Property taxes are up throughout Minnesota, but the increase in the metro area is much lower than in the rest of the state, says a report from the Minnesota House.

The Fargo Forum's Don Davis says the report shows property taxes rising 3.1 percent in the Twin Cities, while the rest of the state has an average 8.7 percent increase.

"Increases reach the double digits for rural townships, cities in taconite mining areas and Duluth," the story said.

DFLers blame the increases on the state budget passed by Republicans, but Republicans say the report uses old numbers.

The divergent arguments:

Rep. Paul Marquart, DFL-Dilworth,said the report shows higher taxes that can be blamed on last year’s elimination of the Market Value Homestead Credit. The Republican-controlled Legislature and Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton agreed to eliminate the credit last summer as they prepared a two-year budget.

Eliminating the credit basically cut the amount of state money flowing to local governments.

And:

House Taxes Chairman Greg Davids, R-Preston, said Marquart is using out-of-date figures. The numbers House researchers used are from early tax plans by local governments, but many of them lowered their tax askings late last month.

Besides, Davids said, the market value program only was scheduled to spend $89 million. So, he added, it is impossible to blame $413 million in tax increases on eliminating that program.