SOURCE: Governor Pawlenty's Office
Saint Paul – Governor Pawlenty announced today that his last Good Morning, Minnesota broadcast will be November 12, 2010. The Governor has notified WCCO-AM management of his decision.
The Governor first broadcast his weekly radio show on WCCO-AM in February 2003. He voluntarily ended the broadcast in June 2006 prior to filing for re-election. He resumed the show in January 2007 as he began his second term as Governor.
Good Morning, Minnesota airs from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. each Friday. WCCO-AM was selected after an RFP process solicited bids from radio broadcasters interested in airing the Governor’s radio show.
Showing posts with label Governor Pawlenty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Governor Pawlenty. Show all posts
Friday, October 8, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
PAWLENTY'S FINAL STATE OF THE STATE SET FOR FEB 11 AT CAPITOL
Associated Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Gov. Tim Pawlenty will deliver his final State of the State address at the Minnesota Capitol on Feb. 11.
The Republican governor's office says he will make the speech in the House chamber, just down the hall from his office.
Pawlenty is serving the last year of his second term.
After ruling out a third term last year, he formed a national fundraising committee and has been traveling the country speaking to Republican audiences.
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Gov. Tim Pawlenty will deliver his final State of the State address at the Minnesota Capitol on Feb. 11.
The Republican governor's office says he will make the speech in the House chamber, just down the hall from his office.
Pawlenty is serving the last year of his second term.
After ruling out a third term last year, he formed a national fundraising committee and has been traveling the country speaking to Republican audiences.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
GOV. PAWLENTY: $1.203 BILLION CAN BE SOLVABLE.
Top: Governor Pawlenty speaking to the media during his press conference. Bottom: Blank Christmas tree in Governor's Office is symbol of state budget being in black.
By Rach Eggert, Rach’s Political Report
December 2, 2009
State of Minnesota are expected to be in $1.203 billion deficit; the budget forecast was projected during month of November according to Minnesota Management and Budget Office (MMB).
Governor Tim Pawlenty mentioned that he would reduce his out of state travels during 2010 legislative session to save money and focus on working with legislature to resolve the budget and get back on track.
Pawlenty is planning on unallot Local Government Aid (LGA) this month and request the Legislature to meet in committee hearings immediately to reduce budget that would be enacted at beginning of 2010 legislative session which kick off on February 4, 2010. He also request his cabinet members to work with legislative leaders immediately to discuss possible unallotment and solutions.
He is also ordering all state government agencies to put hold on spending and reduce three percent of unspent operating funds in current budget period.
Pawlenty wanted Minnesota to be more business-friendly and job-friendly state, believe that budget could be resolved during 2010 legislative session and willing to work with the Legislature.
December 2, 2009
State of Minnesota are expected to be in $1.203 billion deficit; the budget forecast was projected during month of November according to Minnesota Management and Budget Office (MMB).
Governor Tim Pawlenty mentioned that he would reduce his out of state travels during 2010 legislative session to save money and focus on working with legislature to resolve the budget and get back on track.
Pawlenty is planning on unallot Local Government Aid (LGA) this month and request the Legislature to meet in committee hearings immediately to reduce budget that would be enacted at beginning of 2010 legislative session which kick off on February 4, 2010. He also request his cabinet members to work with legislative leaders immediately to discuss possible unallotment and solutions.
He is also ordering all state government agencies to put hold on spending and reduce three percent of unspent operating funds in current budget period.
Pawlenty wanted Minnesota to be more business-friendly and job-friendly state, believe that budget could be resolved during 2010 legislative session and willing to work with the Legislature.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Pawlenty preps 2012 campaign team
Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press
By: Jonathan Martin POLITICO
Updated: 10/01/2009
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been quietly assembling the blueprint of a presidential campaign and will announce Thursday the support of a group of high-level political strategists and donors, complemented by a handful of top new media consultants, POLITICO has learned.
Pawlenty, under the radar of D.C.'s political community, has locked up some of the key operatives who engineered then-President George W. Bush's reelection campaign — a significant feat for a little-known Midwestern politician.
The moves underscore, and will lend credence to, the emerging belief among many establishment Republicans that Pawlenty is becoming the sole viable alternative to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a potential Republican primary rival. The Minnesota governor has even gone so far as to contact some of Romney's former supporters.
Pawlenty, who previously has had little political infrastructure, is now being advised by a trio of GOP consultants with presidential experience: Terry Nelson, Sara Taylor and Phil Musser.
And in formally opening his political action committee, Freedom First, Thursday, Pawlenty will also announce two co-chairmen, William Strong, a Morgan Stanley vice chairman, and former Rep. Vin Weber (R-Minn.), both of whom are heavyweight GOP figures, along with a list of prominent Minnesota donors.
In addition to a high-dollar gala launch for the PAC in Minneapolis in November, Pawlenty is planning a Washington fundraiser for late October designed to acquaint the governor with the Beltway's most influential Republicans. Helping to coordinate the governor's GOP outreach in the nation's capital is Sam Geduldig, a well-connected lobbyist and former senior aide to Reps. John Boehner and Roy Blunt.
Serving as the PAC's counsel is Michael Toner, a veteran campaign lawyer in Washington. Alex Conant, a native Minnesotan and former Republican National Committee spokesman, will serve as communications director.
The governor has also inked political technology consultants Patrick Ruffini, Mindy Finn, Patrick Hynes and Liz Mair to develop what Pawlenty advisers hope will be the most sophisticated new-media presence of any Republican in the nation. Pawlenty launches a new website, www.timpawlenty.com, Thursday.
The second-term Minnesota governor, who is not seeking reelection next year, is focused on twin political goals, his advisers say: helping elect two Republican governors this fall from his perch as Republican Governors Association vice chairman and using his PAC to aid like-minded candidates running in next year's midterm elections.
But Pawlenty is doing far more than that to establish his presence in the minds of Republican voters.
He is also traveling the country at a fevered clip, appearing at scores of GOP and conservative events to speak to the party faithful, and becoming a frequent national TV presence, especially on cable television, where he's able to offer sharp critiques of President Barack Obama's latest moves.
And behind the scenes, he's engaged in a far more subtle campaign against another possible presidential rival.
Pawlenty has been phoning aides and advisers to Romney's 2008 campaign, ostensibly to introduce himself and solicit their advice.
One midlevel Romney aide who got a call suggested the Minnesotan was targeting younger operatives who may be open to another candidate in 2012 should the former Massachusetts governor stock the senior levels of his next potential run with the same cast as last time.
Pawlenty also recently reached out to another well-known Romney supporter from a key early-primary state, asking questions about the state's political dynamics.
"Not a lot of people outside of Minnesota know Gov. Pawlenty very well, and as he tries to help Republicans around the country, it makes sense for him to reach out to a lot of people," said Conant, when asked about the forward-leaning tactics. "As he puts together a team to run the PAC with a focus on 2010, he wants the best people available."
But such conversations have another effect, as Pawlenty and his team are well aware — they serve notice to the small community of political insiders that the governor is serious about a White House run.
The same can be said about the selection of Weber as co-chairman of his PAC. The former Minnesota congressman-turned-GOP lobbyist and strategist was an early backer of Romney's primary run, serving as campaign policy chairman and a close adviser.
"I'm a free agent," Weber said when asked about his 2012 loyalties, noting he had told senior Romney officials about his decision to help lead Pawlenty's PAC. He was emphatic that his efforts for Pawlenty are about 2010 — "doing something positive for the Republican Party" — and not the next presidential race.
Pawlenty is holding one-on-one meetings with Republicans nearly everywhere he goes and is going to some lengths to make sure his message is correctly calibrated. Before the recent Family Research Council's Value Voters Summit, for example, he held a conference call with a team of advisers, including pollster Tony Fabrizio and longtime conservative strategist Greg Mueller, to help shape his speech and general approach at an event where he got rave reviews and finished a surprising third in the straw poll.
Further, Pawlenty has used public appearances and op-eds to criticize the health care plan Romney put in place in Massachusetts.
Taken together, Pawlenty's efforts reflect a Republican trying to carve out a niche for himself in the very early 2012 jockeying. Before anyone else enters the arena, he's seeking to win over Republicans who are reluctant, or downright unwilling, to embrace Romney and who think that other potential candidates — notably former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Alaska Gov. and vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin — are nonstarters in a general election.
"Who else is a credible alternative that's going to have a national campaign infrastructure?" asked one Republican operative, listing only Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) as another potential entrant, before noting that the senator has done little to suggest he's interested in challenging Obama.
"There are basically two guys who are electable conservatives," said another plugged-in Republican, assessing a field that right now seems notably thin.
Yet Pawlenty lacks a few important strengths that some of his possible opponents enjoy. He doesn't have the ability to finance his own campaign as Romney does, nor does he maintain anything close to the former presidential hopeful's donor and grass-roots base. He lacks Huckabee's natural hold on social conservatives. And he's never going to enjoy a fervent following like the one Palin can point to.
It's also not entirely clear what Pawlenty's signature issues will be, since there is no overarching accomplishment in St. Paul that he could clearly run on.
Pawlenty's early maneuvering, however, could address one of the political class's early raps against him: that, while he may be a young and appealing conservative from a blue state, he lacks the organization or capacity to raise the kind of money needed to win the presidential nomination.
Nelson initially ran Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign in 2007 and was the national political director on the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign in 2004. Taylor was also a senior official on the Bush campaign and did a stint as White House political director at the start of his second term. Musser ran the Republican Governors Association in 2006 and advised Romney at the outset of his 2008 White House run. Fabrizio and Mueller have also worked on GOP presidential campaigns.
Strong was a Ranger, or top Bush fundraising bundler, in 2004 and for McCain. He's joined by a group of Minnesotans, including former Target CEO Bob Ulrich, GOP strategist Jeff Larson and TCF Financial Corp. CEO Bill Cooper.
Pawlenty's team also includes a number of operatives who worked for different candidates in the last GOP primary. On the Web team alone are individuals from the campaigns of McCain, Romney and Rudy Giuliani.
A group of Pawlenty loyalists in Minnesota, Trisha Hamm, Annie Kelly and Don Stiles, will help run the business side of the St. Paul-based PAC.
By: Jonathan Martin POLITICO
Updated: 10/01/2009
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been quietly assembling the blueprint of a presidential campaign and will announce Thursday the support of a group of high-level political strategists and donors, complemented by a handful of top new media consultants, POLITICO has learned.
Pawlenty, under the radar of D.C.'s political community, has locked up some of the key operatives who engineered then-President George W. Bush's reelection campaign — a significant feat for a little-known Midwestern politician.
The moves underscore, and will lend credence to, the emerging belief among many establishment Republicans that Pawlenty is becoming the sole viable alternative to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a potential Republican primary rival. The Minnesota governor has even gone so far as to contact some of Romney's former supporters.
Pawlenty, who previously has had little political infrastructure, is now being advised by a trio of GOP consultants with presidential experience: Terry Nelson, Sara Taylor and Phil Musser.
