The “Little” Minority that could.
The Star Tribune had a fluff piece in Sunday’s paper about the “little” Republican Minority and how they are holding their own in this session against a majority that has been adamant at getting “their way”. AAA touched on reasons why he thinks the minority has had success, but he missed what I think was one of the more important points.
“The turning point, Republicans say, came in early May, when DFLers trotted out an ample public works bill that used loans to pay for DFL projects and cash to pay for GOP items. Pawlenty had warned leaders not to augment the bonding bill with cash spending.
When DFLers did it anyway, said Rep. Michael Beard, R-Shakopee, it was the Republicans wet-rag-in-the-face moment. "We're not rocket scientists, but we realized real fast this was a pretty clever political move on their part."
If Pawlenty had used a line-item veto to trim the bill of its cash costs, he would have had to kill Republican projects.
Pawlenty went to the GOP House caucus that morning and asked for its help.
"We told him 'Veto the whole damn thing,' " Beard said. "He said 'What about your projects?' We said, 'We don't care, governor. We're in this together.' "
It turned out, Beard said, "their bonding bill bonded the wrong thing. We've held together ever since."
The bonding bill bonded the wrong thing alright. Take a look at what has happened since then. The governor has vetoed 7 bills now and the only one that they THOUGHT was veto proof now appears to going down to the same defeat that the rest has. What gets me though was the DFL's assertion that the tax bill actually provides "property tax relief".
"Property tax relief is not really on the way," said Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis. Pawlenty, he said, "has roadblocked significant property tax relief, and that is a big disappointment."
The bill presented to Governor Pawlenty was nothing more than smoke and mirrors. It provided (based on my understanding of the bill - correct me if I am wrong) a one time payment to property owners. However, until Senator Pogemiller and his mates in the House can do something to stop runaway county and city and school district spending, there will be no property tax relief. The only thing that the state government can do is to pass Proposition 13 type legislation that caps property taxes. Don't hold your breath on that happening anytime soon - that is unless the taxpayers of Minnesota finally get fed up and rebel against the taxes.
Tea, anyone?????
“The turning point, Republicans say, came in early May, when DFLers trotted out an ample public works bill that used loans to pay for DFL projects and cash to pay for GOP items. Pawlenty had warned leaders not to augment the bonding bill with cash spending.
When DFLers did it anyway, said Rep. Michael Beard, R-Shakopee, it was the Republicans wet-rag-in-the-face moment. "We're not rocket scientists, but we realized real fast this was a pretty clever political move on their part."
If Pawlenty had used a line-item veto to trim the bill of its cash costs, he would have had to kill Republican projects.
Pawlenty went to the GOP House caucus that morning and asked for its help.
"We told him 'Veto the whole damn thing,' " Beard said. "He said 'What about your projects?' We said, 'We don't care, governor. We're in this together.' "
It turned out, Beard said, "their bonding bill bonded the wrong thing. We've held together ever since."
The bonding bill bonded the wrong thing alright. Take a look at what has happened since then. The governor has vetoed 7 bills now and the only one that they THOUGHT was veto proof now appears to going down to the same defeat that the rest has. What gets me though was the DFL's assertion that the tax bill actually provides "property tax relief".
"Property tax relief is not really on the way," said Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis. Pawlenty, he said, "has roadblocked significant property tax relief, and that is a big disappointment."
The bill presented to Governor Pawlenty was nothing more than smoke and mirrors. It provided (based on my understanding of the bill - correct me if I am wrong) a one time payment to property owners. However, until Senator Pogemiller and his mates in the House can do something to stop runaway county and city and school district spending, there will be no property tax relief. The only thing that the state government can do is to pass Proposition 13 type legislation that caps property taxes. Don't hold your breath on that happening anytime soon - that is unless the taxpayers of Minnesota finally get fed up and rebel against the taxes.
Tea, anyone?????
Labels: Democrats, Republicans, Tax Relief
posted by The Lady Logician at
5:44 PM
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