"I seldom use the term 'lying" to describe a statement by another person, but Arne Carlson's accusations this afternoon are lies. He is distorting the truth to avoid accountability for Ms record of tax increases.
"If anybody is refusing to be up front with the voters about taxes, it's Carlson. Although he took a 'no new taxes' pledge, he proposed and signed a half-cent increase in the sales tax and a two percent tax on hospital, medical and doctor bills. Carlson's policies also directly caused $500 million in property tax increases for Minnesota homeowners and renters.
'He has proposed to the Chamber of Commerce that he will continue policies that could double residential property taxes over the next four years by shifting the burden from commercial/idustrial property to homeowners.
"Unlike Carlson, I have never broken a pledge on taxes. I have proposed to fund a guaranteed $600 million in property tax relief. If the wealthiest four percent pay their fair share, we will have $1.2 billion over the next four years to apply to highly targeted Ounce of Prevention measures to reduce welfare, prevent crime and cut government spending and taxes.
"The truth is that Arne Carlson is defending the wealthy at the expense of the middle class. He is not a "no now taxes" governor. Despite a similar pledge in the past, he has raised taxes."