The Committee was originally conceived through communication between Governor Freeman and Mr. J. Cameron Thomson, Chairman of the Board, Northwest Bancorporation, following Governor Freeman's election in November, 1954
At a conference between Governor Freeman and Mr. Thomson early in 1955, it was agreed that it would be desirable to have a thorough and impartial study of the impact of Minnesota's tax strutcture on industrial and resource development in the State. It was also agreed that this job could best be done by an independent, non-governmental, and non-political committee, established on a broadly representative basis with its members being responsible leaders, selected from business and industry, labor organizations, farm organizations, cooperative associations and pertinent divisions of the State University; people in whose judgement and integrity the members of these groups and the people of the State would have confidence.
(From: p.xv "Report of the Governor's Minnesota Tax Study Commission, 1956").
On Thursday, July 21, 1955, the Governor publicly announced the appointment of the Minnesota Tax Study Committee. Their published 618 page report was released late 1956.