And in formally opening his political action committee, Freedom First, Thursday, Pawlenty will also announce two co-chairmen, William Strong, a Morgan Stanley vice chairman, and former Rep. Vin Weber (R-Minn.), both of whom are heavyweight GOP figures, along with a list of prominent Minnesota donors.
In addition to a high-dollar gala launch for the PAC in Minneapolis in November, Pawlenty is planning a Washington fundraiser for late October designed to acquaint the governor with the Beltway's most influential Republicans. Helping to coordinate the governor's GOP outreach in the nation's capital is Sam Geduldig, a well-connected lobbyist and former senior aide to Reps. John Boehner and Roy Blunt.
Serving as the PAC's counsel is Michael Toner, a veteran campaign lawyer in Washington. Alex Conant, a native Minnesotan and former Republican National Committee spokesman, will serve as communications director.
The governor has also inked political technology consultants Patrick Ruffini, Mindy Finn, Patrick Hynes and Liz Mair to develop what Pawlenty advisers hope will be the most sophisticated new-media presence of any Republican in the nation. Pawlenty launches a new website, www.timpawlenty.com, Thursday.
The second-term Minnesota governor, who is not seeking reelection next year, is focused on twin political goals, his advisers say: helping elect two Republican governors this fall from his perch as Republican Governors Association vice chairman and using his PAC to aid like-minded candidates running in next year's midterm elections.
But Pawlenty is doing far more than that to establish his presence in the minds of Republican voters.
He is also traveling the country at a fevered clip, appearing at scores of GOP and conservative events to speak to the party faithful, and becoming a frequent national TV presence, especially on cable television, where he's able to offer sharp critiques of President Barack Obama's latest moves.
And behind the scenes, he's engaged in a far more subtle campaign against another possible presidential rival.
Pawlenty has been phoning aides and advisers to Romney's 2008 campaign, ostensibly to introduce himself and solicit their advice.
One midlevel Romney aide who got a call suggested the Minnesotan was targeting younger operatives who may be open to another candidate in 2012 should the former Massachusetts governor stock the senior levels of his next potential run with the same cast as last time.
Pawlenty also recently reached out to another well-known Romney supporter from a key early-primary state, asking questions about the state's political dynamics.
"Not a lot of people outside of Minnesota know Gov. Pawlenty very well, and as he tries to help Republicans around the country, it makes sense for him to reach out to a lot of people," said Conant, when asked about the forward-leaning tactics. "As he puts together a team to run the PAC with a focus on 2010, he wants the best people available."
But such conversations have another effect, as Pawlenty and his team are well aware — they serve notice to the small community of political insiders that the governor is serious about a White House run.
The same can be said about the selection of Weber as co-chairman of his PAC. The former Minnesota congressman-turned-GOP lobbyist and strategist was an early backer of Romney's primary run, serving as campaign policy chairman and a close adviser.
"I'm a free agent," Weber said when asked about his 2012 loyalties, noting he had told senior Romney officials about his decision to help lead Pawlenty's PAC. He was emphatic that his efforts for Pawlenty are about 2010 — "doing something positive for the Republican Party" — and not the next presidential race.
Pawlenty is holding one-on-one meetings with Republicans nearly everywhere he goes and is going to some lengths to make sure his message is correctly calibrated. Before the recent Family Research Council's Value Voters Summit, for example, he held a conference call with a team of advisers, including pollster Tony Fabrizio and longtime conservative strategist Greg Mueller, to help shape his speech and general approach at an event where he got rave reviews and finished a surprising third in the straw poll.
Further, Pawlenty has used public appearances and op-eds to criticize the health care plan Romney put in place in Massachusetts.
Taken together, Pawlenty's efforts reflect a Republican trying to carve out a niche for himself in the very early 2012 jockeying. Before anyone else enters the arena, he's seeking to win over Republicans who are reluctant, or downright unwilling, to embrace Romney and who think that other potential candidates — notably former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and former Alaska Gov. and vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin — are nonstarters in a general election.
"Who else is a credible alternative that's going to have a national campaign infrastructure?" asked one Republican operative, listing only Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) as another potential entrant, before noting that the senator has done little to suggest he's interested in challenging Obama.
"There are basically two guys who are electable conservatives," said another plugged-in Republican, assessing a field that right now seems notably thin.
Yet Pawlenty lacks a few important strengths that some of his possible opponents enjoy. He doesn't have the ability to finance his own campaign as Romney does, nor does he maintain anything close to the former presidential hopeful's donor and grass-roots base. He lacks Huckabee's natural hold on social conservatives. And he's never going to enjoy a fervent following like the one Palin can point to.
It's also not entirely clear what Pawlenty's signature issues will be, since there is no overarching accomplishment in St. Paul that he could clearly run on.
Pawlenty's early maneuvering, however, could address one of the political class's early raps against him: that, while he may be a young and appealing conservative from a blue state, he lacks the organization or capacity to raise the kind of money needed to win the presidential nomination.
Nelson initially ran Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign in 2007 and was the national political director on the Bush-Cheney reelection campaign in 2004. Taylor was also a senior official on the Bush campaign and did a stint as White House political director at the start of his second term. Musser ran the Republican Governors Association in 2006 and advised Romney at the outset of his 2008 White House run. Fabrizio and Mueller have also worked on GOP presidential campaigns.
Strong was a Ranger, or top Bush fundraising bundler, in 2004 and for McCain. He's joined by a group of Minnesotans, including former Target CEO Bob Ulrich, GOP strategist Jeff Larson and TCF Financial Corp. CEO Bill Cooper.
Pawlenty's team also includes a number of operatives who worked for different candidates in the last GOP primary. On the Web team alone are individuals from the campaigns of McCain, Romney and Rudy Giuliani.
A group of Pawlenty loyalists in Minnesota, Trisha Hamm, Annie Kelly and Don Stiles, will help run the business side of the St. Paul-based PAC.
Pawlenty takes big steps today toward a campaign for president
In another sign he is mulling a presidential candidacy, Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s new PAC is set up and it's already attracting some heavy-hitting advisers and contributors.
By BOB VON STERNBERG and RACHEL E. STASSEN-BERGER, Star Tribune staff writers
Last update: October 1, 2009
The Pawlenty presidential buzz is kicking into higher gear.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty filed paperwork today with federal regulators to form the Freedom First PAC, a national fundraising committee he can use to aid GOP candidates in upcoming elections.
Simultaneously, he was featured -- with a photo -- at the top of the Drudge Report this morning with a headline asking, "CAN THIS MAN CONQUER OBAMA?"
The headline linked to a Politico.com story that reported Pawlenty "has been quietly assembling the blueprint of a presidential campaign" even as he has stayed "under the radar of D.C.'s political community"
In recent years, presidential candidates have started fundraising committees, such as Pawlenty has now done, to raise their profiles ahead of a White House run.
Since announcing this summer that he wouldn't seek a third term as governor, Pawlenty has incessantly stumped across the country at Republican events, insisting that he hasn't decided whether he'll mount a presidential run in 2012.
Pawlenty introduced himself in a video message on a new website -- www.timpawlenty.com -- that went live today. He also embraced his informal nickname in a brief biography, referring to himself as "TPaw."
"This is an important time in America," he says in the video. "The stakes are high and standing on the sidelines isn't an option. I'm making a commitment to you to fight for our principles. I'm asking for your support and I want to hear your voice."
The political action committee will allow Pawlenty to collect large donations, seed other Republicans' campaigns and fund his own travel and staff as he explores a possible 2012 run for president.
Along with creating his PAC, Pawlenty announced that he has enlisted a team of political consultants considered heavyweights in presidential politics.
The committee's co-chairs and announced staff show that Pawlenty isn't taking possibility lightly. It will be chaired by William H. Strong, vice chairman of Morgan Stanley, and. Vin Weber, a former Minnesota congressman turned Republican lobbying powerhouse. The PAC's advisers include Sara Taylor, a former White House political director, Phil Musser, a former executive director of the Republican Governors Association and Terry Nelson, a 2003 Bush-Cheney political director.
Michael Toner, a former Federal Election Commission chairman, will act as the organization's legal counsel.
The Democratic National Committee lambasted Pawlenty's moves as "back to the future."
"Recycling advisers from George W. Bush and relying on Washington insiders and lobbyists has to be utterly disappointing for those who thought Tim Pawlenty would bring a fresh approach to the Republican Party," the Democrats said in a news release.
According to the Politico story, "the moves underscore, and will lend credence to, the emerging belief among many establishment Republicans that Pawlenty is becoming the sole viable alternative to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a potential Republican primary rival. The Minnesota governor has even gone so far as to contact some of Romney's former supporters."
Appearing on Fox News Wednesday night, Pawlenty continued to deflect speculation about his ambitions.
"I really do not know what I am going to do," he said in an interview. "This is to benefit other candidates. What I am going to do down the road, I do not know."
A recent Star Tribune Minnesota Poll found Minnesotans aren't enamored of his potential run for presidential. Only thirty percent said he should run while 55 percent said he should not. Still, half of those in the survey said there was some or good chance they've vote for him should he end up winning the 2012 Republican nomination.
By BOB VON STERNBERG and RACHEL E. STASSEN-BERGER, Star Tribune staff writers
Last update: October 1, 2009
The Pawlenty presidential buzz is kicking into higher gear.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty filed paperwork today with federal regulators to form the Freedom First PAC, a national fundraising committee he can use to aid GOP candidates in upcoming elections.
Simultaneously, he was featured -- with a photo -- at the top of the Drudge Report this morning with a headline asking, "CAN THIS MAN CONQUER OBAMA?"
The headline linked to a Politico.com story that reported Pawlenty "has been quietly assembling the blueprint of a presidential campaign" even as he has stayed "under the radar of D.C.'s political community"
In recent years, presidential candidates have started fundraising committees, such as Pawlenty has now done, to raise their profiles ahead of a White House run.
Since announcing this summer that he wouldn't seek a third term as governor, Pawlenty has incessantly stumped across the country at Republican events, insisting that he hasn't decided whether he'll mount a presidential run in 2012.
Pawlenty introduced himself in a video message on a new website -- www.timpawlenty.com -- that went live today. He also embraced his informal nickname in a brief biography, referring to himself as "TPaw."
"This is an important time in America," he says in the video. "The stakes are high and standing on the sidelines isn't an option. I'm making a commitment to you to fight for our principles. I'm asking for your support and I want to hear your voice."
The political action committee will allow Pawlenty to collect large donations, seed other Republicans' campaigns and fund his own travel and staff as he explores a possible 2012 run for president.
Along with creating his PAC, Pawlenty announced that he has enlisted a team of political consultants considered heavyweights in presidential politics.
The committee's co-chairs and announced staff show that Pawlenty isn't taking possibility lightly. It will be chaired by William H. Strong, vice chairman of Morgan Stanley, and. Vin Weber, a former Minnesota congressman turned Republican lobbying powerhouse. The PAC's advisers include Sara Taylor, a former White House political director, Phil Musser, a former executive director of the Republican Governors Association and Terry Nelson, a 2003 Bush-Cheney political director.
Michael Toner, a former Federal Election Commission chairman, will act as the organization's legal counsel.
