House tax committee votes 12-11 to send surplus-refund constitutional amendment (HF4) to rules

The Minnesota House Tax Committee on Feb. 25 voted 12-11 to send House File 4, a proposed constitutional amendment to return surplus dollars to taxpayers, to the rules committee for further consideration. The committee recorded 12 ayes and 11 nays on a roll call requested before the vote.

House File 4, authored by Representative Johnson, would create a mechanism to refund or provide relief when general-fund revenues exceed 105% of projected expenditures, directing surplus funds to an account for refunds “whether through property tax refunds or relief,” Johnson said during the committee presentation. The committee approved moving the measure to rules and legislative administration; committee leaders said it would later need to go to ways and means.

Supporters told the committee voters want a vehicle to return large surpluses to taxpayers. Representative Johnson said the bill responds to door‑stop feedback from constituents and “is to set in place a constitutional amendment…that if there is a surplus, that the money is set up and there is a mechanism to give that money back to the taxpayers.”

Opponents cautioned that the amendment could reduce…