 The DFL had wanted 2.6 billion dollars of the 8.7 deficit raised through permanent revenue raises, not one-time shifts (late payments) or borrowing from future payments. The wealthiest 10% of Minnesota pay 10.4% in overall taxes while the average Minnesota pays 11.1%. The DFL proposed fourth tier taxes would have taxed the richest more in income tax, the people who can best afford it, would pay more. The estimates that I heard, said this means that a family earning $300,000 would pay about an additional $109 a year!. Compared to severely reduced emergency health care in the state and other drastic cuts, that would affect even the rich, how can Pawlenty morally defend this?
Note that the Governor has never compromised on raising permanent tax revenue. And your ideas about budget cuts, the governor will take the idea on phone "message" line. I wonder if anyone even listens to this line. Obviously, the governor will not have public hearings, because the public is generally shut out. It has been clear that governor has planned to use "unallotment" to shut out the legislature unless the legislature did exactly as told. When the DFL "compromises", the governor speaks as though the DFL authored the idea, like the DFL compromise on education tax shift. Basically, the governor is using "line item veto" and the emergency "unallotment" to basically become the dictator or king of Minnesota. Republican Governor Pawlenty has become a Bush-style decider.
Congratulations to the legislature! The legislature sent a balanced budget and all bills were sent to the governor in a timely manner. The governor never planned to compromise to accept permanent a more fair tax increase on the richest. The Republican spin machine is in full force. The ownership interests of mainstream media will soft pedal what Pawlenty did. Until the last moment, Republican Pawlenty protected the richest from even a $109 tax increase!
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