Bachmann, Emmer headline tax protest at Capitol

More than 1,000 people rallied in front of the State Capitol Saturday in support of lower taxes. State Rep. and gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer and Sixth District U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann headlined the event.

Bachmann called for lower taxes and smaller government and urged supporters to work to elect conservatives in November.

"So what we need to have is massive reform on spending [and] massive reform on entitlements," she told the crowd.

Emmer urged the crowd to work hard to elect conservatives this November.

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"We are going to take this state back and we are going to show the rest of this country what freedom is supposed to be all about," he said.

Emmer criticized Democratic policies, saying he supports less regulation and lower taxes.

The annual rally took place as lawmakers held weekend budget talks on how to close the state's looming $2.9 billion budget gap

State Senate officials on Saturday released details of a bill that would close most of the budget gap with spending cuts, payment delays and possibly tax hikes.