I am planning on doing e-mail interview with State Economist Thomas Stinson and Commissioner Tom Hanson from Minnesota Management and Budget office (MMB). I also am trying to do with Governor Tim Pawlenty sometimes next week.
Unlikely media who shoot questions at the press conference, I am letting the readers and fans submit questions that I may be asking during e-mail interview.
Questions have to be appropriate, and stay on track/subject regarding November budget forecast. You can either submit question in comment box or e-mail to me at senatoreggert@yahoo.com with November budget forecast on the subject line and question aimed at whom (Stinson or Hanson or Pawlenty).
Deadline is Monday, December 7 to submit your questions.
Showing posts with label state budget defecit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label state budget defecit. Show all posts
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.
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
Saturday, May 30, 2009
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
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
Pawlenty to mayors: Quit whining, get to work mapping out cuts
Pioneer Press 5/21/09
Governor tells mayors to be realistic about cuts, give him ideas for reductions
By Bill Salisbury bsalisbury@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 05/21/2009 09:44:37 PM CDT
Gov. Tim Pawlenty wants mayors to stop complaining about state aid cuts and start telling him how large a reduction they can handle.
Starting July 1, Pawlenty will cut or delay $2.7 billion in spending over the next two years to balance the state budget.
During a press briefing at the Capitol on Thursday, Pawlenty said he would consult with local government officials, health care providers, legislators and other "stakeholders" to get suggestions on where and how much he can cut. He wants mayors to tell him what portion of their budgets they can trim.
"The answer can't be they're not going to take any cuts, because everybody else is," he said.
When families, businesses, churches and charities are all tightening their belts, he said, "to have cities come forward and say, 'We can't take any cut at all' is hogwash.
"Instead of just whining and complaining, they need to figure out how they can reduce their spending by a few percent. I don't think that's unreasonable."
Also Thursday, the governor vetoed the tax bill approved by Democratic lawmakers in the final minutes of the legislative session that would have raised $1 billion through taxes on couples making more than $250,000, alcohol drinkers and credit card companies charging high interest rates. It also would have delayed $1.7 billion in payments to schools, erasing a two-year deficit.
Pawlenty had warned Democrats that he would veto tax increases that reached his desk.
The governor's comments on cities' finances appeared to be aimed at St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and several outstate mayors who have been vocal critics of his local government aid reductions.
On Thursday, Coleman and a group of local officials held news conferences in Mankato, Albert Lea and Rochester to urge Pawlenty to minimize cuts to cities. They will continue their press tour today with stops in St. Paul, Willmar and Alexandria.
Before the Legislature adjourned Monday, Pawlenty had proposed a $450 million cut in local government aid and related programs. Mayors asserted that cutting that much would force them to lay off cops, firefighters and other essential personnel and increase their property tax levies.
Before they take such drastic actions, Pawlenty said, they should answer four questions:
Does your city have budget reserves? "If you've got a rainy-day fund, use it," he said.
Where's the property tax money? Most cities have raised their property tax levies every year, Pawlenty said. "Where is that money going?" he asked.
Has employee pay been frozen? "People across Minnesota should demand that school districts, counties and cities freeze salaries for their employees for the next two years," he said.
And what have local officials done to downsize and streamline operations?
In addition to reducing state aid to local governments, Pawlenty said he expects to cut spending on health and social services, higher education and state agencies.
He hopes to preserve funding for veterans and military programs, public safety and preschool-through-high-school education, although he said he plans to delay state aid payments to schools.
This report contains information from the Associated Press.
Governor tells mayors to be realistic about cuts, give him ideas for reductions
By Bill Salisbury bsalisbury@pioneerpress.com
Updated: 05/21/2009 09:44:37 PM CDT
Gov. Tim Pawlenty wants mayors to stop complaining about state aid cuts and start telling him how large a reduction they can handle.
Starting July 1, Pawlenty will cut or delay $2.7 billion in spending over the next two years to balance the state budget.
During a press briefing at the Capitol on Thursday, Pawlenty said he would consult with local government officials, health care providers, legislators and other "stakeholders" to get suggestions on where and how much he can cut. He wants mayors to tell him what portion of their budgets they can trim.
"The answer can't be they're not going to take any cuts, because everybody else is," he said.
When families, businesses, churches and charities are all tightening their belts, he said, "to have cities come forward and say, 'We can't take any cut at all' is hogwash.
"Instead of just whining and complaining, they need to figure out how they can reduce their spending by a few percent. I don't think that's unreasonable."
Also Thursday, the governor vetoed the tax bill approved by Democratic lawmakers in the final minutes of the legislative session that would have raised $1 billion through taxes on couples making more than $250,000, alcohol drinkers and credit card companies charging high interest rates. It also would have delayed $1.7 billion in payments to schools, erasing a two-year deficit.
