Pawlenty retaliates against Legislature with bonding bill vetoes

Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Monday used his line-item veto authority to decimate the bonding bill, in some cases hewing entire sections from the bill.

Pawlenty focused his vetoes on projects in districts represented by Democrats or Republicans that voted for the bill.

Transit and state parks and trails were were cut in their entirety from the $1 billion bill that passed the state Legislature.

Steve Morse, executive director of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership, said that Pawlenty cut all $43 million in the bill for transit. He also cut $25 million from the Reinvest in Minnesota (RIM) conservation program, which would have leveraged $35 million in federal matching funds.

“Line item vetoes by Governor Pawlenty to transit and conservation projects totaling just under $100 million represent an enormous lost opportunity for shovel-ready jobs, matching federal dollars and local community economic development,” Morse said in a press release.

Pawlenty cut the bill down to $686 million.

Pawlenty noted that the bill contains his priorities including the expansion at the Moose Lake sex offender program, the security fence at the Oak Park Heights prison and the Minneapolis Veterans Home.

However he chided lawmakers for the “dubious” process that was undertaken on the bill and its dollar amount.

“The DFL-controlled legislature seems incapable of prioritizing projects or simply saying no. So, I have again done it for you,” Pawlenty wrote.

Pawlenty didn’t mention that five House Republicans and four Senate Republicans voted for the bill. Pawlenty restricted many of his vetoes to districts represented by Democrats.

Pawlenty cut $6.6 million to build an American Indian Learning Resource Center at the University of Minnesota-Duluth (DFL-represented District 7A).

He cut $13 million from the Minneapolis Community and Technical College and $2 million for the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden in heavily DFL District 60A. At the Anoka Ramsey Community College in Coon Rapids (In DFL-represented District 47), Pawlenty cut $5.3 million to renovate a fine arts classroom and lab building. Pawlenty vetoed $42 million for St. Cloud State University in DFL-represented District 15B.

Pawlenty cut $15 million to renovate the Livingston Lord Library at Minnesota State University-Moorhead. The project is in GOP Rep. Moorie Lanning’s district, who voted for the bill.

Pawlenty vetoed the three convention center projects in Mankato, Rochester and St. Cloud. The Rochester Civic Center was one of the reasons why Senate Minority Leader Dave Senjem, R-Rochester voted “aye” on the bonding bill.

7 Responses to “Pawlenty retaliates against Legislature with bonding bill vetoes”

1. Paul Blincow Says:
   March 15th, 2010 at 11:55 am

   Did we read the same letter with his line item vetoes? Pawlenty clearly laid out the budgeted amount (25% less than the original bill passed) and his rationale for each cut.

   He also specifically mentioned language inserted around certain projects (inserted by the Democrat controlled Legislature) which made them all or nothing line item vetoes.

   Reading the letter, there are some areas Pawlenty has supported in the past that got vetoed here as well as some programs which were worthy but surrounded by all or nothing language.

   Pawlenty stuck to his responsibility.

2. Al Fisher Says:
   March 15th, 2010 at 1:19 pm

   Pawlenty once again shows how little he cares for people. As the article points out, many of the cuts would have provided much needed construction jobs that would have been eligible for additional funding from the federal government. The problem is it would have helped the economy recover in a way that Democrats might be able to take credit for. He is taking the same line as the Republicans in Washington. It matters not if something is good for the economy, good for the people, if it might also be good for the Democratic party it has to be opposed.

3. Dave Dempsey Says:
   March 15th, 2010 at 2:53 pm

   The Governor’s natural resources vetoes leave $34 million in federal habitat conservation money on the table and kill job-supporting transit and parks investments. The letter neglects to address these realities.

4. Julie C. Says:
   March 16th, 2010 at 2:34 pm

   He did exactly what he said he would do! Bravo for him. Shame on everyone for thinking they should receive anything in the first place. Our state needs to be run like a financially health household.
   If you want money…earn it. If organizations need money…raise it.

5. Tony S Says:
   March 16th, 2010 at 4:38 pm

   Good job Gov, shame on those that supported projects that don’t have merit at a time when the citizens of the Great State of Minnesota can’t afford another hand in their pocket taking out the dough.

6. Sean A Says:
   March 17th, 2010 at 7:42 pm

   Good call, let’s make it nice and cozy for convicted sex offenders to live and leave hard working students, and the future of our society, to tend to outdated resources in PUBLIC secondary education facilities. Or perhaps college students should drop out and take an un-skilled labor job, oh wait, they’re all outsourced to other countries.

   Tim Pawlenty leaving office can’t come quick enough.

7. carole Says:
   March 17th, 2010 at 10:25 pm

   Once again the gov. showed his stupid side. He cuts everything that would help the people of minnesota. HIs cuts aim for the poor people, handicapped, disabled . Even cutting the possiblility for more jobs for the people. He cuts the gmac , once again hurting alot of people, but he wants millions spent for the renovation of Moose Lake building for sex offenders. God where is the logic there! Any smart person knows that isn’t a priority right now with economy as bad as it is. He is the poorest excuse for a Gov. He is the one who put us in debt, and he blames everyone else for it. It is also funny that he tries to tell Obama how to budget! Maybe he should experience what most of minnesotans are going thru and then he could see how hard it is to just survive. Take away his health insurance, his job, lose his home cause he can’t afford it, going to the foodshelf just to have food for the family , maybe then he would get it. He has no clue how to govern, and he would never make a good president whatso ever.