Phil Sterner voted for (HF 885, May 8, 2009) the $992 million tax increase and I'm sure he'd come up with all sorts of explanations for his vote.  Probably something like it's necessary for critical government services and other such nonsense.  Because claiming so, pretends that there is no wasteful spending by government that could be cut instead.

When Rep. Sterner voted for tax increases, he voted that the following items are more important than you keeping your hard earned money

$200,000
From the workforce development fund to the "Indigenous Earthkeepers" program for American Indian youth environmental education and training

$32.75 million
To forgive debt on a loan to the city of St. Paul so they could borrow more money for a hockey rink nearby the hockey ARENA they want us to forgive the debt for. And don't forget that taxpayers have already "forgiven" $17 million of St. Paul's debt.

$25,000
To members of a farmers market association for members who incurred crop damages as a result of a hail storm in 2008.

$65,593,000
For "integration aid" to schools, including the following programs:

• $3,000 for after school soccer
• $7,500 for an Art Exhibit : supplies, consultants and "artifacts"
• $43,000 for a collaborative coordinator
• $125,000 for a cultural liaison officer, salary & benefits
• $15,000 for a culturally responsive teacher training
• $74,000 for an equity coach
• $3,000 for ethnic celebrations
• $10,000 for field trip scholarships
• $5,000 for a 5th grade kindness retreat
• $4,000 for food and snacks for ethnic celebrations
• $99,000 for an integration program coordinator
• $57,600 for a secretary to IPC
• $113,000 for a newcomers program teacher
• $3,500 for a pen pal book club
• $2,000 for a 6 step hip hop program

$590,000
In grants for "artists" to travel around the world since 2003.

$5,000
For a grant to a Bloomington man to "finish hand coloring 'Boris'", an animation about overcoming difficult circumstances to live a happy life

$2,000
For a Minneapolis woman to revise her memoir entitled "My Transgender Husband: A Love Story."

$6,000
For a Minneapolis woman to photograph, among other things, closed Dairy Queens in the winter time

$12.4 million
For art grants like the ones above in this year's "jobs" bill

$3 million
For auto repairs, auto loans, and auto purchase grants to individuals who are eligible to receive MFIP (a.k.a. welfare) benefits or who have lost eligibility for benefits due to earnings in the prior 12 months

$500,000
For composting grants

I think any normal hardworking citizen would agree that none of these takes priority over you keeping your hard earned tax dollars.  None of these takes priority over a family being able to feed and cloth their children. In a massive deficit there just isn't room for trivial spending like this.

We all remember how the DFL spent the first two months of the Legislative session, traveling around Minnesota "listening"  to their constituents talk about how terrible Governor Pawlenty’s budget was, without proposing any solution of their own to the State’s $6 billion deficit.  When asked the reason for this strange lack of progress at a town hall meeting, DFL Rep. Phil Sterner said he "might say it was due to obstruction by the minority party."  That caused a few stifled smirks in the room among those who thought the more likely cause was that the DFL was simply up to its old tricks, waiting for the last days of the session to announce huge tax increases and then playing political games of brinkmanship with the Governor.

So here we are, nine days from the end of the session, and the DFL has announced and passed a huge, job-killing tax increase, attempting to sustain yet another unsustainable and unconscionable increase in State spending.   It is not a surprise, of course; it was as certain as death and taxes that the DFL would try to raise taxes, in a down economy, to continue  their wasteful spending.  The surprise is that Rep. Sterner, who ran on a record and promise of fiscal responsibility, actually voted with his big-city DFL leaders, and put special-interest DFL spending ahead of the family budgets of millions of Minnesotans.

Phil Sterner took the marching orders from his Democrat party leaders, and you, will pay the price in higher taxes.

The Phil Sterner Tax Increase...

$ Raises taxes by $992 MILLION

$ Gives Minnesota the 4th highest income tax in the country

$ 143% tax increase on beer

Hello taxes increases! Goodbye Jobs!

Phil Sterner voted for (HF 885, May 8, 2009) the $992 million tax increase - introduced in the dark of night - that means higher income taxes and even a tax increase on beer.  Sterner's vote would give Minnesota one of the highest income tax rates in the country.  Wisconsin isn't far...and if Sterner keeps voting for taxes increases our jobs just might hop the border.

When Democrats do choose to answer questions about why they have no plan of their own, their new talking point is that, unlike the governor, they don’t have the time or resources to develop a full proposal:

Kelliher notes that the governor had all of the state’s commissioners and finance experts working on the budget for months. The Legislature does not have those resources.

“He’s had 7½ months. It’s unrealistic to expect us to respond in just a few days,” she said.
DFL legislators keep hearing that dreaded four-letter word: When? - MinnPost.com

While Democrats act surprised by the budget deficit, here is a timeline to consider: