Gov. Tim Walz is pitching his first budget under the new Trump era as a counterweight to the incoming president’s threats to impose tariffs, which he says will raise costs on everyday Minnesotans. His plan would lower Minnesota’s sales tax rate for the first time in state history by .

In regards to the statewide sales tax, Walz is proposing a .075% reduction to the tax rate alongside provisions to expand the sales tax base to close so-called "loopholes" for service providers, such as bankers and attorneys.

Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday pitched a tighter two-year budget, complete with spending pullbacks and other measures to keep a potential deficit at bay. He also proposed a lower state sales tax rate but called for extending the tax’s reach to financial services.