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State Representative Pat Garofalo
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-1069
For more information contact: Jodi Boyne 651-296-0640
OP/ED COLUMN
GAROFALO: SOME GOOD, SOME BAD IN BUDGET PROPOSAL
By Pat Garofalo
District 36B, State Representative
No legislator, no matter how smart he or she thinks he or she is, can become an expert on all $34 billion worth of government spending that Governor Pawlenty proposed two weeks ago. Yet, immediately after his announcement, legislators on the left (and right) took to the microphones to praise or criticize as if they were instantly infused with complete knowledge of the proposal they learned about only minutes earlier.
I will try to be more realistic and honest. Here is list of what I think is good, and not so good in the governor’s proposal.
The good: No tax increases. With a projected surplus and automatic spending increases already in law, there is no need to raise taxes. We have enough money…and then some. I commend the governor for not increasing the burden of government.
The good: Veterans benefits. Thousands of Minnesotans are overseas and, with God’s grace, they will all return when their duty is served. When they do, let’s exempt them from having to pay state income tax on their military pay and pension. Many of them are still young, let’s help them get the education they put on hold. Many return to a spouse and children. Let’s continue expanding outreach and support to them, too.
The good: E85. Alternative fuels like E85 cannot solve the energy crisis single-handedly. But they should play a part in our energy future. The governor’s proposal to develop 1,500 new E-85 fueling stations will make it more accessible. Minnesota has always been a leader with ethanol, we can’t stop now and let someone else reap the benefits of our commitment to alternative fuels.
The bad: Property tax relief. There’s just not enough of it. He has a modest proposal to cap property taxes, which local leaders have expressed disapproval of. But if you live in Lakeville you’ll get no relief because Lakeville doesn’t receive enough state aid to qualify. All Minnesotans deserve property tax relief. Period.
The bad: It’s just too big. Do you remember the game on The Price is Right, “That’s too much!”? Well, Governor Pawlenty has overbid; he does not win a car. He proposed $2.9 billion in new spending – a 9.3 percent increase. That’s too much! I recommend the governor increase property tax relief and meet with his agency leaders to get rid of extra or unnecessary spending.
We can’t all be experts on everything. But we can be experts on common sense. My expertise tells me we need less government, more tax relief and reasonable investments in key priorities. Now let’s work out the details.
By the way, by virtue of being governor, Mr. Pawlenty does “win” the use of a state vehicle when traveling for official state business. It runs E85.
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