Minnesota's Big Spenders Want to Impose a "Snowbird Tax" (Seriously!)

For Minnesota governor Mark Dayton, increasing the state income tax rate from 7.85% to 9.85% doesn't go quite far enough. He wants to impose what is referred to as a "snowbird tax" on part-time residents who spend as much as two months out of the year in Minnesota.

The general rule, observed by virtually all states, is that you owe state income taxes to the state in which you have your primary residence -- loosely defined as where you live more than one-half of the year.

For instance, many Texans own vacation homes in states such as Colorado and California, which levy state income taxes. (Texas does not.) If the authorities of an income tax state suspect that a homeowner lives there six months or more out of a given year, they may require that he prove otherwise by producing credit card records for such things as restaurant, grocery, and fuel bills. That's very easy to do if you keep decent records.

But some of Minnesota's big spenders want to go a step further:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2984400/posts

However, the plan may backfire, or at the very least not raise anything even remotely close to the anticipated additional revenue:

http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/st...esota-tax.html

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/dis...wbird-tax-plan

A state's part-time residents spend money in stores, restauarants, and other businesses. Additionally, many pay substantial property taxes.

Chasing them away or disincentivizing them to spend a significant amount of time in the state seems like very bad business to me.

If this idea isn't quickly perceived as an abject failure, other revenue-hungry states might pick up on it. The story could have import for anyone considering the purchase of a retirement or vacation home.

Any thoughts or comments?

Yah dat vill vurk...

For Minnesota governor Mark Dayton, increasing the state income tax rate from 7.85% to 9.85% doesn't go quite far enough. He wants to impose what is referred to as a "snowbird tax" on part-time residents who spend as much as two months out of the year in Minnesota.

The general rule, observed by virtually all states, is that you owe state income taxes to the state in which you have your primary residence -- loosely defined as where you live more than one-half of the year.

For instance, many Texans own vacation homes in states such as Colorado and California, which levy state income taxes. (Texas does not.) If the authorities of an income tax state suspect that a homeowner lives there six months or more out of a given year, they may require that he prove otherwise by producing credit card records for such things as restaurant, grocery, and fuel bills. That's very easy to do if you keep decent records.

But some of Minnesota's big spenders want to go a step further:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2984400/posts

However, the plan may backfire, or at the very least not raise anything even remotely close to the anticipated additional revenue:

http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/st...esota-tax.html

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/dis...wbird-tax-plan

A state's part-time residents spend money in stores, restauarants, and other businesses. Additionally, many pay substantial property taxes.

Chasing them away or disincentivizing them to spend a significant amount of time in the state seems like very bad business to me.

If this idea isn't quickly perceived as an abject failure, other revenue-hungry states might pick up on it. The story could have import for anyone considering the purchase of a retirement or vacation home.

Any thoughts or comments? Originally Posted by CaptainMidnight

The report says Minnesota thinks they can go after income tax for the ENTIRE year, not just the two months spent in Minnesota.

So, if a retiree in North Carolina goes back to Minnesota to stay with his/her son or daughter for a couple of months in the summer, the retiree pays income tax on their ENTIRE income for the year to both NC and Minnesota? Or is that only if they also own the house the son or daughter lives in?

Yep, that is a real "progressive" for you.

i think it is an idiotic thing to do also but its indicative of the liberal mindset

its good for non-income tax states

the obscure thing is that many locales and states hide taxes on non-residents in cab fares, rental cars and hotel and motel room taxes.

i'm sure these blue states have pushed that to the limit already but those things dont hit the vacation home/motor home crowd

years ago cities and states that have income tax began taxing professional athletes based on a per game division of their income for the number of games they played in those places. of course if you are retired or on vacation,. you arent "earning" income so, viola, this novel thinking.

can you imagine the form filing requirements by these lovers of control and power and wasters of industry?

