![]() ![]() ![]() What's left will be the focus of the session, but realistically the budget reserve is there for a reason and must be tapped. But we also would add Local Government Aid to the "no touch" spending, as further cuts there will translate directly again to property taxes. Pawlenty knows that taking K-12 spending off the table will prevent another catastrophe this fall as school district voters again wonder why they're being asked to approve property tax levy referendums. In this case, the state needs to balance its checkbook as we would, with fewer ex-penditures and putting off what we can. While the DFL proved its ability to finally over-rule the governor and his "no new taxes" pledge in putting into law a $6.6 billion transportation funding package, that ac-tion was necessary, prudent and specific. He also said that K-12 education spending would be set aside with no proposed cuts. The Re-publican governor said he will soon pro-vide his blueprint for solving the nearly $1 billion deficit, one that will include spending cuts and using some of the state's $1 billion budget reserve. Tim Pawlenty made one requirement Thursday - the budget will not be balanced with new taxes. The announcement Thursday of a $935 million budget shortfall by the end of this biennium sets the stage for the remainder of the 2008 legislative session - hard work to fill that budget gap meaning virtually no resources for any new programs and most assuredly reductions to those we already have. ![]()
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