Pawlenty files appeal on unallotment and wants quick action from court
Attorneys for Governor Pawlenty is asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to take quick action on their appeal of a ruling that undercuts Pawlenty's unallotment authority. The appeal isn't a surprise since Pawlenty announced he would do it one day after a Ramsey County District Court Judge ruled he abused his authority to unilaterally cut spending. At the time, the judge ordered the restoration of funding for a special diet program for low income Minnesotans and suggested other parties affected by Pawlenty's use of unallotment could join the suit.
Pawlenty said the judge misinterpreted the law and is asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to immediately take up his appeal. The appeal says quick action is needed because it impacts Governor Pawlenty's decision in July to make $2.7 billion in unilateral budget cuts.
"Given its magnitude, the deficit in the state's biennial budget becomes increasingly difficult to resolve as time passes and less of the biennium remains."
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Pawlenty's appeal also requests the Court of Appeals to expedite the case if the Minnesota Supreme Court declines to act quickly on it.
Here are three key parts of the appeal.