Pawlenty had warned Democrats that he would veto tax increases that reached his desk.
The governor's comments on cities' finances appeared to be aimed at St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman and several outstate mayors who have been vocal critics of his local government aid reductions.
On Thursday, Coleman and a group of local officials held news conferences in Mankato, Albert Lea and Rochester to urge Pawlenty to minimize cuts to cities. They will continue their press tour today with stops in St. Paul, Willmar and Alexandria.
Before the Legislature adjourned Monday, Pawlenty had proposed a $450 million cut in local government aid and related programs. Mayors asserted that cutting that much would force them to lay off cops, firefighters and other essential personnel and increase their property tax levies.
Before they take such drastic actions, Pawlenty said, they should answer four questions:
Does your city have budget reserves? "If you've got a rainy-day fund, use it," he said.
Where's the property tax money? Most cities have raised their property tax levies every year, Pawlenty said. "Where is that money going?" he asked.
Has employee pay been frozen? "People across Minnesota should demand that school districts, counties and cities freeze salaries for their employees for the next two years," he said.
And what have local officials done to downsize and streamline operations?
In addition to reducing state aid to local governments, Pawlenty said he expects to cut spending on health and social services, higher education and state agencies.
He hopes to preserve funding for veterans and military programs, public safety and preschool-through-high-school education, although he said he plans to delay state aid payments to schools.
This report contains information from the Associated Press.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Lawmakers Hold Out Compromise Hope On Minn. Budget
Source: WCCO TV
Minnesota lawmakers groped for details Friday on how Gov. Tim Pawlenty's solo budgeting step would hit schools, hospitals, local governments and people on state health assistance.
The GOP governor has warned the Democratic-led Legislature that he wouldn't let the budget fight drag on past Monday, forcing them to strike a deal in short order or face repercussions of his unilateral budget cuts.
"A lot of this is reading between the lines," a frustrated Sen. Linda Berglin said amid a sharp string of questions to an administration official who oversees endangered health insurance programs.
For the most part, answers were hard to come by. Pawlenty's commissioners said they were still going through their options for line-item vetoes, delayed payments and other cuts the governor could make through an executive power known as unallotment.
In a public hearing, agency commissioners faced terse demands for information on potential and enacted cuts.
Democratic Sen. Tarryl Clark of St. Cloud earlier described Pawlenty's decision to balance the budget on his own as an extraordinary power play.
"These problems are too huge for him to be going it alone," she said.Still, top legislators said they were still searching for a negotiated budget solution.
Pawlenty, on his weekly radio show, said he is open to continued discussions. But he said he wouldn't let the fight spill into a special session or result in a government shutdown.
"I don't know if they're willing, interested or even able" to get a deal, Pawlenty said of DFL leaders.
Pawlenty began closing a $3 billion budget gap through line-item vetoes on Thursday night. Most notably, he slashed $381 million from a health program known as General Assistance Medical Care.Under questioning, Human Services Commissioner Cal Ludeman described GAMC enrollees as "the poorest and sickest amongst us," but said they could get coverage through other public programs when their plan expires in mid-2010. It serves between 30,000 and 35,000 childless adults near or below the federal poverty line.
Some would qualify for the MinnesotaCare program. Berglin said she doubted many would be able to pay premiums under that program and cash-strapped hospitals would be further burdened with uncompensated care.
Another flashpoint is school funding.
Education Commissioner Alice Seagren testified that Pawlenty wouldn't cut payments to schools, but some would be delayed. She didn't supply details.
Clark said schools lacking reserves would have to resort to borrowing with interest to get by until their state checks arrive.
Senate Minority Leader David Senjem, R-Rochester, said all the what-ifs could be avoided if the governor and lawmakers can find middle ground.
"If we can work together and make something work, I am willing to do that," Senjem said, adding. "We want a better outcome if there is one.
"That's a tall order. All year long, Pawlenty, his GOP allies and Democrats have been at odds over what cuts to make and how to find more money to patch a projected budget deficit.
Pawlenty proposed borrowing almost $1 billion against future tobacco lawsuit settlement payments, a move that would patch the immediate hole but come with long-term debt. Democrats pushed through an equally sized tax increase plan, which Pawlenty vetoed.
Republican leaders have said their members will uphold the governor's veto. It would take at least three GOP defections in the House for an override because the constitution requires two-thirds votes in both chambers.
Clark said the override door might not be slammed shut.
"There is a lot of pressure and there will be more pressure for Republican legislators who may have thought the governor going on his own gets them off the hook. This is about our communities and our constituents," Clark said. "People have to decide they care more about the people in their communities than partisan politics."