The Democratic National Committee lambasted Pawlenty's moves as "back to the future."
"Recycling advisers from George W. Bush and relying on Washington insiders and lobbyists has to be utterly disappointing for those who thought Tim Pawlenty would bring a fresh approach to the Republican Party," the Democrats said in a news release.
According to the Politico story, "the moves underscore, and will lend credence to, the emerging belief among many establishment Republicans that Pawlenty is becoming the sole viable alternative to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a potential Republican primary rival. The Minnesota governor has even gone so far as to contact some of Romney's former supporters."
Appearing on Fox News Wednesday night, Pawlenty continued to deflect speculation about his ambitions.
"I really do not know what I am going to do," he said in an interview. "This is to benefit other candidates. What I am going to do down the road, I do not know."
A recent Star Tribune Minnesota Poll found Minnesotans aren't enamored of his potential run for presidential. Only thirty percent said he should run while 55 percent said he should not. Still, half of those in the survey said there was some or good chance they've vote for him should he end up winning the 2012 Republican nomination.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Enough about Senate race and Jackson, Pawlenty says
On his weekly radio show this morning, Pawlenty used the same words - "time to move on" - to describe the orgy of media coverage about Jackson's death and the epic political battle won this week by Sen.-elect Al Franken.
Star Tribune July 3, 2009
Gov. Tim Pawlenty has had it, with both Michael Jackson and the Minnesota U.S. Senate race.
On his weekly radio show Friday, Pawlenty used the same words -- "time to move on" -- to describe the orgy of media coverage about Jackson's death and the epic political battle won this week by Sen.-elect Al Franken.
Asked by a caller about his reaction to resolution of the death match between Franken and Norm Coleman, Pawlenty said, "I think we're all relieved the Senate race is over. There's been some frustration over how long it took."
Referring to his fellow Republican, Pawlenty added: "I wish it had come out the other way. [But I] respect the court process.
"[It's] time to move on." He opened his portion of the show talking, unprompted, about the Jackson coverage. "You can't get away from it. ... I've had enough of it.
"It's time to pay our respects and move on."
A lot of Americans share that sentiment: A poll conducted earlier this week found that nearly two-thirds said the wall-to-wall coverage has been too much.
BOB VON STERNBERG
Star Tribune July 3, 2009
Gov. Tim Pawlenty has had it, with both Michael Jackson and the Minnesota U.S. Senate race.
On his weekly radio show Friday, Pawlenty used the same words -- "time to move on" -- to describe the orgy of media coverage about Jackson's death and the epic political battle won this week by Sen.-elect Al Franken.
Asked by a caller about his reaction to resolution of the death match between Franken and Norm Coleman, Pawlenty said, "I think we're all relieved the Senate race is over. There's been some frustration over how long it took."
Referring to his fellow Republican, Pawlenty added: "I wish it had come out the other way. [But I] respect the court process.
"[It's] time to move on." He opened his portion of the show talking, unprompted, about the Jackson coverage. "You can't get away from it. ... I've had enough of it.
"It's time to pay our respects and move on."
A lot of Americans share that sentiment: A poll conducted earlier this week found that nearly two-thirds said the wall-to-wall coverage has been too much.
BOB VON STERNBERG
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
DFL Leaders reacts after Pawlenty's presser LIVE
DFL Senate leaders will be reacting to Pawlenty's cut after the press conference so you can check at UpTake.
Watch it here
Watch it here
Pawlenty's press conference LIVE on Uptake
You can watch Tim Pawlenty's live press conference LIVE at UpTake MN website.
Click here to watch now!
Click here to watch now!
Monday, June 15, 2009
Pawlenty to announce budget plans tomorrow
By KEVIN DUCHSCHERE, Star Tribune
Last update: June 15, 2009
Gov. Tim Pawlenty will announce tomorrow his plan to balance Minnesota's budget using his executive powers to cut spending on his own, the process called unallotment.
The governor's office announced that Pawlenty and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. in the State Capitol to announce "proposed executive actions" to balance the 2010-11 budget.
Because Pawlenty and the DFL-controlled Legislature were unable to reach agreement on ways to bridge the state's deficit, the session ended last month with a $2.7 billion shortfall in the budget ending June 30, 2011.
Pawlenty vetoed a series of tax hikes that the Legislature passed without his approval.
State law allows the governor to rescind or delay payments when the state has a deficit. Under the unallotment system, Hanson would make the cuts subject to the governor's approval.
Kevin Duchschere • 651-292-0164
Last update: June 15, 2009
Gov. Tim Pawlenty will announce tomorrow his plan to balance Minnesota's budget using his executive powers to cut spending on his own, the process called unallotment.
The governor's office announced that Pawlenty and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson will hold a news conference at 2 p.m. in the State Capitol to announce "proposed executive actions" to balance the 2010-11 budget.
Because Pawlenty and the DFL-controlled Legislature were unable to reach agreement on ways to bridge the state's deficit, the session ended last month with a $2.7 billion shortfall in the budget ending June 30, 2011.
Pawlenty vetoed a series of tax hikes that the Legislature passed without his approval.
State law allows the governor to rescind or delay payments when the state has a deficit. Under the unallotment system, Hanson would make the cuts subject to the governor's approval.
Kevin Duchschere • 651-292-0164
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Jon Tevlin: Budget knife hits raw nerve in Pawlenty's hometown
By JON TEVLIN, Star Tribune
June 13, 2009
At Al's Corral in South St. Paul, they are selling T-shirts in honor of their local "Home Town Hero," but it's not Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who grew up nearby.
The shirts are for Pete (The Pain) Donaldson, a karate fighter. When it comes to making locals feel the pain, however, Donaldson has nothing on the governor. Just ask City Administrator Stephen King, who fittingly has a horror story to tell.
"We're one of the state's basket cases," King said.
Pawlenty has unallotted his hometown out of its workingman's plaid shirt and down to its skivvies, according to King, by transferring the burden of government from the state level to the cities.
Pawlenty likes to remind potential voters of his blue-collar roots in South St. Paul every chance he gets. He even mentioned fondly the pizza at the Croatian Hall there during his recent announcement that he wouldn't seek another term. The Croatian Hall, Pawlenty said, is where he learned that "there is inevitably less joy and more trouble in too much pizza or too much beer."
People aren't worrying about overdoing it on either in South St. Paul at the moment -- many would settle for a single slice of pepperoni and a can of Schlitz. It also turns out that Pawlenty's memories of the pizza are about as fanciful as his notions that he's for the "Sam's Club" working man. The only pizza served at the Croatian Hall is the frozen kind.
As a friend of mine who grew up with Pawlenty likes to say, the governor grew up in a blue-collar household, "but he was kind of like Alex Keaton on Family Ties," a character who rebelled against his liberal parents and idolized Milton Friedman and Richard Nixon.
It's that Pawlenty who gift-wrapped a holiday present for his hometown in December: a $354,804 unallotment. If Pawlenty's expected cuts for the next two years come to pass, the city will lose another $480,638 in 2009, then absorb a $1,003,655 cut in 2010, according to King. From 2003 to 2008, Pawlenty slashed the city's Local Government Aid a similar amount.
"We've already tightened our belts," King said. "Now we're looking at cutting very basic services. Because of the meat-related industry, people [used to make] good money and paid their taxes and the standard of living was good. People grew up with expectations in regards to services."
The city now has 20,000 fewer residents than it once did, meaning a shrinking tax base. Officials like to call the city's housing "affordable," which in South St. Paul's case means relatively old and cheap. Because the property tax base is so small, raising those taxes 1 percent would only bring an extra $65,000 for the city. To make up for the millions already lost and the cuts to come, the city would have to impose an eye-popping property tax increase.
While Pawlenty has criticized city officials who have complained that budget cuts force reductions in public safety, King says it's already happened in South St. Paul. The city budgeted two new police hires for 2009 to help deal with increased gang activity and property crime. The unallotments caused the city to cancel the hires.
"Every department has been economizing as much as we can," King said. "It's a nice place; we should have a brighter future than we do."
To paraphrase what the governor said on a radio show as he pondered his next job: "This is not the United States of America that we know and love and remember."
You could say the same about the South St. Paul that Pawlenty grew up in.
"He's really not a presence here," King said. "The thing is, the philosophy he represents is unfortunately harmful to us."
King stresses he is not speaking for the city when he criticizes Pawlenty.
"So many of his comments about cities are dismissive and irritating," he said. "He basically accuses us of being whiners, and it's frustrating when we've done some really creative things to keep spending down. At the end of the day, you have to provide services -- not Cadillac services, but very basic every-day needs. It's not accurate to just say, 'no new taxes' and then transfer the burden."
Pawlenty likes to pretend he doesn't have a plan to run for president, a notion that makes people in South St. Paul spit out their booya; he hasn't become a regular on the Rachel Maddow Show (which reaches a maximum of 13,000 Minnesotans) because he has a crush on her.
If Pawlenty mounts a presidential campaign in 2012, it'll be just about the same time that South St. Paul is feeling the full effects of budget cuts, according to King.
And it'd be about the same time the national media will start walking the streets of South St. Paul, trying to gauge just how much people there love Sam's Club Tim.
jtevlin@startribune.com • 612-673-1702
June 13, 2009
At Al's Corral in South St. Paul, they are selling T-shirts in honor of their local "Home Town Hero," but it's not Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who grew up nearby.
The shirts are for Pete (The Pain) Donaldson, a karate fighter. When it comes to making locals feel the pain, however, Donaldson has nothing on the governor. Just ask City Administrator Stephen King, who fittingly has a horror story to tell.
"We're one of the state's basket cases," King said.
Pawlenty has unallotted his hometown out of its workingman's plaid shirt and down to its skivvies, according to King, by transferring the burden of government from the state level to the cities.
Pawlenty likes to remind potential voters of his blue-collar roots in South St. Paul every chance he gets. He even mentioned fondly the pizza at the Croatian Hall there during his recent announcement that he wouldn't seek another term. The Croatian Hall, Pawlenty said, is where he learned that "there is inevitably less joy and more trouble in too much pizza or too much beer."
People aren't worrying about overdoing it on either in South St. Paul at the moment -- many would settle for a single slice of pepperoni and a can of Schlitz. It also turns out that Pawlenty's memories of the pizza are about as fanciful as his notions that he's for the "Sam's Club" working man. The only pizza served at the Croatian Hall is the frozen kind.
As a friend of mine who grew up with Pawlenty likes to say, the governor grew up in a blue-collar household, "but he was kind of like Alex Keaton on Family Ties," a character who rebelled against his liberal parents and idolized Milton Friedman and Richard Nixon.
It's that Pawlenty who gift-wrapped a holiday present for his hometown in December: a $354,804 unallotment. If Pawlenty's expected cuts for the next two years come to pass, the city will lose another $480,638 in 2009, then absorb a $1,003,655 cut in 2010, according to King. From 2003 to 2008, Pawlenty slashed the city's Local Government Aid a similar amount.
"We've already tightened our belts," King said. "Now we're looking at cutting very basic services. Because of the meat-related industry, people [used to make] good money and paid their taxes and the standard of living was good. People grew up with expectations in regards to services."
