In a sit down with the editorial board of the Des Moines Register, a sit down that reads like a train wreck, Tim Pawlenty makes two claims which are by any standard complete lies about his record as Governor of Minnesota. The first is that he never raised taxes, even when he raised cigarette taxes.
Part of the resolution for the stalemate was his proposal to collect an additional 75 cents a pack on cigarettes.
Pawlenty insists on calling the additional charge a “health impact fee,” not a tax.
“That issue was litigated in a court of law and as a matter of law, it was determined to be a fee,” he said.
The second is that he's not responsible for cities and counties raising property taxes. He admits that he cut funding to cities and localities by large margins and during that period of time time property taxes skyrocketed by over 50% across the state. But whatever you do, don't try to argue that Tim Pawlenty was responsible for rising property taxes.
“It’s absolutely not accurate to say that I raised property taxes in Minnesota,” Pawlenty said. “It is accurate to say we cut cash aid to cities and counties, and they made the decision about whether they were going to in turn reduce spending or raise property taxes.”
Pawlenty’s argument is just the opposite from what Iowa Republicans have said about this state’s finances.
When the Democrat-controlled Iowa Legislature decreased state aid to school districts last year, Republicans blasted the Democrats, saying they were raising property taxes.
(H/T for the article - Mo Elleithee)