Last week, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that Governor Pawlenty overstepped his authority when he unilaterally decided to cut $2.7 billion from the State budget.
Unfortunately, in passing its first budget response since that ruling, the Minnesota Legislature got it wrong. The Minnesota Senate voted 34-33 and the House voted 71-63 for a bill that Governor Pawlenty has promised to veto.
Sure, the Legislature got it right and raised some taxes to help balance the State’s budget (primarily through a 4th tier income tax on the highest-income Minnesotans). But it also ratified most of the Governor’s illegal unallotments. And that includes the average $129 tax increase on low-income renters through the cut to the Renters’ Credit.
Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!
HOME Line hopes the Legislature and the Governor can agree on a balanced approach to solving the State’s budget woes. Let’s hope they give it another shot.
