Official Says Sales Tax Could Still be Expanded

ST. PAUL (AP) - Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk says there's still room to discuss an expanded sales tax even though Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton intends to abandon that budget approach.

Bakk, of Cook, said Monday that the Senate Tax Committee plans to consider whether some services should be part of the sales tax mix. On Friday, Dayton announced he was moving away from his sales tax push amid widespread opposition.

Dayton will release a revised budget proposal this week. The Democratic governor says it will still include a call for a higher income tax on the top 2 percent of Minnesota earners, such as couples earning more than $250,000 a year.

Bakk, also a Democrat, says there will be "significant conversation" about whether a bigger pool of taxpayers should pay additional income taxes.