Accessibility menu
State Representative Tony Cornish
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4240
For more information contact: Jason Wenisch 651-296-2317
NEWS RELEASE
REP. CORNISH REACTS TO GOVERNOR PAWLENTY’S BUDGET PLAN
ST. PAUL – Following Governor Tim Pawlenty’s recent unveiling of his state budget proposal, State Representative Tony Cornish (R-Good Thunder) said he was pleased with some aspects of the plan, and not excited about others.
Cornish said Governor Pawlenty was mandated by law to present a budget proposal, which sets the level of state spending for the next two years and eliminates a projected $4.8 billion deficit.
“I was happy that the Governor listened to me and other rural lawmakers as we urged him to protect nursing homes and local schools,” Cornish said. “But the plan probably sent shock waves through city leaders as they learned about proposed reductions to Local Government Aid and other areas.”
“Folks will likely hear a lot of negativity about the Governor’s budget, but he had to come up with a working product,” Cornish continued. “The Governor isn’t under the suspicion that this plan will be rubber-stamped by the Legislature.”
Cornish said Pawlenty’s plan would reduce overall government spending by 2.2% to a total of $33.61 billion, down from the Fiscal Year 2008-09 budget spending total of $34.36 billion. Spending reductions and expected federal stimulus funding would eliminate the bulk of the projected deficit.
Cornish added that the notable reductions in the Governor’s plan were in the areas of Local Government Aid, welfare, and higher education.
Cornish also noted several positives in the Governor’s budget plan, including tax incentives to help employers create more jobs and increased funding for K-12 education. No child would lose state government health benefits under the proposal, and rural nursing homes, veterans, and public safety programs would all be spared from budget reductions.
“Really, this proposal serves as the starting point, and now the Senate and House will discuss it,” Cornish said. “No one believes this is the final product. We will now hear hours and hours of testimony in the coming months and move forward with our own proposals.”
“In the meantime, I’ll be talking with local governments and organizations, as well as non-profit groups, to learn more about the potential impacts included in this proposal and to determine the best way to move forward.”
Rep. Cornish would also like to hear your budget thoughts. He can be reached by phone at 800-704-8525 or 507-380-5018, by e-mail at rep.tony.cornish@house.mn, or via U.S. Mail at 281 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155.
News Items
- REP. CORNISH ANNOUNCES REDISTRICTING PLAN - (Posted: 2012-02-23 00:00:00)
- REP. CORNISH INVESTIGATES LACK OF TRIBAL CASINO GAMBLING ENFORCEMENT - (Posted: 2012-02-02 00:00:00)
- REP. CORNISH AUTHORS FAMILIAL DNA PROPOSAL - (Posted: 2011-04-14 00:00:00)
- Archived News Items
- Subscribe to RSS News Feeds
- Read more about RSS.