"I don't want to say it's dead on arrival. I don't think it has much of a heartbeat," said Deputy Senate Majority Leader Geoff Michel, R-Edina.

House Speaker Kurt Zellers said he was taken aback by the "epic" size of the tax hike for those with six-figure incomes. He said Dayton's permanent and temporary increases would shoot Minnesota past Hawaii and Oregon for a dubious distinction for the highest tax rate, causing business leaders and others to flinch.

"This is a feeble and pathetic attempt at going back in time to raise taxes and increase spending in order to balance the budget," said Zellers, R-Maple Grove. "It has not worked. It will not work."

Democratic legislative leaders praised Dayton's approach but wouldn't commit to voting for the tax increases.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk said the governor's budget delivers on the blueprint he sketched during the campaign.

"Anybody that's outraged wasn't listening to Governor Dayton on the campaign trail. And he did win," said Bakk, DFL-Cook. "Well-to-do Minnesotans have been getting a really, really good deal."