What’s more shocking than the outrage Democratic lawmakers around Minnesota expressed when Gov. Tim Pawlenty made his “unallotments” to the state budget?The answer: Their surprise that Pawlenty actually made cuts to things like social services, local government aid, K-12 education and higher education.
But Pawlenty did everything but smoke signal and telegraph what he was going to do long before the session ended in infamy and shame when the DFL-controlled Legislature decided to abdicate its responsibility and not pass a balanced budget, leaving state government’s future in one lame-duck governor’s hands.
Here’s a sample of the outrage:
“To every Minnesotan who will feel the impact of these cuts, I have this to say: It didn’t have to be this way,” said House Majority Leader Tony Sertich.
He’s right - his party could have done the hard task of making the cuts or finding a budget agreement. His party and its leadership lacked the fortitude and vision to find a budget that worked.
“When the governor said his $100 million unallotment to higher education will only cut 3.6 percent from the University and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, he didn’t include the $40 million he cut with his prior unallotments and the $60 million cut he signed into law this session,” said Rep. Tom Rukavina. “Some people call that dishonest. I call it lying through your teeth.”
But Rukavina doesn’t seem to understand that Pawlenty has been saying he’d cut higher education all along with the rest of the unallotments made public Tuesday.
If Pawlenty is lying, then Rukavina and his party have been traitors of Minnesotans’ trust as they flatly failed to find a balanced budget.
The Democrats believe that if there’s enough smoke, people will believe there’s also fire. But all the bluster and outrage coming from somewhere near St. Paul is posturing and pandering of the worst kind because it’s nothing more than partisan politics.
Like it or not, Pawlenty was true to his word. He cut what he said he would. Those who would believe otherwise simply didn’t listen or shouldn’t be leading this state through these very turbulent times. (House and Senate leadership, we’re looking in your direction.)
It’s fine to be outraged at cutting funding to our children, to the elderly, to those in college who are our future, to those who cannot help themselves. We are also upset.
But don’t forget the DFL gave Pawlenty the power to unallot.
So if you’re thinking about directing rage at someone - pause for a moment when you think about aiming criticism at Pawlenty.
Pawlenty remained true to his word - whatever that is worth.
And speaking of worth, the only thing worth less than talk was the inaction of the
DFL-controlled Legislature that did everything but pass a budget.
Keep in mind their failure didn’t stop most members from successfully collecting a paycheck or per diems, despite record state revenue shortfalls.
There’s a word for taking money and not doing a job, isn’t there?
By Darrell Ehrlick, editor, on behalf of the Winona Daily News editorial board, which also includes publisher Rusty Cunningham and deputy editor Jerome Christenson. To comment, call (507) 453-3507 or send e-mail to letters@winonadailynews.com.
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