Pawlenty not expecting budget breakthrough
Gov. Tim Pawlenty is downplaying a meeting later this week with Minnesota House and Senate leaders.
Lawmakers are facing a $1.2 billion deficit in the current two-year budget cycle. The Republican governor is scheduled to meet Friday with DFL and GOP legislative leaders to discuss the 2010 session, which begins Feb. 4. But Pawlenty told reporters today that he didn't expect the meeting to yield any dramatic breakthroughs.
"But it is part of the ongoing discussion around the challenges and opportunities that the state is facing and how we need to find some common ground to make some progress," Pawlenty said.
Pawlenty is expected to make specific recommendations for spending cuts next month as part of a supplemental budget proposal. The governor said he hasn't yet decided if he'll propose a cut for K-12 education. He's concerned about the level of pay and benefit increases in some school districts. Pawlenty also repeated that he will protect veterans and military programs from cuts.
"I don't think all things are of equal importance," Pawlenty said. "Some things are more important than others. And one thing that goes to the top of the list is supporting our members of the military and our veterans."
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