Tina Smith on Tax Reform

We need to tax wealthier Minnesotans, to fix problems

She and Dayton met at a cafe in Minneapolis to talk about his strategy. The two hit it off, and he quickly made her an adviser to his campaign. Not long after he won the election, Dayton asked Smith to be his chief of staff in the governor's office. With her background in business, Smith became the administration's lead on government reform projects. The two went through a 21-day government shutdown together in 2011, and the following year, Smith was critical in working with sports officials, business leaders and legislators to pass a proposal to construct a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.