The city now has 20,000 fewer residents than it once did, meaning a shrinking tax base. Officials like to call the city's housing "affordable," which in South St. Paul's case means relatively old and cheap. Because the property tax base is so small, raising those taxes 1 percent would only bring an extra $65,000 for the city. To make up for the millions already lost and the cuts to come, the city would have to impose an eye-popping property tax increase.
While Pawlenty has criticized city officials who have complained that budget cuts force reductions in public safety, King says it's already happened in South St. Paul. The city budgeted two new police hires for 2009 to help deal with increased gang activity and property crime. The unallotments caused the city to cancel the hires.
"Every department has been economizing as much as we can," King said. "It's a nice place; we should have a brighter future than we do."
To paraphrase what the governor said on a radio show as he pondered his next job: "This is not the United States of America that we know and love and remember."
You could say the same about the South St. Paul that Pawlenty grew up in.
"He's really not a presence here," King said. "The thing is, the philosophy he represents is unfortunately harmful to us."
King stresses he is not speaking for the city when he criticizes Pawlenty.
"So many of his comments about cities are dismissive and irritating," he said. "He basically accuses us of being whiners, and it's frustrating when we've done some really creative things to keep spending down. At the end of the day, you have to provide services -- not Cadillac services, but very basic every-day needs. It's not accurate to just say, 'no new taxes' and then transfer the burden."
Pawlenty likes to pretend he doesn't have a plan to run for president, a notion that makes people in South St. Paul spit out their booya; he hasn't become a regular on the Rachel Maddow Show (which reaches a maximum of 13,000 Minnesotans) because he has a crush on her.
If Pawlenty mounts a presidential campaign in 2012, it'll be just about the same time that South St. Paul is feeling the full effects of budget cuts, according to King.
And it'd be about the same time the national media will start walking the streets of South St. Paul, trying to gauge just how much people there love Sam's Club Tim.
jtevlin@startribune.com • 612-673-1702
Friday, June 12, 2009
Regions Hospital puts a face on proposed cutbacks
Regions is going to legislators in hopes of restoring GAMC funds.
By CHEN MAY YEE, Star Tribune
Last update: June 12, 2009
It's been almost a month since the legislative session ended in disarray, leaving the prospect of major cuts to the state's health care budget by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
But hospitals are not letting it go.
On Thursday, Regions Hospital in St. Paul launched an unusually public campaign to make sure legislators understand the full impact of cutting one program for the poor, General Assistance Medical Care, or GAMC.
The program, which covers 34,000 Minnesotans earning less than $7,800 a year, will end after July 2010 as part of Pawlenty's plan to close the state's historic deficit without raising taxes.
For Regions alone, that will mean a loss of $36.3 million in reimbursement. GAMC now accounts for about five percent of the hospital's revenue. Regions, owned by HealthPartners, is the state's second-biggest safety-net hospital, after Hennepin County Medical Center.
"Numbers that large make it difficult to understand the day-to-day impact of the loss of GAMC," Regions Hospital chief executive Brock Nelson wrote in a letter to the state's 201 lawmakers Thursday. "To help show the real impact, Regions is sharing our weekly census of GAMC patients and the cost associated with treating our patients."
For the week starting May 18, the day the Legislature adjourned, Regions had 237 GAMC patient visits, including 80 in the emergency room and 28 for in-patient care. Two had same-day surgery, while 127 came in for outpatient services such as radiology, chemotherapy, chemical dependency, or diagnostic visits. The bill for that week: $348,630.
GAMC enrolls people age 18 to 64 who have no children under 18 and don't qualify for federal programs.
To put a human face to the numbers, the letter highlighted a 23-year-old auto mechanic with no health insurance. After he came into the emergency room with a headache, doctors diagnosed a brain tumor, which despite two surgeries, left him blind in the right eye. He can no longer work as a mechanic, but he doesn't qualify for state medical programs because he is not completely blind and is not considered disabled. His bill so far: $150,000.
The hospital will continue to send these weekly reports to legislators, with a goal of getting GAMC reinstated in next year's session, said Geoff Bartsh, director of government relations for Regions.
Pawlenty spokesman Brian McClung said Minnesota has among the most generous public health care programs in the country.
"The welfare, health care and social services portion of the state budget has been growing at an unsustainable rate of more than 20 percent," McClung said. "In this time of economic challenge, many programs, including health care for single adults without children, have to be reined in."
During the legislative session, lawmakers voted to continue funding GAMC, but Pawlenty vetoed that along with tax increases to pay for it. Later this month, the governor is expected to make further health care cuts in a process known as unallotment.
That prospect has kept other hospitals on tenterhooks.
Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, which treats a large number of children on Medicaid, is particularly worried.
"We aren't privy to the governor's plans," chief executive Dr. Alan Goldbloom said in an e-mail Wednesday, "but his Medicaid budget proposal before the Legislature would have taken a devastating $36 million from our budget for the 2010-11 biennium, including a $6.6 immediate unallotment last December."
A cut of that magnitude, Goldbloom said, "would be terribly unfair to sick children, who unfortunately don't have much political clout."
Chen May Yee • 6120673-7434
By CHEN MAY YEE, Star Tribune
Last update: June 12, 2009
It's been almost a month since the legislative session ended in disarray, leaving the prospect of major cuts to the state's health care budget by Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
But hospitals are not letting it go.
On Thursday, Regions Hospital in St. Paul launched an unusually public campaign to make sure legislators understand the full impact of cutting one program for the poor, General Assistance Medical Care, or GAMC.
The program, which covers 34,000 Minnesotans earning less than $7,800 a year, will end after July 2010 as part of Pawlenty's plan to close the state's historic deficit without raising taxes.
For Regions alone, that will mean a loss of $36.3 million in reimbursement. GAMC now accounts for about five percent of the hospital's revenue. Regions, owned by HealthPartners, is the state's second-biggest safety-net hospital, after Hennepin County Medical Center.
"Numbers that large make it difficult to understand the day-to-day impact of the loss of GAMC," Regions Hospital chief executive Brock Nelson wrote in a letter to the state's 201 lawmakers Thursday. "To help show the real impact, Regions is sharing our weekly census of GAMC patients and the cost associated with treating our patients."
For the week starting May 18, the day the Legislature adjourned, Regions had 237 GAMC patient visits, including 80 in the emergency room and 28 for in-patient care. Two had same-day surgery, while 127 came in for outpatient services such as radiology, chemotherapy, chemical dependency, or diagnostic visits. The bill for that week: $348,630.
GAMC enrolls people age 18 to 64 who have no children under 18 and don't qualify for federal programs.
To put a human face to the numbers, the letter highlighted a 23-year-old auto mechanic with no health insurance. After he came into the emergency room with a headache, doctors diagnosed a brain tumor, which despite two surgeries, left him blind in the right eye. He can no longer work as a mechanic, but he doesn't qualify for state medical programs because he is not completely blind and is not considered disabled. His bill so far: $150,000.
The hospital will continue to send these weekly reports to legislators, with a goal of getting GAMC reinstated in next year's session, said Geoff Bartsh, director of government relations for Regions.
Pawlenty spokesman Brian McClung said Minnesota has among the most generous public health care programs in the country.
"The welfare, health care and social services portion of the state budget has been growing at an unsustainable rate of more than 20 percent," McClung said. "In this time of economic challenge, many programs, including health care for single adults without children, have to be reined in."
During the legislative session, lawmakers voted to continue funding GAMC, but Pawlenty vetoed that along with tax increases to pay for it. Later this month, the governor is expected to make further health care cuts in a process known as unallotment.
That prospect has kept other hospitals on tenterhooks.
Children's Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota, which treats a large number of children on Medicaid, is particularly worried.
"We aren't privy to the governor's plans," chief executive Dr. Alan Goldbloom said in an e-mail Wednesday, "but his Medicaid budget proposal before the Legislature would have taken a devastating $36 million from our budget for the 2010-11 biennium, including a $6.6 immediate unallotment last December."
A cut of that magnitude, Goldbloom said, "would be terribly unfair to sick children, who unfortunately don't have much political clout."
Chen May Yee • 6120673-7434
Minn. Audit Looks At Finances In Pawlenty's Office
Source: WCCO
June 12, 2009
ST. PAUL (AP) ― The office has a yearly budget of $3.6 million and about 40 employees.
Legislative Auditor James Nobles says the governor's office has generally adequate oversight of its finances.
But his report says the office paid out $3,094 in expenses without original receipts and one employee booked 8,300 airline miles to a personal account.
Also, a $5,000 computer server and a $8,500 automatic signature machine weren't recorded in internal inventory records.
The office has a yearly budget of $3.6 million and about 40 employees.
Pawlenty Chief of Staff Matt Kramer says the expense reports lacking original receipts included copies of the receipts. He says an employee inadvertently got personal miles by booking through an online travel site, but later had the miles removed.
He says the server and signature machine were added to the inventory.
June 12, 2009
ST. PAUL (AP) ― The office has a yearly budget of $3.6 million and about 40 employees.
Legislative Auditor James Nobles says the governor's office has generally adequate oversight of its finances.
But his report says the office paid out $3,094 in expenses without original receipts and one employee booked 8,300 airline miles to a personal account.
Also, a $5,000 computer server and a $8,500 automatic signature machine weren't recorded in internal inventory records.
The office has a yearly budget of $3.6 million and about 40 employees.
Pawlenty Chief of Staff Matt Kramer says the expense reports lacking original receipts included copies of the receipts. He says an employee inadvertently got personal miles by booking through an online travel site, but later had the miles removed.
He says the server and signature machine were added to the inventory.
At The Capitol / Sullivan not running for governor in 2010
Pioneer Press
Updated: 06/12/2009 12:05:58 AM CDT
Republican Brian Sullivan, who was thinking about a run for governor in 2010, said folks should "take me off the list of those considering a run."
Sullivan, whom Gov. Tim Pawlenty narrowly beat for the Republican party's endorsement in 2002, said he gave a run some thought since last week but decided he couldn't attend to his young and growing business and run for governor at the same time.
His departure still leaves a long list of those weighing a run.
Potential GOP contenders include former State Auditor Pat Anderson; Reps. Laura Brod, Paul Kohls and Marty Seifert; Sens. David Hann and Paul Koering; former House Speaker Steve Sviggum; and Minnesota Business Partnership Executive Director Charlie Weaver.
Former state Rep. Bill Haas announced his candidacy Wednesday.
Democrats who have announced include former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, former House Minority Leader Matt Entenza and Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner.
Several other Democrats, including House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, are said to be weighing entry into the race.
— Rachel E. Stassen-Berger
Updated: 06/12/2009 12:05:58 AM CDT
Republican Brian Sullivan, who was thinking about a run for governor in 2010, said folks should "take me off the list of those considering a run."
Sullivan, whom Gov. Tim Pawlenty narrowly beat for the Republican party's endorsement in 2002, said he gave a run some thought since last week but decided he couldn't attend to his young and growing business and run for governor at the same time.
His departure still leaves a long list of those weighing a run.
