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;-'E&eatening to politicians. He suggests GAIL MARKSJARVIS legislators put the tax change on the bal- lot, hoping homeowners will decide it's a Asking to overburden businesses. `1 Asking homeowners The plan: Use 1987 as a base year to calculate property market value. As the ,to a `fair Share? years go by, tax all market value that .p Y h existed in 1997 under the old system. But • tax new market value from new homes For years you and businesses under the new system. could count on Taxpayers — regardless of whether they Minnesota's owned a store or a house — would pay largest business in direct proportion to their share of lobbies to go to their county's new market value. Blazar the Legislature thinks that after a decade, the tax bur- with the same den would become more equitable as refrain: Property homeowners — concerned about higher taxes area con- STAFF COLUMNIST taxes — asked for fewer government fusing mess; sim- services . plify them Sound complicated? Says Blazar: But it didn't work with Republicans "what we have now is already so com- or Democrats, largely because the mess plicated, one more complication won't is aimed at keeping homeowners' taxes matter." still selling the concept, bu down. So this year the Minnesota Cham- Sys z t different business groups are t ber of Commerce wants the Legislature wand, A big hurdle seems to be the per- on �' to make the tag system more complicat- ception that home sales will suffer if ,. property.taxes on-houses increase. But If'that strikes you as confusing, look � Blazar says 64 percent of Wisconsin's no furtlier,than the bottom line. The goal population owns homes, compared with is the same as it's always been: Lower Minnesota's 69 percept, even though the burden on businesses, and make taxes on Wisconsin homes are almost homeowners pay more of their "fair double those in this state. In the chamber tried to The real crowd pleaser. I detected In the past, a little surprise in Gov. Arne Carlson's achieve its goal by advocating an over- voice at his State of the State address haul in the complicated formulas Min- nesota uses to relieve homeowners' Tuesday night when-his business audi- taxes encs gave only polite applause to his The-chamber claims that aid from the plans to decrease crime and improve • state rewards cities for spending schools, but clapped enthusiastically for frivolously. It says low taxes-on homes cutting,a business tax. entice homeowners,to.ask for pet manic- Some businesspeople actually cheered ipal projects like swimming pools with- when.Carlson said he would ask for a out realizing someone else is-paying e imillion tae break for business by _ most of the bill. Chamber.-* charts elminating the sales tae on capital show,homesteads paying.only 38 percent equipment. of the property Carlson said he decided to give his p perty-tgX%JAAgrstate, while_ State of the State address before the making up 56 percent of property mar- ket value. Factories, offices•and stores nal that he is interested change. But it pay 33 percent; compared with 14 per- seemed to demonstrate that some things cent in market value. Apartments are never change: Businesspeople may com- overtaxed and farms undertaxed, accord- plain about crime or untrained workers, ing to the chamber• but what really excites them is a good "This system puts local government old tae cut. services on sale for about 50 cents on the dollar," said chamber lobbyist Bill Gail MarksJarvis'column appears Tuesdays and Blazar. Thursdays.Call her at 228-5488. Blazar called on business owners and executives at the Minnesota Chamber's annual meeting this week to support slow change, which he thinks will be less •