Oct 26, 2009 6:43 pm US/Central
AFSCME Puts Dayton Back In MN Political Spotlight
(WCCO)
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Mark Dayton recommends raising the income tax on the top 10 percent of taxpayers, which, he said would be individual Minnesotans making $150,000 or more per year. (File)
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images
A former U.S. Senator received a big boost on Monday in his new quest to become Minnesota's next governor. Members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees are endorsing Mark Dayton as the best democratic candidate for governor. The 43,000-member union endorsed Dayton for governor in part because it says he's best equipped to run a statewide race.
"It's a strong DFL field," said Eliot Seide, Director of AFSCME Council 5. "But we felt the candidate who most shared our values and had the greatest opportunity to win was Mark Dayton."
Like the union, Dayton believes taxes should be raised on the highest income Minnesotans to fix the state's massive budget deficit.
Dayton recommends raising the income tax on the top 10 percent of taxpayers, which, he said would be individual Minnesotans making $150,000 or more per year.
He blamed no-new-tax Republicans for creating what may be a record $7 billion shortfall.
"It's not right that the wealthiest people in this state should not pay their fair share of taxes," said Dayton. "And I am one of them, and Tim Pawlenty is one of them. And I know that we can afford to pay our fair share of taxes."
Dayton's been out of the public eye since 2005 when he abruptly decided not to seek re-election to the U.S. Senate after just one term.
He once closed his Washington, D.C. office during a terrorism threat and was named by TIME magazine as an ineffective senator.
Republican critics are already taking aim, calling him the DFL frontrunner.
"He was ineffective as a U.S. Senator," said Tony Sutton, chair of the Minnesota Republican Party. "He cut and run when there were some threats on the capitol. He did some things that make it questionable why anyone would want him to be chief executive of the state of Minnesota. "
Dayton is an heir to the department store fortune. On Monday, he said he will try to raise money for his campaign, but is prepared to spend his own money.
He is seeking DFL party endorsement, but said he will run in the primary next year.
AFSCME's endorsement brings thousands of volunteers and possibly a million dollars in union spending on the race.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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