Potential GOP contenders include former State Auditor Pat Anderson; Reps. Laura Brod, Paul Kohls and Marty Seifert; Sens. David Hann and Paul Koering; former House Speaker Steve Sviggum; and Minnesota Business Partnership Executive Director Charlie Weaver.
Former state Rep. Bill Haas announced his candidacy Wednesday.
Democrats who have announced include former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton, former House Minority Leader Matt Entenza and Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner.
Several other Democrats, including House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, are said to be weighing entry into the race.
— Rachel E. Stassen-Berger
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Who's in and who's out for governor? Jockeying gets underway for 2010
A day after Gov. Pawlenty said no to a bid for a third term, the field of potential candidates grew, while other familiar names said they're not in the hunt.
By KEVIN DUCHSCHERE, Star Tribune
Last update: June 3, 2009
More potential gubernatorial candidates emerged Wednesday -- and others said thanks, but no thanks -- as the news that Gov. Tim Pawlenty won't seek a third term continued to roil the political waters.
House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, announced that he was giving up his leadership post to test those waters as a possible candidate. Labor Commissioner Steve Sviggum, a former Republican House speaker and a friend of Pawlenty's, said he's mulling it over.
Former U.S. Sen. Dean Barkley, who came in third in last year's U.S. Senate race, is interested, according to the Independence Party chairman. And Charlie Weaver, head of the Minnesota Business Partnership, said he is seriously considering a run and would make a decision this fall.
Others whose names had surfaced took themselves out of the running Wednesday. U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, a popular DFLer who represents Minnesota's First District, said he had no intention of making the race. Former U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy, a Republican, said he won't run, although he wouldn't foreclose the possibility of a different race sometime in the future.
The two major-party candidates who ran against Pawlenty in 2006, DFLer Mike Hatch and Independence Party candidate Peter Hutchinson, said they had no plans to try again.
Meanwhile, the guy whose announcement on Tuesday started the fuss went before a national TV audience to reiterate that his decision wasn't merely a prelude to a run for the presidency.
Appearing on MSNBC, Pawlenty recycled many of the demurrals he had used Tuesday to deflect questions about his political plans. "I'm not ruling anything in or out," he said.
He seemed to become somewhat testy at one point when his interviewer pressed him on his presidential aspirations. "Do you know what you'll be doing three years from now?" Pawlenty asked.
The governor also talked about his hope that the Republican Party can become more inclusive and attractive to voters.
Seifert made much the same point during his announcement at the State Capitol that he was stepping down as House Republican leader after two years. The 12-year legislator will retain his House seat, however.
The party, he said, needs to find a gubernatorial candidate "who is principled and electable, both. ... If we don't, I think it could spell trouble."
Others have held onto leadership posts while running for other offices, including Pawlenty when he was a House leader while running for governor in 2002. But Seifert said he didn't want to take advantage of his position for political gain. "If you're distracted in any way, even if it's kicking the tires for a run at some other type of office, that is not fair to the membership," he said.
Seifert said that a new minority leader will be elected June 24. Some possible contenders have talked to him, he said, but "there isn't an heir apparent, to be honest with you."
In a conference call Wednesday morning in Washington, Walz said his job in Congress plays to his strengths better than would the governorship. "I am content and honored to represent the people of the First District and that's exactly where I would like to stay as long as they'll have me," he said.
Weaver, a former legislator, commissioner and one-time Pawlenty chief of staff, has deep ties in the GOP and is a close friend of the governor. "This is an extraordinarily important race to win and we need to make sure our nominee is electable. I fit that bill," he said.
Independence Party Chairman Jack Uldrich said he thinks his party has a good opportunity in 2010, given that the governor's seat will be open and that the party will get state financing for the race. Both Barkley and Stephen Williams, the party's Senate endorsee last year, have expressed interest, and former U.S. Rep. and Independence candidate Tim Penny hasn't ruled it out, he said.
Steve Kelley, a former DFL legislator who sought the party's bid for governor in 2006, is conducting an exploratory campaign for another shot. He has raised money, hired staffers and launched a website, and on Wednesday he was attending campaign events on the North Shore.
Pawlenty's announcement, he said, will make it "interesting to see who the Republicans come up with, but I don't see a change in the calculation for many DFL candidates."
Staff writers Bob von Sternberg and Eric Roper contributed to this report. Kevin Duchschere • 651-292-0164
By KEVIN DUCHSCHERE, Star Tribune
Last update: June 3, 2009
More potential gubernatorial candidates emerged Wednesday -- and others said thanks, but no thanks -- as the news that Gov. Tim Pawlenty won't seek a third term continued to roil the political waters.
House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, announced that he was giving up his leadership post to test those waters as a possible candidate. Labor Commissioner Steve Sviggum, a former Republican House speaker and a friend of Pawlenty's, said he's mulling it over.
Former U.S. Sen. Dean Barkley, who came in third in last year's U.S. Senate race, is interested, according to the Independence Party chairman. And Charlie Weaver, head of the Minnesota Business Partnership, said he is seriously considering a run and would make a decision this fall.
Others whose names had surfaced took themselves out of the running Wednesday. U.S. Rep. Tim Walz, a popular DFLer who represents Minnesota's First District, said he had no intention of making the race. Former U.S. Rep. Mark Kennedy, a Republican, said he won't run, although he wouldn't foreclose the possibility of a different race sometime in the future.
The two major-party candidates who ran against Pawlenty in 2006, DFLer Mike Hatch and Independence Party candidate Peter Hutchinson, said they had no plans to try again.
Meanwhile, the guy whose announcement on Tuesday started the fuss went before a national TV audience to reiterate that his decision wasn't merely a prelude to a run for the presidency.
Appearing on MSNBC, Pawlenty recycled many of the demurrals he had used Tuesday to deflect questions about his political plans. "I'm not ruling anything in or out," he said.
He seemed to become somewhat testy at one point when his interviewer pressed him on his presidential aspirations. "Do you know what you'll be doing three years from now?" Pawlenty asked.
The governor also talked about his hope that the Republican Party can become more inclusive and attractive to voters.
Seifert made much the same point during his announcement at the State Capitol that he was stepping down as House Republican leader after two years. The 12-year legislator will retain his House seat, however.
The party, he said, needs to find a gubernatorial candidate "who is principled and electable, both. ... If we don't, I think it could spell trouble."
Others have held onto leadership posts while running for other offices, including Pawlenty when he was a House leader while running for governor in 2002. But Seifert said he didn't want to take advantage of his position for political gain. "If you're distracted in any way, even if it's kicking the tires for a run at some other type of office, that is not fair to the membership," he said.
Seifert said that a new minority leader will be elected June 24. Some possible contenders have talked to him, he said, but "there isn't an heir apparent, to be honest with you."
In a conference call Wednesday morning in Washington, Walz said his job in Congress plays to his strengths better than would the governorship. "I am content and honored to represent the people of the First District and that's exactly where I would like to stay as long as they'll have me," he said.
Weaver, a former legislator, commissioner and one-time Pawlenty chief of staff, has deep ties in the GOP and is a close friend of the governor. "This is an extraordinarily important race to win and we need to make sure our nominee is electable. I fit that bill," he said.
Independence Party Chairman Jack Uldrich said he thinks his party has a good opportunity in 2010, given that the governor's seat will be open and that the party will get state financing for the race. Both Barkley and Stephen Williams, the party's Senate endorsee last year, have expressed interest, and former U.S. Rep. and Independence candidate Tim Penny hasn't ruled it out, he said.
Steve Kelley, a former DFL legislator who sought the party's bid for governor in 2006, is conducting an exploratory campaign for another shot. He has raised money, hired staffers and launched a website, and on Wednesday he was attending campaign events on the North Shore.
Pawlenty's announcement, he said, will make it "interesting to see who the Republicans come up with, but I don't see a change in the calculation for many DFL candidates."
Staff writers Bob von Sternberg and Eric Roper contributed to this report. Kevin Duchschere • 651-292-0164
Pawlenty: Fresh face the GOP is seeking?
Tim Pawlenty begins a tough quest to fit between the party's center and the right, pundits say.
By KEVIN DIAZ, Star Tribune
Last update: June 7, 2009
WASHINGTON - Facing a national gathering of College Republicans on Friday night, in his first major speech since announcing he won't seek another term as governor, Tim Pawlenty made clear that in them, he can see the party's future.
He can only hope that they see the same in him.
Widely perceived to be in the hunt for the White House in 2012, Pawlenty got plenty of buzz leading up to his keynote address at the College Republican National Convention, where he said, "We need your help, we need your leadership."
The stop, to be followed by an appearance at the Arkansas Republican Party's annual governor's dinner later this month, is seen by many observers as the start of Pawlenty's quest for a national base of contacts and money.
Starting behind a field of much better-known contenders, Pawlenty would need plenty of both.
For one, despite his runner-up status as John McCain's vice-presidential running mate last year, Pawlenty is hardly a household name outside Minnesota. For another, he's a long way from having any sort of lock on the party's influential conservative base.
"Minnesotans think of Pawlenty as a very conservative Republican," said University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato, a leading national political analyst. "What always surprises them is the revelation that Pawlenty is a moderate in the national context of the Republican Party, and that's a problem."
Running as a Minnesota Republican can have its advantages, positioning Pawlenty as a two-term GOP governor of a Democratic-leaning state. "That ought to at least be considered by a party that's drowning," Sabato said.
There's no doubt that Pawlenty, a 48-year-old ex-College Republican, scored a coveted spot at a convention of young Republicans hungry for leadership and looking to get past last year's devastating electoral setbacks. To a standing ovation, he had them chanting "T-Paw" and "You Betcha," and joking about vacationing in Iowa, an early caucus state.
He also spoke at a luncheon of the Washington chapter of the Republican National Lawyers Association and attended a reception with former McCain campaign aides and other GOP strategists, people who could be helpful on a future presidential campaign.
"The party's looking for that next generation of leadership, and we certainly see Pawlenty as somebody who can lead the party forward," said Charlie Smith, chairman of the College Republican National Committee. "He represents a new face in the party."
'Fusion candidate'
But the problem, as Sabato and others see it, is that despite Pawlenty's evangelical faith, the party's conservative wing may already be spoken for. Its heroes, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, already have devoted national followings.
Going forward, that leaves Pawlenty to graze the same fields as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, all conservative Republicans with centrist images and sophisticated political operations.
Pawlenty, while deflecting speculation about his presidential ambitions, has said he wants to be a part of the rigorous intra-party debate between conservative stalwarts and "big tent" Republicans. GOP strategists who know him well term him a solid conservative on social, fiscal and foreign policy. His budget battle with the DFL-led Legislature has only burnished his anti-tax credentials. But allies also see him as someone who can transcend labels with his patented "Sam's Club Republican" appeal, moving the party beyond the legacy of the Bush years and the 2008 electoral defeats.
"To the extent he can appeal to a broad swath of the electorate, it's an advantage," said Alex Conant, a former Republican National Committee spokesman who has been involved in Minnesota politics. Pawlenty, for his part, in an interview, labeled himself "a mainstream conservative in the Reagan tradition."
