AND NO MORE SNOW, EITHER.

>> HOPE NOT.

>> THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

THANKS.

>> IT WAS A MAIN EVENT KIND OF WEEK AT THE CAPITOL FROM A STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS, THE DEMOCRATS WERE CHEERING TO THE RELEASE OF A TAX BILL THAT HAS BOTH HISTORIC TAX CUTS AND INCREASES.

MARY LAHAMMER LANDED AN INTERVIEW TO PROVIDE SOME CONTEXT FROM THE CAPITOL.

>> I'M PROUD TO REPORT THE STATE OF OUR STATE IS STRONG, AND IT'S GETTING STRONGER.

>> THE STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS WITH A FULLY IN-PERSON LEGISLATURE AND ALL DEMOCRATIC CONTROL OF GOVERNMENT GAVE THE GOVERNOR ARENA FOR A POWER PLAY.

>> WE ALL KNOW DAMN WELL WEAPONS OF WAR HAVE NO PLACE IN OUR SCHOOLS, IN OUR CHURCHES, ANYONE IN AMERICA DOUBTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION TO PROTECT OUR KIDS.

I'VE GOT TWO WORDS.

WATCH US.

>> HIS MOVE FOR MORE NATIONAL PROMINENCE WAS HARD TO MISS.

>> THEY'RE BANNING BOOKS IN THEIR SCHOOLS.

WE'RE BANISHING HUNGERS FROM OURS.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> TAX INCREASES WERE NOT DETAILED, ONLY CREDITS IN HAD WALZ' QUEST TO MAKE MINNESOTA 3 THE BEST PLACE TO RAISE CHILDREN IN THE COUNTRY.

>> A NATION-LEADING CHILD TAX CREDIT WOULD PUT BILLIONS OF DOLLARS BACK INTO THE HANDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT THE MOST.

IF WE DID NOTHING ELSE THIS LEGISLATIVE SESSION, THAT WOULD REDUCE CHILD POVERTY BY 25% IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.

[ APPLAUSE ] >> MINNESOTANS WERE LOOKING FOR TAX RELIEF.

AND KNOWING THAT WE HAD A $17.5 BILLION SURPLUS.

>> THE OTHER MAIN EVENTUALITY OF THE WEEK WAS THE RELEASE OF THE HOUSE TAX BILL, WHICH INCLUDES A CONFUSING MIX OF TAX CUTS AND INCREASES.

WE GOT THE HOUSE TAX CHAIR TO EXPLAIN.

>> EXPLAIN THE CUTS AND THE INCREASES.

>> THIS IS THE LARGEST TAX CUT IN MINNESOTA HISTORY IN OUR TAX BILL THIS YEAR IN THE DFL HOUSE TAX BILL, BUT IT'S VERY TARGETED.

THERE ARE TWO REVENUE-RAISERS IN THE BILL.

ONE IS A MILLIONAIRES' TAX.

SO THAT MEANS FOR PEOPLE BRINGING HOME $1 MILLION, IT ADDS AN EXTRA CENT ON THOSE DOLLARS ABOVE A MILLION.

>> HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE WE TALKING.

>> 24 HOW PEOPLE.

THE OTHER IS WORLDWIDE COMBINED REPORTING, WHICH IS REALLY GOING AFTER THOSE HUGE MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS THAT ARE STASHING THEIR PROFITS OVERSEAS TO AVOID PAYING TAXES.

>> WE'RE STILL WAITING FOR THE SENATE TAX BILL, UT CHAIR ANN REST IS TOUGH, AND NEGOTIATIONS, EVEN WITH A FELLOW DEMOCRAT, WON'T BE EASY.

>> THAT $250 -- >> SO I REALLY WANT YOU TO CONCENTRATE ON THE TAX.

>> THAT IS TAX, BECAUSE A LICENSE EE IS TAX.

WOULD ANY OF YOU AGREE THAT A LICENSE FEE -- WOULDN'T YOU SAY A LICENSE FEE OF $1 MILLION WHEN THOSE CAME UP, ISN'T THAT A TAX.

>> THE DEFINITION OF A FEE AND A TAX IS VERY DIFFERENT.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE, AND -- AND IN OUR JURISDICTION, IS THE SALES TAX.

THERE'S NO PHOTOGRAPHY.

IN THIS COMMITTEE.

IS THAT CLEAR?

>> WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT GOING TOE-TO-TOE WITH ANN REST NEXT?

>> I'M REALLY OOKING FORWARD TO IT.

I'M A PRETTY NEW MEMBER, AND IT'S MY FIRST TIME DOING THIS, AND SHE HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE.

>> IS IT GOING TO BE A CLASH OF PERSONALITY?

>> I THINK ANYBODY MIGHT HAVE A CLASH OF PERSONALITIES WITH EITHER ONE OF US.

I'M A HARD ASS TOO.

SO WE'LL SEE.

>> CONFERENCE COMMITTEE IS KIND OF EPIC.

FOLKS SAID THEY WANT TO SELL TICKETS, IF THE NEGOTIATIONS HAPPEN IN PUBLIC.

>> ABSOLUTELY, YEAH.

I THINK THAT SENATOR REST AND I SHARE A PRINCIPLE ABOUT TRANSPARENCY IN THIS PROCESS.

>> INSTITUTE REPUBLICANS SAY, WITH ALL THE OTHER ACTION AT THE CAPITOL, THE AMOUNT OF TAX INCREASES COULD BE GETTING LOST.

>> WE HAVE TRACKED DOWN RECENTLY, AND THE BILLS HAVE BEEN PROPOSED, AT LEAST $9.6 BILLION OF TAX INCREASES OVER THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.

>> IF YOU DON'T WISH TO SEE YOUR SENIORS, YOUR FAMILIES, PLACED UNDER AN ADDITIONAL TAX BURDEN OF THIS MAGNITUDE, THERE ARE 33 REPUBLICANS THAT STAND READY TO VOTE WITH YOU TO DEFEAT THESE TAXES, AND BRING SOME COMMON SENSE TO THE TAX POLICY OF MINNESOTA.

>> MY LOCAL COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN WATCHING.

AND THEY ARE GETTING MORE ND MORE UNEASY AND NERVOUS ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE SEEING COMING OUT OF THIS CPITOL.

>> THEY SAY THEY HAVE TALLIED UP $10 ILLION OF TAX INCREASES.

IS THAT ACCURATE?

>> I DIDN'T SEE THE PRESS CONFERENCE, AND I HAVEN'T REALLY SAT DOWN AND DONE THE LEDGER.

BUT WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT IN THE TAX BILL, WHEN WE HAVE THESE TWO REVENUE-RAISERS AND A LOT OF RELIEF THAT'S FOCUSED ON MIDDLE CLASS AND WORKING CLASS FAMILIES, THERE IS A VERY CLEAR DIVIDE, AND I'M CLEAR ABOUT WHO I'M HERE FOR, AND I'M HERE TO DO THE MOST GOOD T