Why should Dayton, Emmer, and Horner have all the fun? Now you too can weigh in on how to solve the projected state budget deficit using mymnbudget.com, an interactive website sponsored by the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities.
Mymnbudget allows users to choose from a wide array of spending reductions and revenue increases to address the state general fund budget deficit projected for the upcoming fiscal year (FY) 2012-13 biennium. While the site does have some limitations (for example, it does not allow users to simultaneously change the sales tax rate and expand the sales tax base), it nonetheless covers most of the major budget-balancing options currently on the table. Users can also learn a lot about the various areas of the state budget by clicking links next to the major spending categories.
Mymnbudget focuses on the official state budget deficit of $5.8 billion, not the more realistic $6.8 billion deficit that takes into account the impact of inflation on general fund spending. However, users of mymnbudget can specify an extra billion dollars of spending cuts or tax increases to cover the cost of inflation that the official deficit projection leaves out.
Check out mymnbudget. Don’t be the last kid on your block to balance the state budget!
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