Key questions regarding Pawlenty’s budget
Gov. Pawlenty is scheduled to release his plan to erase a $1.2 billion budget deficit at 11 this morning. I'll post the documents, etc. once it's online. I will also be tweeting some of the proposal if you want up to date into. MPR's Midday will also discuss the budget at noon today.
Here are the key questions leading into the announcement:
1) Where do the cuts come from?
2) How large are the tax cuts he's proposing (which means how big of a short-term deficit is he creating)?
3) Who are the losers (cities, hospitals, low income)?
4) Did K12 get pinched at all? Gov. Pawlenty was careful to mention that there will be no cuts to the classroom but will there be cuts to administration, etc.?
5) Are these straight cuts or is he using one-time money, borrowing, etc. to paper over the problem?
6) Will anyone lose health coverage under this plan?
7) How many jobs will Pawlenty's tax cuts create?
8) How many state employees will lose their jobs as a result of this budget?
9) How does this budget change the debate in the Legislature re: taxes and spending?
10) What's the reaction from the roughly two dozen candidates for governor? Do they support the plan? If not, what would then do differently?
Are there other questions?
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