National anti-tax figurehead Grover Norquist wasted no time today in jumping on the news that Minnesota's budget forecast shows a much lower projected deficit and calling on state DFLers to drop plans for a tax hike.

Within hours of the news this morning, Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, issued this statement:

"Minnesota is already on the path to a balanced budget without harmful tax hikes. Today’s revelation that the budget hole has fallen by almost half takes away the tax-and-spend crowd’s argument that tax increases are necessary. In fact, by raising taxes on Minnesota families and small businesses, politicians are in danger of reversing the tide of economic growth and positioning the state for larger deficits down the road.

"Gov. Dayton’s tax increases – nearly $3.5 billion worth – dwarf the budget deficit. The governor’s true goal is increasing the size of government on the backs of taxpayers. An income tax rate of 9.85 percent is fiercely uncompetitive and will cause small businesses to leave the state for greener pastures. A larger sales tax burden will hit struggling families hard. And a tobacco tax increase will only push commerce across state lines, hurting retailers and government coffers simultaneously.

"Minnesota lawmakers can and should manage this smaller budget deficit without tax hikes. To do otherwise would hamper the fragile progress that is already underway."