Pawlenty proposes constitutional amendment to cap spending

ST. PAUL- Governor Tim Pawlenty might have just chosen his swan song.

"We need to change the way we budget in Minnesota from what we want to spend to what we have brought in the door," Pawlenty said today.

The Governor proposed a state constitutional amendment that would cap state spending, based solely on revenues it brings in.

"It is a budget based on what is in the checkbook rather than what we hope might be in the checkbook in the future," Pawlenty said.

It is called the spending accountability amendment.

If it had been on the books, on average the state would have spend 900 million dollars less in each two year budget cycle since 1960, according to Pawlenty.

Obviously, Senate democrats are more than skeptical.

"At first blush it does seem odd that on his way out the door, with a seven million dollar deficit, he recommends something he never proposed to the legislature," Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller said.

If the amendment did make it out of the Capitol and on the ballot, history would suggest, it would pass.

Senate tax committee chairman Tom Bakk points out that since 1980, of the 18 constitutional amendments that went to the ballot, 17 passed.

"If we are going to put this on the ballot we need to take it seriously because it has a good chance to pass," Bakk said.

But it's a long way from passing at this point because it's just a proposal and a couple of graphs and charts.

Brought to us by a Governor, who would like to make a drastic change, before he sets sail.

Check out our KARE family of Web sites:
	takeKARE		Metromix
	Moms Like Me		Minnesota Bound
	Showcase Minnesota