ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — All but one of the 10 prominent candidates for Minnesota governor say they’ll release their tax returns next year. Democrats who confirmed they’ll release the information include U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, St. Paul Mayor Chris
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — All but one of the 10 prominent candidates for Minnesota governor say they’ll release their tax returns next year.
Democrats who confirmed they’ll release the information include U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, State Auditor Rebecca Otto and state Reps. Tina Liebling, Erin Murphy and Paul Thissen, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported .
“I’m happy to do that,” Thissen said.
Republicans who’ve also announced plans to release the information include Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson, former state Republican Party Chair Keith Downey and state Rep. Matt Dean.
“I released a summary from my accountant last time and will do so again as long as my DFL opponent is willing to do the same,” said Johnson, who ran against Gov. Mark Dayton in 2014.
Republican Sen. Dave Osmek is the only one who says he won’t make the voluntary disclosure.
“What I earn for a living, or give to my church or charities, has nothing to do with the office of Minnesota governor. Nor should it,” Osmek said.
The voluntary release of financial information allows Minnesota voters to look at their potential leaders’ sources of income in more detail than what’s required by state law. It also shows how much potential lawmakers have paid in taxes and how much they give away in charitable contributions.
Current Minnesota Gov. Dayton has generally released his tax returns while in office. Though he didn’t release them in 2015, he made two years of returns public in 2016.
Dayton’s 2016 tax forms show that he earned almost $122,000 as governor, more than $50,000 through dividends and more than $191,000 through capital gains. He paid about $83,000 in federal taxes and more than $30,000 in state income taxes. The governor made less than $2,000 in charitable contributions, though he donated $30,400 to Hillary Clinton’s campaign and political action committee and $22,300 to the Democratic National Committee.
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Information from: St. Paul Pioneer Press, http://www.twincities.com
