”.  Looks like they are at the point of once again engaging Accenture—the company that did the original modeling for the 12 county project to work through modeling for the 4 county deal.  They are also working on a contract with Clifton Larson Allen to take those models and work through the financial modeling (projected budgets, balance sheets, and cash flow).  The main concern of the steering committee is trying to project the revenues—since each county works on a different system, etc.

City Board Notes-Jan. 22, 2013

A part of the OACCT's Public Policy efforts for 2013 is for volunteers from the Public Policy committee attend both City and County meetings and report back on items that are of interest/concern to business.

At the City Council meeting last night, they went through the agenda items in record time and there was nothing that was of any concern or issue to the business community.

City Council Notes-Jan. 8, 2013

A part of the OACCT's Public Policy efforts for 2013 is for volunteers from the Public Policy committee attend both City and County meetings and report back on items that are of interest/concern to business.

Oath of office for Mayor and Council
Les Abraham elected as President, Greg Schultz elected as Vice President

1st August Council meeting will be rescheduled because of Night to Unite campaign.

Building permit report for 2012.
New single family dwelling  12 permits for 2012 versus 13 for 2011
Total valuation for building in 2012 was 29,891,305 versus 55,237,995 for 2011

Tax Increment Financing hearing set for February 19, 2013 for the old Hardees and Budget Mart site.