Zellers: DFL Budget A Pile Of Contradictions

ST. PAUL, March 17, 2010 – Minnesota House Republican Minority Leader Kurt Zellers, Maple Grove, today commented on the budget resolution introduced by Democrats in the Ways & Means Committee.

“Forget everything Democrats have railed on for the last nine months, because it’s all in their own budget.  They blasted the governor for using federal money, but it’s in their budget.  They blasted the governor over the possibility of short-term borrowing, but they failed to accept his solution for preventing it.  It’s a pile of contradictions and hypocrisies.” 

When Governor Pawlenty proposed using as yet unapproved federal money to balance the budget, Democrats quickly pounced on the idea, calling it “funny money” and claiming the governor’s budget was unbalanced as a result.  They also held hearings to grill state finance officials over plans developed in case the state needed to use short-term borrowing to meet cash flow needs.  The budget resolution introduced today adopts the federal money, but rejects the governor’s proposal to build up the cash flow account.

"Their targets also fail to account for the unallotment lawsuit.  Normally when someone joins a lawsuit they do so in the hopes of winning, but Democrats apparently spent taxpayers' money to go to court over a case they want to lose.  It’s pretty obvious now why they went to court, and it wasn’t out of great concern for the constitution." 

House Democrats ordered nonpartisan House Research staff to file an amicus curiae brief in support of a lawsuit challenging Pawlenty’s use of unallotments to balance the budget.  They later spent $25,000 of taxpayer money to hire a DFL-leaning lawyer to file a second brief with the Minnesota Supreme Court.

The budget resolution is expected to be up for a vote in the House Ways & Means Committee Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.

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Zellers: We Will Uphold The Governor's Veto

ST. PAUL -- House Republican Minority Leader Kurt Zellers (Maple Grove) this evening commented on Governor Pawlenty's veto of Senate File 2168 dealing with General Assistance Medical Care.

"Governor Pawlenty wants to push for more reforms to the state's health care programs, and our caucus will support that effort. We will uphold the Governor's veto.

"Representatives Matt Dean and Steve Gottwalt offered real reform ideas during today's floor debate and we will bring those ideas back to the table as we try to achieve a solution. This is difficult work. We'll roll up our sleeves and get back at it."

Zellers: No override

House Republican Leader Kurt Zellers gives Minnesotans a commitment about protecting taxpayers from the Democrats' irresponsible borrowing.