Posted: 05/19/09 03:54, Edited: 05/19/09 03:57
by Dave Mindeman
No deal.
We now enter the time of the Pawlenty budget.
So, what can we expect? I think we have some clues from the limited amount of "public" negotiations we were allowed to peek in on.
First, there is the first line item vetos. General Medical Assistance was the first target. Can you imagine? The absolute poorest and neediest among us. Health care wiped out. But that is only the start.
Pawlenty "offered" a cut of an additional $450 million in local government aid. Remember, that is in addition to the cuts in the bills he has already signed. Local government officials must be wondering what they did to deserve all this. Every time Pawlenty makes another LGA cut, he is always quick to criticize them for increasing local taxes -- something Pawlenty knows they have little choice but to do. And then, he chastises them about public safety cuts as if they have extra slush funds just laying around.
Another of his counter measures was an additional cut to higher education of $190 million. University President Bruininks said that more cutting will cost the U at least 500 to 750 jobs. And you know tuition hikes will get piled on...again.
And then there is this reduction in tax credits -- especially the renters credit, which was part of another $190 million in cuts. Now wait a minute....hold the phone... according to the rhetoric I hear from the right, reducing tax credits is the same as a TAX INCREASE. Right?
Of course, Pawlenty gets nowhere unless he does his famous "education shift". Gets bigger everytime. This time in the neighborhood of $1.8 billion. There are some who question whether Pawlenty can actually legally do this without legislative authority. Of course, the Governor disagrees. Why not? He has assumed autocratic control. Yet, you better believe that this will end up in the courts. Some school districts will have nothing to lose... might as well litigate.
Pawlenty will be criticizing the Legislature for "not getting the job done". But, there is a myriad of cuts already in the bills they passed. I thought it was the most responsible legislative work we have ever had. But, the DFL miscalculated. They thought that negotiations with Pawlenty might actually involve a two way street.
How naive.
I hope that everybody realizes that over the course of the next month, Pawlenty will have to announce his cuts. Nobody can question them... but he does have to announce them. Quite the legislative process, isn't it?
And when he makes those announcements, I hope every Minnesotan pays attention. Pawlenty will be responsible. He got what he wanted. And there are 47 House Republicans that will also hold responsibility. Frankly, I have to wonder how they can defend their vote on the GAMC override (to sustain the veto). That will certainly be an election issue.... as well as everything else that happens with the Governor's announcements.
He couldn't have done it without those 47 loyal soldiers.
So how will this affect the political dynamics going forward? It is hard to say, but Pawlenty and his 47 disciples will have to be defending what they do. They can blame the DFL majority, as I'm sure they will attempt to do. But there were alternatives. The DFL put together several options that the GOP rejected, each and every time.
It will be a tough year...for all of us. Thanks to Pawlenty and the 47 clones.
