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Did Minnesota’s state budget increase nearly 40% in 2023?

By Tom Kertscher
YES

In May 2023, the Minnesota Legislature approved and Gov. Tim Walz signed a 2023-25 state budget of $72 billion.

That spends 38.4% more than the previous two-year budget of $52 billion.

The new budget period started July 1, 2023.

Walz is a Democrat and the Legislature is majority Democrat.

The $72 billion budget tapped a $17.5 billion budget surplus and raised billions in tax revenues. It gave lower- and middle-income residents $1.1 billion in tax rebates and $1.4 billion in expanded tax credits, according to news reports.

Republicans pushed for bigger rebates and more permanent tax cuts.

Wisconsin’s 2023-25 $99 billion state budget was a 13% increase over the previous budget of $87.5 billion. Gov. Tony Evers is a Democrat, while the Legislature is majority Republican.

Wisconsin Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu, R-Oostburg, made the 40% claim on May 18, 2024, at the Wisconsin Republican Convention.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
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Wisconsin Watch, the news arm of the nonpartisan, nonprofit Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, increases the quality and quantity of investigative reporting in Wisconsin, while training current and future investigative journalists. Its work fosters an informed citizenry and strengthens democracy.
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