That would likely make Pawlenty a "fusion candidate" trying to fill the space between the center and right.
But however likeable and broad-based Pawlenty's appeal, the danger is in falling into the chasm between the Republican Party's moderates and conservatives. Raising money means cultivating motivated interest groups, party factions, and financial backers.
"What's the faction he can command? It's not obvious to me," said Steven Schier, a Carleton College professor of American politics. "Everybody's second choice means not enough money to run."
'Ground zero'
In the search for a national fundraising base, Pawlenty would be starting far behind his better-known rivals. New to the chase for cash and organization, he might as well be the charter member of his own Sam's Club Republican chapter.
"It's a big job, and he's starting from ground zero," said Washington political analyst Stuart Rothenberg. "Mitt Romney does not start from ground zero. Mike Huckabee doesn't start from ground zero. Even Sarah Palin doesn't start from ground zero."
Friday, while touting his blue-collar South St. Paul roots, he said that he has no plans to start his own political organization.
But one asset Pawlenty could bring to a future campaign is a fresh face on the national political scene. Even if he was an early supporter of McCain, he was denied a spot on the ticket and remains largely untainted by defeat in 2008, unlike much of the rest of the GOP field.
The fresh face strategy was certainly in play in a hotel ballroom full of college Republicans on Friday. "He's trying to appeal to the young, and that's what he's got to do," Sabato said. He also needs to fashion an appeal to minorities and educated suburbanites, significant demographic groups that abandoned the GOP in droves last year.
But first he needs to get known outside of the capital circle of political junkies and party activists. "He needs to spend time in Texas, California and Florida, making contacts," Rothenberg said. "He's got to go to places where there are a lot of Republicans, and a lot of Republican money."
Pawlenty will also likely need to spend a lot of time in Iowa, the first caucus state and neighbor the national media will expect him to win -- a high-pressure test for any presidential aspirant.
All of which would require time away from the office in the last 19 months of his term as governor, exposing him to Democratic charges that he is putting his national political ambitions above the interests of Minnesota. It's already become a DFL talking point in the budget showdown over his plan to balance the state budget through a process of "unallotment."
But Republicans say that if he's really running for president, he would be too smart to leave his flanks exposed at home, where he has long cultivated an image as a fiscal conservative. Said Conant: "To the extent he can cement that over the next 19 months and finish his term strong, that will be a testament to his abilities as a leader."
Kevin Diaz • 202-408-2753
By KEVIN DIAZ, Star Tribune
Last update: June 7, 2009
WASHINGTON - Facing a national gathering of College Republicans on Friday night, in his first major speech since announcing he won't seek another term as governor, Tim Pawlenty made clear that in them, he can see the party's future.
He can only hope that they see the same in him.
Widely perceived to be in the hunt for the White House in 2012, Pawlenty got plenty of buzz leading up to his keynote address at the College Republican National Convention, where he said, "We need your help, we need your leadership."
The stop, to be followed by an appearance at the Arkansas Republican Party's annual governor's dinner later this month, is seen by many observers as the start of Pawlenty's quest for a national base of contacts and money.
Starting behind a field of much better-known contenders, Pawlenty would need plenty of both.
For one, despite his runner-up status as John McCain's vice-presidential running mate last year, Pawlenty is hardly a household name outside Minnesota. For another, he's a long way from having any sort of lock on the party's influential conservative base.
"Minnesotans think of Pawlenty as a very conservative Republican," said University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato, a leading national political analyst. "What always surprises them is the revelation that Pawlenty is a moderate in the national context of the Republican Party, and that's a problem."
Running as a Minnesota Republican can have its advantages, positioning Pawlenty as a two-term GOP governor of a Democratic-leaning state. "That ought to at least be considered by a party that's drowning," Sabato said.
There's no doubt that Pawlenty, a 48-year-old ex-College Republican, scored a coveted spot at a convention of young Republicans hungry for leadership and looking to get past last year's devastating electoral setbacks. To a standing ovation, he had them chanting "T-Paw" and "You Betcha," and joking about vacationing in Iowa, an early caucus state.
He also spoke at a luncheon of the Washington chapter of the Republican National Lawyers Association and attended a reception with former McCain campaign aides and other GOP strategists, people who could be helpful on a future presidential campaign.
"The party's looking for that next generation of leadership, and we certainly see Pawlenty as somebody who can lead the party forward," said Charlie Smith, chairman of the College Republican National Committee. "He represents a new face in the party."
'Fusion candidate'
But the problem, as Sabato and others see it, is that despite Pawlenty's evangelical faith, the party's conservative wing may already be spoken for. Its heroes, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, already have devoted national followings.
Going forward, that leaves Pawlenty to graze the same fields as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal and Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, all conservative Republicans with centrist images and sophisticated political operations.
Pawlenty, while deflecting speculation about his presidential ambitions, has said he wants to be a part of the rigorous intra-party debate between conservative stalwarts and "big tent" Republicans. GOP strategists who know him well term him a solid conservative on social, fiscal and foreign policy. His budget battle with the DFL-led Legislature has only burnished his anti-tax credentials. But allies also see him as someone who can transcend labels with his patented "Sam's Club Republican" appeal, moving the party beyond the legacy of the Bush years and the 2008 electoral defeats.
"To the extent he can appeal to a broad swath of the electorate, it's an advantage," said Alex Conant, a former Republican National Committee spokesman who has been involved in Minnesota politics. Pawlenty, for his part, in an interview, labeled himself "a mainstream conservative in the Reagan tradition."
That would likely make Pawlenty a "fusion candidate" trying to fill the space between the center and right.
But however likeable and broad-based Pawlenty's appeal, the danger is in falling into the chasm between the Republican Party's moderates and conservatives. Raising money means cultivating motivated interest groups, party factions, and financial backers.
"What's the faction he can command? It's not obvious to me," said Steven Schier, a Carleton College professor of American politics. "Everybody's second choice means not enough money to run."
'Ground zero'
In the search for a national fundraising base, Pawlenty would be starting far behind his better-known rivals. New to the chase for cash and organization, he might as well be the charter member of his own Sam's Club Republican chapter.
"It's a big job, and he's starting from ground zero," said Washington political analyst Stuart Rothenberg. "Mitt Romney does not start from ground zero. Mike Huckabee doesn't start from ground zero. Even Sarah Palin doesn't start from ground zero."
Friday, while touting his blue-collar South St. Paul roots, he said that he has no plans to start his own political organization.
But one asset Pawlenty could bring to a future campaign is a fresh face on the national political scene. Even if he was an early supporter of McCain, he was denied a spot on the ticket and remains largely untainted by defeat in 2008, unlike much of the rest of the GOP field.
The fresh face strategy was certainly in play in a hotel ballroom full of college Republicans on Friday. "He's trying to appeal to the young, and that's what he's got to do," Sabato said. He also needs to fashion an appeal to minorities and educated suburbanites, significant demographic groups that abandoned the GOP in droves last year.
But first he needs to get known outside of the capital circle of political junkies and party activists. "He needs to spend time in Texas, California and Florida, making contacts," Rothenberg said. "He's got to go to places where there are a lot of Republicans, and a lot of Republican money."
Pawlenty will also likely need to spend a lot of time in Iowa, the first caucus state and neighbor the national media will expect him to win -- a high-pressure test for any presidential aspirant.
All of which would require time away from the office in the last 19 months of his term as governor, exposing him to Democratic charges that he is putting his national political ambitions above the interests of Minnesota. It's already become a DFL talking point in the budget showdown over his plan to balance the state budget through a process of "unallotment."
But Republicans say that if he's really running for president, he would be too smart to leave his flanks exposed at home, where he has long cultivated an image as a fiscal conservative. Said Conant: "To the extent he can cement that over the next 19 months and finish his term strong, that will be a testament to his abilities as a leader."
Kevin Diaz • 202-408-2753
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Minn. Governor's Residence Opens For Public Tours
Source: WCCO
ST. PAUL (AP) ― The nine-bedroom, eight-bathroom mansion that serves as the official home of Minnesota governors opens for public tours starting Tuesday.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty and his family spend part of their time there, while also maintaining their home in Eagan.Tours are open to the public from 1 to 3 p.m. on the first three Tuesdays of June, July and August. Photo identification is required to enter the building.
The 20-room house on St. Paul's storied Summit Avenue has nine fireplaces.
It was donated to the state by Clotilde Irvine Moles and Olivia Irvine Dodge in 1965.
Then-Gov. Karl Rolvaag and first lady Florence Rolvaag were the first gubernatorial family to move in, in 1966. It has housed every governor since.
The home was originally designated as the State Ceremonial Building
Rach's note: There is official website for the mansion in case if you want to get more look or get more information. I have been to the mansion on several occasions during Carlson, Ventura and Pawlenty's administrations. It is very beautiful house in really nice neighborhood.
Legislators to Pawlenty: Cut the state budget yourself
By MIKE KASZUBA, Star Tribune
Last update: May 30, 2009
In a sign that wounds remain raw after a bruising legislative session, only a handful of lawmakers have formally responded to Gov. Tim Pawlenty's request for ideas to help him balance the state budget under his controversial use of the so-called unallotment process.
More than a week after Pawlenty sent a letter to legislators asking that they respond by Friday, only 13 of the state's 201 lawmakers had written back.
Just eight of 133 DFLers had replied as of Friday, suggesting that many are troubled by the Republican governor's bold move to unilaterally make cuts to balance the budget and seem content to leave the choices -- and the political consequences -- to him.
"If I felt like it was a genuine request for input, I'd be happy to provide it," said Rep. Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, echoing other DFLers who complained that the governor had a five-month session to listen to ideas from legislators. "I don't think he's too interested in our views."
In most cases, the reaction mirrors the political feuding between DFLers and Republicans that occurred in the last days of the just-finished session.
While Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, a 2010 gubernatorial candidate, said he could "almost picture ... a sneer" on Pawlenty's face as he wrote to legislators, Rep. Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, said the lack of letters from DFLers shows a continuing "lack of leadership" on how to solve the problem.
"We warned them" during the session, Dean said of the DFLers, that "we needed to actually put together bills that added up [to a balanced budget] at the end of the day ... there was never really a plan."
The session ended with projected spending exceeding anticipated revenues by an estimated $2.7 billion for the two-year budget period that will begin July 1. That is the gap that Pawlenty plans to plug, as each side blames the other for the problem.
Regular folks weigh in
While most legislators are giving him the silent treatment, Pawlenty said citizens are giving him an earful.
Since his administration created a website a week ago where citizens can send budget-balancing ideas, Pawlenty has talked publicly about the many people who have responded. As of Friday, according to a spokesman, more than 1,600 e-mails had been received -- and have included suggestions that Pawlenty reconsider state-authorized gambling as a way to raise money and even think about opening liquor stores on Sundays. Opening liquor stores, one e-mail said, would "create tax revenue. Create jobs. Save gas, as you wouldn't believe the [Minnesota] cars that line up at [Wisconsin] border towns waiting for the off sale [stores] to open on Sundays."