-------
Lawmakers managed to narrowly avoid a special session drafting the budget last year.
Minnesota lawmakers groped for details Friday on how Gov. Tim Pawlenty's solo budgeting step would hit schools, hospitals, local governments and people on state health assistance.
The GOP governor has warned the Democratic-led Legislature that he wouldn't let the budget fight drag on past Monday, forcing them to strike a deal in short order or face repercussions of his unilateral budget cuts.
"A lot of this is reading between the lines," a frustrated Sen. Linda Berglin said amid a sharp string of questions to an administration official who oversees endangered health insurance programs.
For the most part, answers were hard to come by. Pawlenty's commissioners said they were still going through their options for line-item vetoes, delayed payments and other cuts the governor could make through an executive power known as unallotment.
In a public hearing, agency commissioners faced terse demands for information on potential and enacted cuts.
Democratic Sen. Tarryl Clark of St. Cloud earlier described Pawlenty's decision to balance the budget on his own as an extraordinary power play.
"These problems are too huge for him to be going it alone," she said.Still, top legislators said they were still searching for a negotiated budget solution.
Pawlenty, on his weekly radio show, said he is open to continued discussions. But he said he wouldn't let the fight spill into a special session or result in a government shutdown.
"I don't know if they're willing, interested or even able" to get a deal, Pawlenty said of DFL leaders.
Pawlenty began closing a $3 billion budget gap through line-item vetoes on Thursday night. Most notably, he slashed $381 million from a health program known as General Assistance Medical Care.Under questioning, Human Services Commissioner Cal Ludeman described GAMC enrollees as "the poorest and sickest amongst us," but said they could get coverage through other public programs when their plan expires in mid-2010. It serves between 30,000 and 35,000 childless adults near or below the federal poverty line.
Some would qualify for the MinnesotaCare program. Berglin said she doubted many would be able to pay premiums under that program and cash-strapped hospitals would be further burdened with uncompensated care.
Another flashpoint is school funding.
Education Commissioner Alice Seagren testified that Pawlenty wouldn't cut payments to schools, but some would be delayed. She didn't supply details.
Clark said schools lacking reserves would have to resort to borrowing with interest to get by until their state checks arrive.
Senate Minority Leader David Senjem, R-Rochester, said all the what-ifs could be avoided if the governor and lawmakers can find middle ground.
"If we can work together and make something work, I am willing to do that," Senjem said, adding. "We want a better outcome if there is one.
"That's a tall order. All year long, Pawlenty, his GOP allies and Democrats have been at odds over what cuts to make and how to find more money to patch a projected budget deficit.
Pawlenty proposed borrowing almost $1 billion against future tobacco lawsuit settlement payments, a move that would patch the immediate hole but come with long-term debt. Democrats pushed through an equally sized tax increase plan, which Pawlenty vetoed.
Republican leaders have said their members will uphold the governor's veto. It would take at least three GOP defections in the House for an override because the constitution requires two-thirds votes in both chambers.
Clark said the override door might not be slammed shut.
"There is a lot of pressure and there will be more pressure for Republican legislators who may have thought the governor going on his own gets them off the hook. This is about our communities and our constituents," Clark said. "People have to decide they care more about the people in their communities than partisan politics."
-------
Lawmakers managed to narrowly avoid a special session drafting the budget last year.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Governor Pawlenty's budget released yesterday
Yesterday Governor Tim Pawlenty released his budget after we got money from Uncle Sam that would help little with controlling budget deficit.
Click here to see the budget.
Click here to see the budget.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Want to speak up at Town Hall meeting?
On House of Representatives website, you could sign up to speak at town hall meetings where they are going to hold throughout the state.
Click here to sign up
Click here to sign up
Budget hearing all around the state
What I found on my friend, Rep. Erin Murphy's blog, she have listed all statewide budget hearing so if you want to go, check it out at her blog.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Senate unveiled Senate Budget Discussion website
On eve of State of the State Address, the Senate decided to set up their own budget website where citizens of Minnesota could discuss how the Senate would solve the budget deficit. As you recall I have posted an article of Speaker Kelliher pleading for public's help with solving budget so the Senate is doing the same thing.
You could go to http://budgetforum.senate.mn/ and tell Senate what you think what they should do with budget.
You could go to http://budgetforum.senate.mn/ and tell Senate what you think what they should do with budget.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Your input wanted by Speaker Kelliher
House Speaker Margret Anderson Kelliher wanted you to send her ideas how to solve state budget deficits. She has decided to ask the public for help to balance the budget. This is first time that the Speaker of the House plead for our help with budget. She has set up a website so you may want to submit your idea how the legislature should deal with budget.
Public input will be wanted by Speaker Anderson Kelliher
Public input will be wanted by Speaker Anderson Kelliher
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