The Minnesota Legislature had choices. I believe they made the wrong choice.
The Minnesota Legislature could have used surplus tax money to reduce property taxes and make owning a home more affordable. Additionally, the tax on tobacco could have helped low income people with housing which would have been a better choice than providing lower cost cigarettes and cigars.
Here is an opinion published in the Post Bulletin on June 13:
“Our new: Only the tobacco industry benefits from tax cut” http://www.postbulletin.com/opinion/our_view/our-view-only-the-tobacco-lobby-benefits-from-tax-cut/article_d0bc120b-026f-56f0-8565-72748fe97954.html