Unallotment ruling coverage

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TTT MAY 5: UNALLOTMENT RULING COVERAGE
Our scheduled topic was preempted this week as TruthToTell beat all other local media to the punch talking about the Minnesota State Supreme Court’s 4-3 decision nullifying Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s attempt to cut state spending using unallotment. The majority (Chief Justice Eric Magnuson with Justices Alan Page, Paul Anderson and Helen Meyer; dissenting were Justices G. Barry Anderson, Lorie Skjerven Gildea, and Christopher Dietzen) upheld the Ramsey County District Court in ruling that Pawlenty had, indeed, exceeded his authority in unalloting funds for programs he otherwise approved in the original budget, thus circumventing the Constitutionally guaranteed legislative budgeting process. [Supreme Court UPDATE: SInce this program aired, Gov. Pawlenty has chosen Lorie Skjerven Gildea as the next Chief Justice to succeed the retiring Eric Magnuson. Gildea, one of the dissenters in the above ruling, and her two dissenting colleagues were the only candidates under consideration for the new appointment. Pawlenty also appointed University of MN law professor, David Stras, about whom, Rep. Ryan Winkler wrote: “Pawlenty’s appointment of Mr. Stras is even worse (than that of Gildea). Continue Reading

Hammering out an agreement

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Even though House and Senate majorities are from the same political party, it doesn’t mean agendas are similar or they agree on how things should be done. Just like a family, differences can cause angst and stand in the way of compromise. Take for example how the House and Senate DFL differ in their proposals to balance the 2010-2011 biennial budget and dig the state out of a $4.6 billion hole. These differences filter down to the various finance committees and the bills passed to fund the various state agencies and programs.
If a piece of legislation has any chance of making it to the last stop, the governor’s desk, the House and Senate have to agree on what’s being sent. Bring on a conference committee. Continue Reading

GOP’s Abeler tells N. Minneapolis youth to ‘plug bullet holes’ with wooden nickels

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A politician handing out wooden nickels in the midst of a historic economic recession is odd enough, but what state Rep. Jim Abeler suggests the worthless coins be used for — plugging gunshot wounds in one of Minneapolis’ higher crime neighborhoods — is even stranger. On Feb. 16, residents of Minneapolis’ north side headed to St. Paul to lobby legislators on issues affecting them. The second annual “day on the hill” was spearheaded by the Northside Policy Action Coalition (NPAC), a group of organizations including the PEACE Foundation, Minneapolis Urban League, Northway Community Trust, KMOJ and others, and for many of the 70 mostly African-American youth who participated, it represented their first encounter with legislators. Continue Reading

“Tough decisions”

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Gov. Tim Pawlenty presented his preliminary answer to the state’s $4.8 billion question on Jan. 27. His proposal? Fix the state’s projected budget deficit with $2.5 billion in spending cuts, $1.3 billion in accounting shifts, nearly $1 billion in “tobacco appropriation bonds” and an unknown amount of federal stimulus dollars. The math is complicated, but the result would be to shrink state government by 2.2 percent, or $750 million, from current biennial spending levels. Continue Reading

Carlos Mariani on education issues

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Charter schools, the math GRAD test, and No Child Left Behind were among the topics when Daily Planet reporter James Sanna sat down with State Representative Carlos Mariani (DFL – St Paul) Tuesday to talk about some of the issues in public education facing the legislature this year. Rep. Mariani chairs the House of Representatives’ E-12 Education Policy and Oversight Committee.TCDP: In your committee hearing on Tuesday, Rep. Jim Abler mentioned a proposed law to regulate charter schools – among other things, it gets more specific about a sponsor’s responsibilities or about their religious affiliation – Could you tell us a little more about that? Rep. Mariani: Well, the bill stems from the Legislative Auditor’s report last year. It’ll probably encompass most of their recommendations. There’s some pretty safe stuff, like removing the requirement that a school’s teachers make up a majority on its board. Continue Reading

Beyond the budget: education, health, jobs

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It’s hard to imagine House members looking beyond the budget crisis when asked to name their goals for the 2009 session, but they say certain priorities remain high on their agendas including education, health care and job creation. As the 86th legislative session opened Jan. 6, House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher (DFL-Mpls) said the $4.85 billion budget deficit looms over all other priorities, but she has faith in the ability of the people to resolve differences in times of great difficulty. Leaders from both parties agree they hope to engage citizens and local governments in problem solving. “We’re visiting all corners of the state to talk to and get input from people to get solutions,” said Assistant Majority Leader Andy Welti (DFL-Plainview). Continue Reading

Starting from zero

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Barring a miraculous economic turnaround or a sudden windfall of new revenue, legislative leaders and Gov. Tim Pawlenty face the likelihood of having to squeeze, trim and slash the state’s $37 billion biennial budget down to $32 billion by the end of May. It’s an unappealing task — so much so that they’re considering an altogether different approach to budgeting: starting from scratch. The idea is called zero-based budgeting, and it works like this: instead of constructing a budget based on what was spent the last time around and then adjusting the numbers up or down as needed, you start with zero and build your way up to whatever amount is available. Pawlenty, in responding to the release of the state’s dismal November budget forecast — which predicts a whopping $4.85 billion shortfall — made a succinct case for this kind of budgeting. “The projection now is that there will be $32 billion coming into the state of Minnesota in the next two-year budget cycle,” the governor said. Continue Reading

Sen. Dick Day on voter “stupidity” and disenfranchisement

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Secretary of State Mark Ritchie delivered a statement and took questions from the Minnesota State Senate’s State and Local Government Operations and Oversight Committee. Several Republican members of the Committee raised questions casting shadows of doubt on the recount process. Sen. Dick Day (R-Owatanna) questioned the need for a State Canvassing Board to count improperly filled out ballots, adding that he does not care “if you’re disenfranchised or not.” Secretary Ritchie emotionally fired back by recalling his elderly grandmother, “sharp as a tack until the day she died,” who could not fill in a circle due to shaking. Ritchie defended the process and expressed disappointment in elected officials who did not do more to quell “false” criticisms of both state officials and the recount process from some segments of the local and national media. Continue Reading

First reading: deep in the red

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Optimism that traditionally comes with the start of a new legislative biennium is overshadowed this year by a large red cloud. Hanging over the collective legislative heads is a projected $4.85 billion deficit for the 2010-2011 biennium, which begins July 1, 2009. Members may also yet have to resolve another short-term fiscal crisis if the February Forecast provides more negative numbers, as many people anticipate. It will not be an easy session for members who campaigned on things like increased education funding, better health care access or keeping taxes and levels of program support at current levels. Answers must be finalized by May 18, the constitutional deadline for adjournment. Continue Reading