Pawlenty's "Destroy Minnesota Amendment"

by Dave Mindeman

Is he gone yet?

Seriously, is Pawlenty gone yet? I am beginning to believe that "Lame Duck" Pawlenty is even more dangerous than the "No New Taxes" Pawlenty that has been wrecking Minnesota for the past 7 years.

Now, he wants to leave us with a bigger train wreck than ever by proposing a "Constitutional" amendment stating:

Gov. Tim Pawlenty proposed a constitutional amendment Thursday that would cap the state’s general budget at a level in line with actual revenue numbers from the previous year’s budget.

Come on Governor, have you looked at the past history of such proposals....

Remember Proposition 13 in California in 1978?

Section 1. (a) The maximum amount of any ad valorem tax on real property shall not exceed One percent (1%) of the full cash value of such property. The one percent (1%) tax to be collected by the counties and apportioned according to law to the districts within the counties.

California is still paying the price for that mind numbing budgetary disaster. Do we want the constant budget turmoil that has plagued that state ever since?

How about TABOR in Colorado in 1992?

In 1992, the voters of the state amended Article X of the Colorado Constitution to the effect that any tax increase resulting in the increase of governmental revenues at a rate faster than the combined rate of population increase and inflation as measured by either the cost of living index at the state level, or growth in property values at the local level, would be subjected to a popular vote in a referendum.

This complicated formula was partially successful in that during the 1990's in good economic times, TABOR restrictions allowed taxpayers significant savings. But the money was not saved for a rainy day, it was mandated to be given back to the taxpayers. As the economic conditions deteriorated, TABOR caused a budget disaster. So much so that a 5 year moratorium on TABOR was passed by the legislature in 2005 and passed via voter referendum the next year. The mandated restrictions were just too confining to make adjustments in changing economic conditions.

And, yet, Governor Pawlenty wants to wade into those dangerous waters as well. And why not? His responsibility ends in another year and he can watch the deterioration of Minnesota's quality of life from his new Washington destinations.

Mark Dayton probably says it best....

“Not satisfied with the destruction he has caused Minnesota’s schools, local governments, and hospitals and their services to the people of our state, Governor Pawlenty has proposed his “Destroy Minnesota Amendment” to limit spending for essential public services to the revenues from the previous two years.
“If the Governor thinks this idiotic approach to budgeting is such a great idea, I challenge him to prove it by spending in his campaign for President during the next two years (2010 & 2011), only what he has raised for that purpose during the past two years (2008 & 2009).”

Yessir, the Destroy Minnesota Amendment.

Catchy....and oh so true.