Republicans in the Minnesota House of Representatives took our state to an historic shutdown in 2011 in order to protect big corporations, special interests, and the richest Minnesotans from playing any role whatsoever in solving a record state budget deficit. Instead, they took billions from our kids' schools - with no plan to pay it back - and hundreds of millions more from future generations through an irresponsible tobacco bond borrowing scheme. Worse, they raised property taxes on families, seniors and small businesses while protecting the very richest Minnesotans from paying a penny more.

The current Republican majority's priorities are simply out of touch with the majority of Minnesotans on everything from tax fairness to budgeting to jobs and the economy:

SKYROCKETING PROPERTY TAXES: Rather than asking the largest corporations and very richest Minnesotans to pay even a penny more to help close the budget deficit, Republicans raised property taxes on nearly all Minnesotans. By cutting funds to local governments year after year, and by eliminating the Market Value Homestead Credit in 2011, Republicans have forced property taxes for middle class homeowners to skyrocket by double-digits in communities across the state. These unfair tax polices that favor special interests are why the richest Minnesotans pay a lower tax rate than middle class Minnesotans. House DFLers will say enough is enough with the tax hikes on middle class Minnesotans.

CHEATING OUR KIDS: Minnesota Republicans balanced our budget on the backs of Minnesota kids. They took over $2 billion from Minnesota schools without a mechanism to pay back the borrowing. And the original Republican budget actually cut funding further for Minnesota schools. House DFLers understand that the recipe for economic prosperity is not through deep cuts to Minnesota’s education system.

IRRESPONSIBLE BUDGETING: After the state shutdown caused by their refusal to compromise, legislative Republicans voted for the most irresponsible budget in state history. Their record borrowing has only created a larger budget deficit to solve in the future and done nothing to get Minnesota back on strong financial footing. Minnesota DFLers worked to avoid this reckless borrowing, but Republicans repeatedly voted down bills and amendments offered by the DFL that would have asked corporations hiding profits tax-free overseas to pay their fair share in taxes.

GRIDLOCK: The longest state shutdown in state history happened on the watch of Minnesota Republicans who refused to compromise. Just like in Washington D.C., Republicans have been more focused on their extreme agenda rather than getting things done for middle class Minnesotans.

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS: Instead of focusing on jobs and the economy - as they promised on the campaign trail in 2010 and repeatedly since then - the current Republican majority is focused only on passing divisive constitutional amendments that won't create a single job or do anything to get our state moving forward again. Minnesotans want their legislators to focus on the issues that matter to them – jobs, education and a prosperous future. Republicans are not listening.

While the policies of the current Republican majority reward the richest Minnesotans and biggest corporations that helped bankroll their campaigns in 2010, middle class Minnesotans continue to be squeezed by their irresponsible economic policies and wrong priorities for our state.