enforcement of the tax would be ultimately obtained by real property confiscation, ala nazi germany, you can leave, just you cant take anything with you. but how could they enforce the tax against a motorhome bird? a whole new vista of a market could be opened to lawyers and collection agencies


what the libs didnt forsee was the problem with feeding a snake. it may seem harmless if you feed it but its still a snake, untrustworthy in all things. yeah they will vote for you while you feed them then they will leave you high and dry. the retired government union member, the triple dipper ex-government worker, having schemed and planned and counted up his sick leave days he can get paid for at retirement everyday at his desk for years and years, now all retired and what? you think im living in this high tax state now that im retired and getting all my pensions? are you crazy? im not!

so they pay exorbitant pensions for 40 years to people who'ved moved to texas or florida and can't tax a dime of it back, but maybe if they kept a house here, hmmmm

i think it is an idiotic thing to do also but its indicative of the liberal mindset

its good for non-income tax states

the obscure thing is that many locales and states hide taxes on non-residents in cab fares, rental cars and hotel and motel room taxes.

i'm sure these blue states have pushed that to the limit already but those things dont hit the vacation home/motor home crowd

years ago cities and states that have income tax began taxing professional athletes based on a per game division of their income for the number of games they played in those places. of course if you are retired or on vacation,. you arent "earning" income so, viola, this novel thinking.

can you imagine the form filing requirements by these lovers of control and power and wasters of industry?

enforcement of the tax would be ultimately obtained by real property confiscation, ala nazi germany, you can leave, just you cant take anything with you. but how could they enforce the tax against a motorhome bird? a whole new vista of a market could be opened to lawyers and collection agencies


what the libs didnt forsee was the problem with feeding a snake. it may seem harmless if you feed it but its still a snake, untrustworthy in all things. yeah they will vote for you while you feed them then they will leave you high and dry. the retired government union member, the triple dipper ex-government worker, having schemed and planned and counted up his sick leave days he can get paid for at retirement everyday at his desk for years and years, now all retired and what? you think im living in this high tax state now that im retired and getting all my pensions? are you crazy? im not!

so they pay exorbitant pensions for 40 years to people who'ved moved to texas or florida and can't tax a dime of it back, but maybe if they kept a house here, hmmmm Originally Posted by nevergaveitathought

And when that does not get them enough "revenue" they will just tax the retirement also. It will happen.

Well, here's proof that Teawipes don't have the monopoly on idiots. They're jacking up the sales tax and, as others have said, many of the snowbirds pay property taxes on vacation homes, etc as well as buy stuff while they're there. He's a dumbshit - IF - the article's on the button regarding the facts (we all know how that lunatic fringer Capt. Midnite is). I suspect that if it is, this little adventure will eventually be filed in ol' #13.

Well, here's proof that Teawipes don't have the monopoly on idiots. They're jacking up the sales tax and, as others have said, many of the snowbirds pay property taxes on vacation homes, etc as well as buy stuff while they're there. He's a dumbshit - IF - the article's on the button regarding the facts (we all know how that lunatic fringer Capt. Midnite is). I suspect that if it is, this little adventure will eventually be filed in ol' #13. Originally Posted by Randy4Candy

Lunatic fringer? Are you kidding me?

If CM is a lunatic fringer, what exactly is COG?

Lunatic fringer? Are you kidding me? YES!

If CM is a lunatic fringer, what exactly is COG? Please, please - let's not go there! Originally Posted by ExNYer

LOL, just checking to see if anyone's reading or just skimming. Capt. "Midwife" is one of the few - if not the only one - who plays it straight almost 100% of the time. My tongue was firmly implanted in cheek (my very own, that is) when I posted that little aside.

My tongue was firmly implanted in cheek (my very own, that is) when I posted that little aside. Originally Posted by Randy4Candy

You can bend that far over?

You can bend that far over? Originally Posted by ExNYer

I knew that was going to come up but, no, I can't. So, I guess we'll have to go with the cheek by the jowl, as they say.

There's plenty of room here in reality.

Gov. Mark Dayton is a Democrat, what did anyone expect?

Looks like Texas Gov Perry needs to run some ads in Minnesota.

Looks like Texas Gov Perry needs to run some ads in Minnesota. Originally Posted by Jackie S

Fuck that, we don't want any more goofy ass libtards down here.

Fuck that, we don't want any more goofy ass libtards down here. Originally Posted by seedman55

Ha! With Governot Mofo "Oops" Goodhair the Texicans are all over goofy.