We all love winning a border battle, but coming out on top in sales taxes is a losing idea!
Sports rivalries are the border battles we should win. Having the highest sales tax on some products--that's the wrong border battle!
Last year, the Legislature added nearly $800 million in additional sales taxes and fees directly on Minnesota families!* And this year, our elected leaders are seriously considering adding another $200 million in sales taxes, including a new 3.2% e-waste tax, a new 5-10 cent per beverage container tax, and more.**
These new consumer taxes would not only take money out of our pockets, but encourage consumers to shop in border states where sales taxes would be significantly lower. That's bad policy, hurts Minnesota families, and harms local retailers!
Would the taxes really cost us more? Yes! Minnesotans would pay more for their kid’s graphing calculator for school, Bluetooth speaker for the cabin, vacuums, lamps, and many everyday items we rely on, or drive a few minutes to a neighboring state to save. Here are some examples:
St. Paul 13.075% versus Hudson, WI 5.5%
Duluth 12.08% versus Superior, WI 5.5%
Moorhead 11.08% versus Fargo, ND 7.5%
Albert Lea 11.08% versus Mason City, IA 7%
Winona 10.58% versus La Crosse, WI 5.5%
Luverne 10.08% versus Sioux Falls, SD 6.2%
Raising our sales tax on some items to nation-leading levels is wrong for our families, uncompetitive for our retailers, and only drives people to shop across state borders.
Join Minnesotans in telling legislators "no" to new sales taxes.
An important note: Minnesota can do more to reduce waste and improve recycling, and we support that! Instead of resorting to direct consumer taxes, alternatives exist to achieve similar objectives without placing undue financial strain on Minnesota families as well having a negative impact on our small businesses.
*In 2023 legislators passed a 1% metro-wide sales tax, a 50-cent delivery fee beginning this July, 17 local sales tax increases, gas tax indexing, and a 10% cannabis tax. Add these up an you have nearly $800 million in additonal taxes directly impacting Minnesotans.
**The proposed new e-waste (electronics) 3.2% sales tax (HF 3566/SF 3940) will apply to many electronics items not currently subject to Minnesota's current e-waste program. The beverage container tax (HF 3200/SF 3260) would add 5-10 cents to most beverage containers purchased in Minnesota. Add these up and this could lead to $200 million in additional sales taxes. Learn more about proposed cost increases here (PDF).
Prepared & paid for by the Minnesota Retailers Association, 4440 Round Lake Road West, Suite N7, St. Paul, MN 55112.
We all love winning a border battle, but coming out on top in sales taxes is a losing idea!
Sports rivalries are the border battles we should win. Having the highest sales tax on some products--that's the wrong border battle!
Last year, the Legislature added nearly $800 million in additional sales taxes and fees directly on Minnesota families!* And this year, our elected leaders are seriously considering adding another $200 million in sales taxes, including a new 3.2% e-waste tax, a new 5-10 cent per beverage container tax, and more.**
These new consumer taxes would not only take money out of our pockets, but encourage consumers to shop in border states where sales taxes would be significantly lower. That's bad policy, hurts Minnesota families, and harms local retailers!
Would the taxes really cost us more? Yes! Minnesotans would pay more for their kid’s graphing calculator for school, Bluetooth speaker for the cabin, vacuums, lamps, and many everyday items we rely on, or drive a few minutes to a neighboring state to save. Here are some examples:
St. Paul 13.075% versus Hudson, WI 5.5%
Duluth 12.08% versus Superior, WI 5.5%
Moorhead 11.08% versus Fargo, ND 7.5%
Albert Lea 11.08% versus Mason City, IA 7%
Winona 10.58% versus La Crosse, WI 5.5%
Luverne 10.08% versus Sioux Falls, SD 6.2%
Raising our sales tax on some items to nation-leading levels is wrong for our families, uncompetitive for our retailers, and only drives people to shop across state borders.
Join Minnesotans in telling legislators "no" to new sales taxes.
An important note: Minnesota can do more to reduce waste and improve recycling, and we support that! Instead of resorting to direct consumer taxes, alternatives exist to achieve similar objectives without placing undue financial strain on Minnesota families as well having a negative impact on our small businesses.
*In 2023 legislators passed a 1% metro-wide sales tax, a 50-cent delivery fee beginning this July, 17 local sales tax increases, gas tax indexing, and a 10% cannabis tax. Add these up an you have nearly $800 million in additonal taxes directly impacting Minnesotans.
**The proposed new e-waste (electronics) 3.2% sales tax (HF 3566/SF 3940) will apply to many electronics items not currently subject to Minnesota's current e-waste program. The beverage container tax (HF 3200/SF 3260) would add 5-10 cents to most beverage containers purchased in Minnesota. Add these up and this could lead to $200 million in additional sales taxes. Learn more about proposed cost increases here (PDF).
Prepared & paid for by the Minnesota Retailers Association, 4440 Round Lake Road West, Suite N7, St. Paul, MN 55112.