Republicans Furious Over DFL’s Decision to Strip Exemption for Baby Related Products Out of Tax Bill

(KNSI) — Some baby-related products won’t get cheaper any time soon, thanks to a provision exempting them from sales tax being stripped out of the latest tax bill.

Senate and House Republicans ripped the DFL majority’s decision to not include the bi-partisan supported sales tax exemption for baby products, such as car seats, strollers and cribs, in the latest version of the bill. It passed unanimously through both chambers but was eliminated – “on Mother’s Day, no less – as tax committee offer sheets were exchanged, that showed the exemption was no longer included,” according to a news release.

Senator Ann Rest is the Chair of the Tax Committee and even admitted her party has an “insatiable appetite for raising taxes” with a $17.5 billion surplus, as noted in a letter sent by members of the House and Senate to Governor Tim Walz, Speaker Melissa Hortman, Senate Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic, Rest, and House Tax Committee Chair Aisha Gomez. The letter asks them to restore the tax exemption as it “provides meaningful support for all parents in Minnesota as they expand their families.” The letter says restoring the exemption would show Minnesotans “that Democrats can indeed put helping families over partisan politics,” perhaps suggesting that eliminating the measure was solely to hurt Republicans.

The Legislature is up against an adjournment deadline of May 22nd to complete their work.

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