There also are indications that the governor's office is quietly getting feedback from some of the state's most influential interests, including the League of Minnesota Cities, which met Thursday with state Revenue Commissioner Ward Einess. Though the conversations were cordial, said Gary Carlson, a lobbyist for the league, it remained clear that cuts in state aid to cities are a likely target as Pawlenty weighs unallotment choices.
"Frankly, this is like going to your own execution and trying to give advice about which way you're going to take the pain," said Carlson, describing the talks.
The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, representing 12,500 government workers, on Friday sent its own suggestions to the governor, which included banning out-of-state travel except travel taken to collect revenue. The union also recommended that state agencies cut their management staff to no more than 15 percent of total employees -- and released a spreadsheet showing that 10 mostly smaller agencies and boards, but including the state finance department, have workforces where more than 30 percent of the staff are managers and supervisors.
Legal fight ahead?
With the governor expected to announce his unallotment plan in June, there continues to be speculation that Pawlenty could face a legal challenge over what detractors see as a misuse of the unallotment power. State law gives a governor the authority to reduce spending where necessary if projected expenses for a budget period exceed anticipated revenue. But Pawlenty's announcement in the closing days of the session to use it to settle an impasse between the GOP governor and DFLers when the 2-year budget period hasn't even started was seen as an unprecedented use of the process.
"Someone's going to be filing a [law]suit, and arguing what's going on with unallotment," said House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall.
Lawrence Massa, president of the Minnesota Hospital Association, whose 147 members are likely to face significant budget cuts, said lawyers for the association are "reviewing the [state] statute" related to unallotment but have not made any conclusions regarding legal action. Massa said the association had in the past week informally talked to Tom Hanson, director of the state's office of management and budget, about pushing the bulk of any cuts to next year but said Hanson was noncommittal.
While Seifert and Dean said Republicans were informally meeting with the governor's office on unallotment issues, those DFLers who did formally answer Pawlenty's letter seemed to use the occasion to again criticize the governor's handling of the legislative session.
"You made the decision to veto the Legislature's final balanced budget proposal and now you are left with few choices," wrote House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher and Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller in a joint letter released Friday. "You will be held responsible for the repercussions of those actions."
Mike Kaszuba • 651-222-1673
Last update: May 30, 2009
In a sign that wounds remain raw after a bruising legislative session, only a handful of lawmakers have formally responded to Gov. Tim Pawlenty's request for ideas to help him balance the state budget under his controversial use of the so-called unallotment process.
More than a week after Pawlenty sent a letter to legislators asking that they respond by Friday, only 13 of the state's 201 lawmakers had written back.
Just eight of 133 DFLers had replied as of Friday, suggesting that many are troubled by the Republican governor's bold move to unilaterally make cuts to balance the budget and seem content to leave the choices -- and the political consequences -- to him.
"If I felt like it was a genuine request for input, I'd be happy to provide it," said Rep. Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, echoing other DFLers who complained that the governor had a five-month session to listen to ideas from legislators. "I don't think he's too interested in our views."
In most cases, the reaction mirrors the political feuding between DFLers and Republicans that occurred in the last days of the just-finished session.
While Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, a 2010 gubernatorial candidate, said he could "almost picture ... a sneer" on Pawlenty's face as he wrote to legislators, Rep. Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, said the lack of letters from DFLers shows a continuing "lack of leadership" on how to solve the problem.
"We warned them" during the session, Dean said of the DFLers, that "we needed to actually put together bills that added up [to a balanced budget] at the end of the day ... there was never really a plan."
The session ended with projected spending exceeding anticipated revenues by an estimated $2.7 billion for the two-year budget period that will begin July 1. That is the gap that Pawlenty plans to plug, as each side blames the other for the problem.
Regular folks weigh in
While most legislators are giving him the silent treatment, Pawlenty said citizens are giving him an earful.
Since his administration created a website a week ago where citizens can send budget-balancing ideas, Pawlenty has talked publicly about the many people who have responded. As of Friday, according to a spokesman, more than 1,600 e-mails had been received -- and have included suggestions that Pawlenty reconsider state-authorized gambling as a way to raise money and even think about opening liquor stores on Sundays. Opening liquor stores, one e-mail said, would "create tax revenue. Create jobs. Save gas, as you wouldn't believe the [Minnesota] cars that line up at [Wisconsin] border towns waiting for the off sale [stores] to open on Sundays."
There also are indications that the governor's office is quietly getting feedback from some of the state's most influential interests, including the League of Minnesota Cities, which met Thursday with state Revenue Commissioner Ward Einess. Though the conversations were cordial, said Gary Carlson, a lobbyist for the league, it remained clear that cuts in state aid to cities are a likely target as Pawlenty weighs unallotment choices.
"Frankly, this is like going to your own execution and trying to give advice about which way you're going to take the pain," said Carlson, describing the talks.
The Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, representing 12,500 government workers, on Friday sent its own suggestions to the governor, which included banning out-of-state travel except travel taken to collect revenue. The union also recommended that state agencies cut their management staff to no more than 15 percent of total employees -- and released a spreadsheet showing that 10 mostly smaller agencies and boards, but including the state finance department, have workforces where more than 30 percent of the staff are managers and supervisors.
Legal fight ahead?
With the governor expected to announce his unallotment plan in June, there continues to be speculation that Pawlenty could face a legal challenge over what detractors see as a misuse of the unallotment power. State law gives a governor the authority to reduce spending where necessary if projected expenses for a budget period exceed anticipated revenue. But Pawlenty's announcement in the closing days of the session to use it to settle an impasse between the GOP governor and DFLers when the 2-year budget period hasn't even started was seen as an unprecedented use of the process.
"Someone's going to be filing a [law]suit, and arguing what's going on with unallotment," said House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall.
Lawrence Massa, president of the Minnesota Hospital Association, whose 147 members are likely to face significant budget cuts, said lawyers for the association are "reviewing the [state] statute" related to unallotment but have not made any conclusions regarding legal action. Massa said the association had in the past week informally talked to Tom Hanson, director of the state's office of management and budget, about pushing the bulk of any cuts to next year but said Hanson was noncommittal.
While Seifert and Dean said Republicans were informally meeting with the governor's office on unallotment issues, those DFLers who did formally answer Pawlenty's letter seemed to use the occasion to again criticize the governor's handling of the legislative session.
"You made the decision to veto the Legislature's final balanced budget proposal and now you are left with few choices," wrote House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher and Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller in a joint letter released Friday. "You will be held responsible for the repercussions of those actions."
Mike Kaszuba • 651-222-1673
Friday, May 29, 2009
Bill to Help Homeowners Facing Problems with Contractors Vetoed
Source: Fox News 9 (Minnesota)
Published : Monday, 25 May 2009, 9:51 PM CDT
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Your home is the biggest purchase you'll ever make, but homeowners have few legal rights when it comes to disputes between them and contractors. A group of Minnesota lawmakers has been trying to change that but their fight has hit a major road block.
Brooke Simpson bought a Forest Lake home three years ago and had big plans for it. But fire put a stop to those plans in February 2008. Simpson hired a contractor to make repairs. But she claims he never properly removed mold and moisture that started to grow in the house in the weeks after the fire.
“The mask is for the overabundance of mold and toxins that are in our house that cause respiratory problems,” said Simpson.
She says tests show mold levels in the house are 50 percent greater than what is considered acceptable.
She'd like to sue the contractor for the damages but believes she won't be able to afford the expenses that come with taking a case like this to court.
In Minnesota, homeowners can't get their attorney fees reimbursed if they sue a contractor. If the award is $150,000 and the attorney's fees are $70,000 the homeowner doesn't have adequate funds to repair the damage done to their home.
This past legislative session representative Marsha Swails tried to get the law changed to help homeowners who win their cases in court.
But Governor Tim Pawlenty vetoed the bill along with four others designed to help homeowners with construction defects.
"We should be cautious about placing more burdens on the housing sector during this historic recession," said Pawlenty. Swails is not letting that stop her. She wants to start working on drafting new legislation this summer that would make the governor, the construction industry and homeowners happy.
“I am really hoping that bringing all the players together that we can come up with a solution,” said Swails.
Published : Monday, 25 May 2009, 9:51 PM CDT
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Your home is the biggest purchase you'll ever make, but homeowners have few legal rights when it comes to disputes between them and contractors. A group of Minnesota lawmakers has been trying to change that but their fight has hit a major road block.
Brooke Simpson bought a Forest Lake home three years ago and had big plans for it. But fire put a stop to those plans in February 2008. Simpson hired a contractor to make repairs. But she claims he never properly removed mold and moisture that started to grow in the house in the weeks after the fire.
“The mask is for the overabundance of mold and toxins that are in our house that cause respiratory problems,” said Simpson.
She says tests show mold levels in the house are 50 percent greater than what is considered acceptable.
She'd like to sue the contractor for the damages but believes she won't be able to afford the expenses that come with taking a case like this to court.
In Minnesota, homeowners can't get their attorney fees reimbursed if they sue a contractor. If the award is $150,000 and the attorney's fees are $70,000 the homeowner doesn't have adequate funds to repair the damage done to their home.
This past legislative session representative Marsha Swails tried to get the law changed to help homeowners who win their cases in court.
But Governor Tim Pawlenty vetoed the bill along with four others designed to help homeowners with construction defects.
"We should be cautious about placing more burdens on the housing sector during this historic recession," said Pawlenty. Swails is not letting that stop her. She wants to start working on drafting new legislation this summer that would make the governor, the construction industry and homeowners happy.
“I am really hoping that bringing all the players together that we can come up with a solution,” said Swails.
Minn. public takes crack at fixing deficit
By MARTIGA LOHN , Associated Press
Last update: May 29, 2009 - 12:18 AM
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesotans are looking everywhere from liquor sales on Sunday to racetrack gambling to bring more money into the state budget. Others want to save on items as big as entire government programs and as small as printing fewer legislative directories.
So far, more than 1,600 people e-mailed ideas to Gov. Tim Pawlenty as he prepares to cut and delay $2.7 billion in spending to balance the budget. The Republican governor will make the cuts without legislative approval because the session ended last week without a deal.
Democrats tried fixing the budget with a last-minute mix of taxes and school payment delays destined for a veto. Now, Pawlenty plans to erase the remaining shortfall on his own by reducing spending and delaying payments.
Pawlenty plans to announce the reductions before the new state budget begins on July 1.
Suggestions have been coming into an e-mail address, budgetideas@state.mn.us, that started receiving messages on May 19.
Pawlenty's office wouldn't release all the e-mails, citing state data practices law and an office policy to protect constituents' privacy, but selected five samples after removing names and identifying information.
One saw tax money sitting in cars that cross the border to buy booze: "Allow MN liquor stores to open on Sundays. Create tax revenue. Create jobs. Save gas, as you wouldn't believe the MN cars that line up at WI border towns waiting for the off sale to open on Sunday."
Another pitched a money-maker that Pawlenty has dismissed and got little attention during the session: State-backed gambling, such as a casino at Canterbury Park racetrack in Shakopee. The writer said similar racinos are working elsewhere.
