St. Paul will file brief backing unallotment lawsuit

The St. Paul City Council has voted unanimously to file a legal brief in support of a lawsuit challenging Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s authority to make unilateral budget cuts. St. Paul lost roughly $5 million in state government aid last year owing to cuts implemented by Pawlenty and expects to see its funding reduced by more than $11 million in 2010.  

“I think the governor really abused his authority under the unallotment statute and went too far,” says St. Paul City Council member Lee Helgen, who drafted the resolution.

Last month a judge ruled that Pawlenty overstepped his budgetary authority when he eliminated funding for a $5.3 million nutrition program. The budget cut was part of $2.7 billion in reductions that the governor implemented utilizing his unallotment authority. The Pawlenty administration has appealed the judge’s ruling and the Minnesota Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in the case on March 15.

The St. Paul vote was 5-0 in favor of filing a friend-of-the-court brief. Two council members were absent for the vote.

2 Responses to “St. Paul will file brief backing unallotment lawsuit”

1. Ronald G. Lietz Says:
   January 20th, 2010 at 9:03 pm

   It is too bad that Lee Heglen is not more concerned about the poor condition of the streets in his distrcit than he is conditions over at the Capitol.

2. Zack Says:
   January 21st, 2010 at 12:16 pm

   The City Council members of St. Paul need to understand it was the failure in the State Legislature to agree on a budget that Minnesota could afford. The Governor merely stepped in to become what he was elected to do, be a Governor for the people of Minnesota, not just St. Paul.