Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and other government leaders, should be blushing when discussing the state’s budget surplus, which reached an almost unthinkable $17.6 billion in the state’s latest economic forecast Tuesday.

“Strong collections and lower-than projected spending” were factors cited by the Minnesota Management and Budget office in its report. Put simply, the state has been collecting way more in taxes than it needs. It is high time for the state to ratchet down its revenue collections to a more reasonable level.

There are certainly things to spend more money on. Education, be it preschool to K-12 to the state university system, is one of the state’s primary responsibilities. Legislators should make sure it is being adequately funded. Roads, bridges and other infrastructure improvements are important. More money should be provided for senior health care, Medicare reimbursement rates for senior care facilities, and pay increases for the care providers themselves.

That should still leave plenty of billions available for meaningful tax reform. Walz likes the idea of sending rebate checks throughout the state, and that’s a fine idea. But that’s just spending the surplus, not slowing down the excessive collection of taxes from people, businesses, consumers and property owners throughout the state.

Tax reform should be approached in a bi-partisan, comprehensive manner. Tax cuts should be aimed at relieving the burden on the overtaxed, and at stimulating the economy through business expansions and job growth. It will be incumbent on the DFL majority in control of the Legislature and the governor’s office to include Republicans in the creation of a tax reform plan.

And while they are at it, legislators should get rid of the rule that prohibits the state’s economic forecasters from factoring in inflation when they are creating budget forecasts. This rule was passed at a time when the state was facing chronic deficits, as a means of keeping the deficit figures artificially low. It is not a realistic way to plan for the future, especially in this time of high inflation. Fiscal responsibility means getting the most accurate information available before making a spending plan, not pretending that things will cost just the same in two or three years.