by Dave Mindeman

In a year when a budget deficit would seem to have forced the Minnesota legislature to forego any increases in education funding, the legislature did the near impossible. They crafted a significant increase in funding without any tax increases.....and yet, this Governor is talking veto.

Maybe the Governor finds it a little embarrassing that this bill raids the surplus in his pet project, Q-Comp....a fund that allows districts to negotiate teacher salary increases based on merit. This bill does not kill Q-Comp, it merely shifts surplus money in the fund into direct per pupil payments.

Pawlenty is quite familiar with money shifting.... his methods of balancing the budget have centered on raiding the Health Care Access Fund surplus. But at least with the education bill, the money stays in education -- Pawlenty "steals" health care dollars for who knows what.

With a veto looming, it is important to note that several House and Senate Republicans also supported this bill....enough of them to give the bill a veto override majority if they hold.

And well they should.....Marty Seifert's pre-session dog and pony shows that went around many districts pointed out how the DFL didn't support education enough during the 2007 session. Seifert's minority caucus will look a little foolish not supporting a boost in funding that is not derived from tax increases.

It is kind of ironic....Pawlenty canceled a National Press Club talk in Washington to continue budget negotiations here. His topic? Education policy.

The best promotion of education policy in Minnesota would be for Governor Pawlenty to sign this bill.

For more details on the story check out Minnesota Monitor...

Category: Tim Pawlenty

by Dave Mindeman

The Political Animal and Polinaut have been staying with budget negotiations througout the day and night.

Here is the interesting quote from Rachel Stassen-Berger:

Veterans around the Capitol said that although today was a tough day in negotiations an overall deal is still possible -- if all sides actually want a deal.

Do all sides want a deal?

I have my doubts....and I think the harbinger of doom is sitting in the Governor's mansion. Every step of the way something is changed in the language or the puzzle pieces.

Outwardly, the Governor continues to come to the table, but is it real? Or is this a public facade to cover his behind when everything ultimately breaks down.

Tomorrow is an important day -- everything has been cleared by the DFL leadership for serious talks.

Will there be such talks or are we looking at.... THE SPECTRE OF UNALLOTTMENT?

Category: Minnesota Politics

by Dave Mindeman

Alright, I am probably going to lose all of my DFL credentials (if I ever had any) and probably be chastised by the progressive community (I have been before), but I want to offer a contrarian critique of some current DFL legislation. (Note: These are my own views and not representative of anyone else).

1) Health Care Bill -- I hope the Governor vetos it. Egad, I can't believe I said that...but there it is. This bill is certainly well intentioned but it is just another patchwork quilt of a solution. It does nothing to reign in insurance company control -- it even expands it, really. It just doesn't get us anywhere. Sen. Linda Berglin is a health care policy expert and extremely well intentioned, but she is locked into this incremental approach to getting to Universal Care. We may get 40,000 more people into MinnesotaCare...maybe. But report cards? Medical homes? There is still no evidence that any of this will save real dollars. We need true medical reform and single payer answers all the cost and universal coverage problems. Until we get there, we are running in place.

2) BioDiesel Mandate -- This needs to be re-evaluated. This new mandate will currently step up the food shortages and production plant controversies. We need more study here... it certainly seems to be a good thing for the agricultural industry...but commodity prices are risking inflationary trends that hurt all of us. We need to develop better sources. Algae is promising but it is not going to help meet a 20% mandate in the near future. This needs to be dropped altogether or at least reduce the mandated percentage.

3) Property Tax Caps -- I don't like this idea but we aren't going to get a budget deal from Pawlenty without some form of it. He wants the "bragging rights". So, if it has to be, I hope the Democrats can craft this in such a way that LGA (Local Government Aid) money will be forthcoming as well. The way Pawlenty budgets, you know that he will use that cap to force local government into starvation mode -- scrambling to find revenue or making cuts that will shorten their political careers. It will take some leadership skill, from the DFL, to make this work, but property tax relief is important.

4) Mall of America -- I will take some heat for this again, but the MOA expansion plan needs to be figured out. It makes some sense for the latest move here, which is to put the tax revenue burden on Bloomington. They will get the additional visitors at their hotels and restaurants and, I suspect they can craft an ordinance that will generate most of the money from visitors. However, it may kill the project altogether. MOA was skeptical of this idea and Bloomington officials weren't happy either. Here is the crux of the problem. The economy is not getting better. In addition, the credit crunch is really getting bad. At one time the Mall could have put this all together with a $50 million outlay of their own.....now it will take a $300 million outlay. A public subsidy is about the only way to make the credit and the project work. I agree that Bloomington should probably shoulder the lion's share, but how about a compromise with some additional revenue from the tax pool? This project won't be completed for 4 years, if they start right now. More delays will increased the inflationary costs, delay the construction jobs, and furthur delay any state sales tax revenue. Can't there be a middle ground on this one?