Unallotment react
Politicians and interest groups are weighing in on the Minnesota Supreme's court ruling that said Gov. Pawlenty exceeded his executive authority when he used unallotment last July. Here are a few of the statements.
Gov. Pawlenty:
"I strongly disagree with this 4-3 decision by the court. Nonetheless it will require the legislature and my administration to address its budget impacts. The funds do not exist to reinstate my unallotments and the state budget needs to be balanced without raising taxes. I call upon the DFL-controlled legislature to ratify the unallotments I enacted last year.
"I will fight to reduce spending and taxes in Minnesota and that battle continues. My commitment to the people of Minnesota remains the same: we will balance the budget without raising taxes."
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DFL House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher (the DFL endorsed candidate for governor):
"Once again, the courts have affirmed that Governor Pawlenty acted unconstitutionally by walking away from the table and turning his back on the legislature and the people of Minnesota during a challenging budget crisis. This is exactly why I'm running for governor. We need a governor who will sit down with people and work out solutions to our toughest problems. This is what Minnesotans expect from their leaders.
"As Speaker, I offered three balanced budgets and fought to protect Minnesota's priorities. As Governor, I will work with the legislature to create a balanced budget that strengthens Minnesota, protects our values and moves our state forward on the road to economic recovery."
GOP Rep. Tom Emmer (the GOP endorsed candidate for governor):
In the latest example of judicial activism, the Minnesota Supreme Court, in a narrow 4-3 decision, took it upon itself to rewrite the unallotment statute to their liking by adding conditions on the executive branch that do not exist in the current statute.
The law requires the governor to balance the budget. The law requires the governor to prepare a budget forecast as part of the budget balancing process. The law requires the governor to use unallotment after exhausting other means if revenues do not meet expenditures. The law is clear, and Governor Pawlenty followed the law.
The court changed the law in midstream by adding a time constraint to when the governor could exercise his unallotment powers. Once the court changed the law, they found that the Commissioner of Finance did not follow the "new" law.
Instead of acting as politicians, we need judges that will make decisions by applying the letter of the law to the facts.
It is now up to Speaker Kelliher, Majority Leader Pogemiller and the DFL controlled legislature to reinstate the unallotments in order to fix the budget hole created by their failure to produce a balanced budget in 2009.
Democrat Matt Entenza, who is running for governor:
"Tim Pawlenty has spent the last four years running roughshod over the legislature, our state constitution and, by extension, the people of Minnesota. Today, the state Supreme Court stood up and told him, 'No.'"
"Hard as this situation is, we can neither simply cut nor simply tax our way out of it; we need a strategy to grow our economy. In Minnesota we work together to get the work of the people done. But in Tim Pawlenty's and Tom Emmer's Minnesota, when you don't get your way, you take huge risks with our state's future. As a result, we now face an even bigger budget crisis.
"I stand ready to lead our state in a new direction, with a positive vision of how we grow our way out of these problems - not go back, but get back to greatness."
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak:
"The Supreme Court decision today restores proper balance between the executive and legislative branches. It does not, however, alter the reality that the State of Minnesota is in a deep fiscal crisis. At moments like these, Minnesotans have a right to expect that all sides at the Capitol will demonstrate the highest level of statesmanship and will come together around a unified vision for our state."
Minnesota Chamber President David Olson:
"While some at the Capitol are celebrating the Supreme Court decision as an opening to raise taxes, this is not the time to do so. Increasing the tax burden on the private sector will not lead to job creation.
"Minnesota businesses are just beginning to emerge from the recession. The Legislature should do nothing to hamper their recovery. Lawmakers instead should give strong consideration to the cuts and shifts outlined by the governor last summer.
"We recognize this will mean some tough decisions. But it's becoming clear that we cannot afford the current level of public services. Government must seek greater efficiencies in its operations and focus on true, statewide priorities."
Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson:
"The Court's decision gives the Governor and the Legislature a second chance to get it right and agree to a balanced approach in addressing Minnesota's budget crisis.
Minnesota can no longer afford to continue the path of crumbling infrastructure, growing class sizes, shrinking community services, and higher property taxes.
It's time for our policymakers to take bold and decisive action on a budget to grow family sustaining jobs and make taxes fair for middle class Minnesotans."
St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman:
"The Supreme Court has rightly rejected the Governor's go-it-alone strategy that has marked his eight years in office. While that approach may have served his presidential ambitions, it has not served the people of our state. Minnesotans are tired of political games - they want realistic solutions. They want police officers on their streets and good teachers in their classrooms. Today's ruling is a call to action for the Governor to return to the table and work with the legislature to get the job done. "
Minnesota Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton:
"The Republican Party of Minnesota unequivocally opposes today's 4-3 ruling by the Minnesota Supreme Court and believes it represents the worst in judicial activism. Now the onus for balancing the budget lies squarely with Margaret Anderson Kelliher and the big spending Democrat-controlled legislature. Kelliher and the DFL failed to produce a balanced budget last year and now that failure is coming back to haunt the taxpayers of Minnesota. Raising taxes on families and businesses is the last thing Minnesotans need right now. Since Kelliher failed to balance the budget in the first place, it's time for her to explain in detail how she plans to pay for $2.7 billion in new spending when the state is broke."