Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) is trying hard to balance the budget by rejecting the tax and spending bills from the Democrat-controlled legislature, but they just cannot understand “no means no.” This is what Minnesotans would have to put up if Gov. Pawlenty relented:
…A new top income tax rate of 9% (the fourth highest in the nation); across-the-board income tax increases; sales taxes on Internet downloads; the end of the local property tax cap (enacted only last year); alcohol taxes; cigarette taxes; eliminating the deduction for an organ donation (no joke); and killing the home mortgage interest deduction.
But he stood firm and plays the trump card of “unallotment” — a power granted to the governor to “take away any state spending for which there is no money to pay.” (What an idea, right?)
This is the type of leadership we need in this recession. Minnesota may have a clown for a Senator, but the governor is serious about helping Minnesotans.
