Upon hearing the news of Minnesota’s nearly $1.9 billion surplus, many legislators saw an opportunity to foster a fairer tax system and broadly-shared economic success across the state.

But the budget plan proposed by Republicans in the Minnesota House earlier this week does not work to accomplish those goals. Rather, the GOP budget includes more than $2.3 billion in tax cuts–which is more than the available surplus–and would leave Minnesotans without affordable health care, seniors and those with disabilities without critical services in their communities, and a weakened workforce due to lack of investment in job training.

Many of the tax cut proposals from the House would only cut taxes for the highest-earning Minnesotans. This would reverse recent progress the state has made in terms of equalizing the tax system and taking the budget burden off the middle class. Considering the largest of the spending cuts proposed are to Health and Human Services, these cuts could leave affordable child care or community services for those with disabilities underfunded.

Republicans have been touting their budget as a way to address state needs while cutting taxes.

In reality, the austere GOP budget slashes and disinvests in critical areas, and if such cuts include early childhood education and health care it will be more difficult for most Minnesotans to successfully live and work in our state.

House Minority Leader Paul Thissen condemned the Republican budget, calling it “a recipe for a state government shutdown.” Thissen continued:

Cutting taxes for millionaires and the wealthy by cutting services for our most vulnerable should offend the sensibilities of every Minnesotan, and it will, because it’s the wrong priority and frankly, it’s simply mean spirited.

The budget for the state needs to work for the best interests of everyone, not for corporations and those who don’t have to worry about financial instability.