"They are providing state and local governments with BILLIONS," the e-mail said.
The lack of a budget deal between Pawlenty and Democrats who control the Legislature left a shortfall heading into the upcoming two-year budget, even with all major spending bills signed into law. Pawlenty plans to use a gubernatorial power called unallotment to cancel or delay payments during a deficit.
Unallotment authority is limited to already approved spending, which means the governor can't single-handedly create a state-run casino or change liquor laws.
Pawlenty said Thursday he aims to make the bulk of the reductions in the second year of the cycle, starting in July 2010.
"That will give the Legislature some time to come in and review some of those decisions and alter them or change then if they choose," he said at the Capitol.
Other e-mails released by Pawlenty's office urged cuts — evenly across state government or for specific programs and services.
Gubernatorial spokesman Brian McClung said about 30 percent of the messages urged Pawlenty not to cut health and welfare programs, compared with about 6 percent who wanted to spend less on those programs. Another 20 percent supported the budget-balancing actions and slightly less than 10 percent wanted taxes raised.
McClung said four Republican legislators and one DFL lawmaker have contacted the office.
DFLers also collected thousands of public comments on the budget earlier this year in a series of statewide public hearings and through the House and Senate Web sites. About 6,000 people submitted ideas to the House Web site alone.
A review of those messages showed a mix of ideas, from the general ("Do not cut education budgets," one said) to the very specific: "School gyms could be wedding spaces etc. Think of the income that could be generated!!"
Others looked to save by turning down the heat in state offices, reducing the number of school sports games, eliminating farm subsidies and mowing roadside ditches less often.
One mayor went against his counterparts who have been pleading with Pawlenty not to cut too much into their state aid, using the governor's new e-mail to say his city is prepared to take another reduction.
"I'm ok with them doing more severe cuts to local government aid in St. Bonny, because we've already been planning for this," said Rick Weible, mayor of St. Bonifacius in the western Twin Cities. "But my preference would be that they make the cuts sooner than later."
The lack of a budget deal between Pawlenty and Democrats who control the Legislature left a shortfall heading into the upcoming two-year budget, even with all major spending bills signed into law. Pawlenty plans to use a gubernatorial power called unallotment to cancel or delay payments during a deficit.
Unallotment authority is limited to already approved spending, which means the governor can't single-handedly create a state-run casino or change liquor laws.
Pawlenty said Thursday he aims to make the bulk of the reductions in the second year of the cycle, starting in July 2010.
"That will give the Legislature some time to come in and review some of those decisions and alter them or change then if they choose," he said at the Capitol.
Other e-mails released by Pawlenty's office urged cuts — evenly across state government or for specific programs and services.
Gubernatorial spokesman Brian McClung said about 30 percent of the messages urged Pawlenty not to cut health and welfare programs, compared with about 6 percent who wanted to spend less on those programs. Another 20 percent supported the budget-balancing actions and slightly less than 10 percent wanted taxes raised.
McClung said four Republican legislators and one DFL lawmaker have contacted the office.
DFLers also collected thousands of public comments on the budget earlier this year in a series of statewide public hearings and through the House and Senate Web sites. About 6,000 people submitted ideas to the House Web site alone.
A review of those messages showed a mix of ideas, from the general ("Do not cut education budgets," one said) to the very specific: "School gyms could be wedding spaces etc. Think of the income that could be generated!!"
Others looked to save by turning down the heat in state offices, reducing the number of school sports games, eliminating farm subsidies and mowing roadside ditches less often.
One mayor went against his counterparts who have been pleading with Pawlenty not to cut too much into their state aid, using the governor's new e-mail to say his city is prepared to take another reduction.
"I'm ok with them doing more severe cuts to local government aid in St. Bonny, because we've already been planning for this," said Rick Weible, mayor of St. Bonifacius in the western Twin Cities. "But my preference would be that they make the cuts sooner than later."
Last update: May 29, 2009 - 12:18 AM
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Minnesotans are looking everywhere from liquor sales on Sunday to racetrack gambling to bring more money into the state budget. Others want to save on items as big as entire government programs and as small as printing fewer legislative directories.
So far, more than 1,600 people e-mailed ideas to Gov. Tim Pawlenty as he prepares to cut and delay $2.7 billion in spending to balance the budget. The Republican governor will make the cuts without legislative approval because the session ended last week without a deal.
Democrats tried fixing the budget with a last-minute mix of taxes and school payment delays destined for a veto. Now, Pawlenty plans to erase the remaining shortfall on his own by reducing spending and delaying payments.
Pawlenty plans to announce the reductions before the new state budget begins on July 1.
Suggestions have been coming into an e-mail address, budgetideas@state.mn.us, that started receiving messages on May 19.
Pawlenty's office wouldn't release all the e-mails, citing state data practices law and an office policy to protect constituents' privacy, but selected five samples after removing names and identifying information.
One saw tax money sitting in cars that cross the border to buy booze: "Allow MN liquor stores to open on Sundays. Create tax revenue. Create jobs. Save gas, as you wouldn't believe the MN cars that line up at WI border towns waiting for the off sale to open on Sunday."
Another pitched a money-maker that Pawlenty has dismissed and got little attention during the session: State-backed gambling, such as a casino at Canterbury Park racetrack in Shakopee. The writer said similar racinos are working elsewhere.
"They are providing state and local governments with BILLIONS," the e-mail said.
The lack of a budget deal between Pawlenty and Democrats who control the Legislature left a shortfall heading into the upcoming two-year budget, even with all major spending bills signed into law. Pawlenty plans to use a gubernatorial power called unallotment to cancel or delay payments during a deficit.
Unallotment authority is limited to already approved spending, which means the governor can't single-handedly create a state-run casino or change liquor laws.
Pawlenty said Thursday he aims to make the bulk of the reductions in the second year of the cycle, starting in July 2010.
"That will give the Legislature some time to come in and review some of those decisions and alter them or change then if they choose," he said at the Capitol.
Other e-mails released by Pawlenty's office urged cuts — evenly across state government or for specific programs and services.
Gubernatorial spokesman Brian McClung said about 30 percent of the messages urged Pawlenty not to cut health and welfare programs, compared with about 6 percent who wanted to spend less on those programs. Another 20 percent supported the budget-balancing actions and slightly less than 10 percent wanted taxes raised.
McClung said four Republican legislators and one DFL lawmaker have contacted the office.
DFLers also collected thousands of public comments on the budget earlier this year in a series of statewide public hearings and through the House and Senate Web sites. About 6,000 people submitted ideas to the House Web site alone.
A review of those messages showed a mix of ideas, from the general ("Do not cut education budgets," one said) to the very specific: "School gyms could be wedding spaces etc. Think of the income that could be generated!!"
Others looked to save by turning down the heat in state offices, reducing the number of school sports games, eliminating farm subsidies and mowing roadside ditches less often.
One mayor went against his counterparts who have been pleading with Pawlenty not to cut too much into their state aid, using the governor's new e-mail to say his city is prepared to take another reduction.
"I'm ok with them doing more severe cuts to local government aid in St. Bonny, because we've already been planning for this," said Rick Weible, mayor of St. Bonifacius in the western Twin Cities. "But my preference would be that they make the cuts sooner than later."
The lack of a budget deal between Pawlenty and Democrats who control the Legislature left a shortfall heading into the upcoming two-year budget, even with all major spending bills signed into law. Pawlenty plans to use a gubernatorial power called unallotment to cancel or delay payments during a deficit.
Unallotment authority is limited to already approved spending, which means the governor can't single-handedly create a state-run casino or change liquor laws.
Pawlenty said Thursday he aims to make the bulk of the reductions in the second year of the cycle, starting in July 2010.
"That will give the Legislature some time to come in and review some of those decisions and alter them or change then if they choose," he said at the Capitol.
Other e-mails released by Pawlenty's office urged cuts — evenly across state government or for specific programs and services.
Gubernatorial spokesman Brian McClung said about 30 percent of the messages urged Pawlenty not to cut health and welfare programs, compared with about 6 percent who wanted to spend less on those programs. Another 20 percent supported the budget-balancing actions and slightly less than 10 percent wanted taxes raised.
McClung said four Republican legislators and one DFL lawmaker have contacted the office.
DFLers also collected thousands of public comments on the budget earlier this year in a series of statewide public hearings and through the House and Senate Web sites. About 6,000 people submitted ideas to the House Web site alone.
A review of those messages showed a mix of ideas, from the general ("Do not cut education budgets," one said) to the very specific: "School gyms could be wedding spaces etc. Think of the income that could be generated!!"
Others looked to save by turning down the heat in state offices, reducing the number of school sports games, eliminating farm subsidies and mowing roadside ditches less often.
One mayor went against his counterparts who have been pleading with Pawlenty not to cut too much into their state aid, using the governor's new e-mail to say his city is prepared to take another reduction.
"I'm ok with them doing more severe cuts to local government aid in St. Bonny, because we've already been planning for this," said Rick Weible, mayor of St. Bonifacius in the western Twin Cities. "But my preference would be that they make the cuts sooner than later."
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Gov. Pawlenty on unallotment and possible reelection
by Elizabeth Baier, Minnesota Public Radio
May 28, 2009
The Legislative session ended earlier this month without a negotiated budget agreement, and Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty plans to go it alone with his emergency authority to cut spending beginning July 1st.
On Thursday, Pawlenty said he has not decided where he will make the cuts, but that they'll likely affect higher education, human services and local government aide.
"There are some small cities and towns we want to try to accommodate," Pawlenty said Thursday on Minnesota Public Radio's Morning Edition. "So those are things we will be looking at."
Pawlenty's preparing to reduce spending by at least $1 billion without the Legislature's consent.
He said if the economy rebounds and there is not a projected deficit, the reduced unallotments may be able to be amended or modified. He also said most of the cuts will likely come in 2010, the second year of the biennium.
"We do want to try to make as many of the decision effective in the second year of the budget cycle so that if the Legislature, if they don't like some of the decisions or want to modify them, can come back early next year and address that if they choose," he said.
The second year of the biennium is also an election year. Pawlenty said he plans to announce whether he'll be running for a third term later this summer.
May 28, 2009
The Legislative session ended earlier this month without a negotiated budget agreement, and Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty plans to go it alone with his emergency authority to cut spending beginning July 1st.
On Thursday, Pawlenty said he has not decided where he will make the cuts, but that they'll likely affect higher education, human services and local government aide.
"There are some small cities and towns we want to try to accommodate," Pawlenty said Thursday on Minnesota Public Radio's Morning Edition. "So those are things we will be looking at."
Pawlenty's preparing to reduce spending by at least $1 billion without the Legislature's consent.
He said if the economy rebounds and there is not a projected deficit, the reduced unallotments may be able to be amended or modified. He also said most of the cuts will likely come in 2010, the second year of the biennium.
"We do want to try to make as many of the decision effective in the second year of the budget cycle so that if the Legislature, if they don't like some of the decisions or want to modify them, can come back early next year and address that if they choose," he said.
The second year of the biennium is also an election year. Pawlenty said he plans to announce whether he'll be running for a third term later this summer.
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