The Conservative Cave
Current Events => Politics => Topic started by: Chris on May 20, 2009, 12:35:30 AM
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No deal means balance won't hold (http://www.startribune.com/opinion/45378087.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUncacyi8cyaiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU)
The 2009 Legislature's finale was far from its finest hour. A rush job that ran roughshod over rules and protocol in both chambers sent one more $1-plus billion tax increase to Gov. Tim Pawlenty. Along with a $1.8 billion payment and accounting delay for schools, the hastily hatched bill allowed leaders of the DFL legislative majorities to claim that they had balanced the state's 2010-11 budget before the mandatory midnight adjournment.
That claim is likely to have a short shelf life. Pawlenty has already vetoed a similar tax bill, and the 11:50 p.m. Monday version is expected to face the same fate. Its structure does not permit its dismantling via line-item vetoes.
A veto will give Pawlenty what he said last week he wanted -- the opportunity to balance the state budget unilaterally. That may be good news for those who share the Republican governor's view that reducing state spending by roughly $2.5 billion, and using more than $4 billion in one-time money, is the right way to erase a $6.4 billion deficit.
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am watching
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Be interesting to see if he follows in the footsteps of Guvurnator Ahnult, and slashes into essential services, or if he'll cut into bloated bureaucracies and trim the true waste and excess that is the bulk of government spending these days.
:popcorn:
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He'll cut "essential services", and hire more staff with an expanded budget to do it!