September 26, 2005 - Governor Pawlenty today (MON) challenged other states to boost their ethanol consumption. He told a meeting of the Governors' Ethanol Coalition that the corn-based fuel will reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil. The group consists of 31 states and 5 countries that support ethanol. But unlike Minnesota, few of them mandate ethanol use. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
August 31, 2005 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports on despite the fact that it is not a statewide election year in Minnesota, that hasn't stopped state officials from making their usual visits to Great Minnesota Get-Together. Politicians say the State Fair is the place to take the pulse of Minnesotans. For 2005, they're finding that the burning issues for fairgoers are gas prices and stadiums.
May 20, 2005 - Governor Pawlenty today (FRIDAY) proposed that the state collect an additional 75-cents a pack on cigarettes. He's calling the new money a "health impact fee," and says the money would be used to pay for state health care costs. Pawlenty insists his proposal is a fee, not a tax. The distinction is critical because a budget deal could hinge on Pawlenty's ability to come away from negotiations saying he's standing by his pledge to not raise taxes. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
May 12, 2005 - (NOTE FROM KHOO: As of 10:30pm last night, the governor and Sviggum were planning to reconvene budget talks at 10am Thursday. It's not clear whether Johnson will attend or will continue with his fly-around. The governor's office says Johnson has been invited to attend the meeting, but they haven't heard yet whether he'll accept. Johnson himself and his staff had left by the time the meeting broke up last night, so he wasn't able to answer the question directly. I point all of this out because this story indicates Johnson WILL stick to the tour, and that may no longer be accurate.) With less than two weeks left in the legislative session, Governor Pawlenty is urging legislative leaders to reach a budget deal. The call came as the House was passing a vastly different tax bill than the one that passed the Senate last week. And taxes aren't the only issue on which the House and Senate are far apart. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
May 5, 2005 - Governor Tim Pawlenty today (THURS) blasted a Senate DFL plan to raise taxes on upper-income Minnesotans. The Senate tax bill would create a temporary eleven percent top income tax rate. Senate Democrats who support the plan say it asks Minnesotans who benefitted from the economic boom of the 90s to help balance the budget. But not all Senate Democrats back the plan, as Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
March 30, 2005 - Governor Pawlenty and legislative leaders today (WED) reached a deal on a package of public works projects. If the agreement holds up, it would mark the most significant breakthrough at the Capitol in more than a year. The Legislature failed to pass a bonding bill last session, in the midst of partisan gridlock. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
March 10, 2005 - Last November, with much fanfare, Governor Pawlenty invited Minnesotans to suggest ways to balance the state budget without raising taxes by logging on to a new Web site. The governor's office has just released the results. More than 17-thousand people responded, and most wanted the state to spend more money on education, both K-12 and higher ed. Democrats question whether Pawlenty is paying attention to the results of his own Web site. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
January 31, 2005 - Governor Pawlenty today (MON) outlined a series of proposals to lock up and track sex offenders. The budget he released last week includes nearly 80-million dollars for sex offenders programs, and he also wants the state to borrow money for additional prison beds. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
January 26, 2005 - Governor Pawlenty took his budget message on the road today (WED), while critics and defenders of his budget spoke out at the Capitol. Two former state finance commissioners blasted the budget Pawlenty proposed yesterday, while a key Republican called it a good starting point. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
January 25, 2005 - Governor Tim Pawlenty released a proposed two-year budget today (TUESDAY) that depends on money from a new casino to help erase a projected 700-million dollar deficit. Pawlenty's budget wouldn't raise state taxes, but relies on a mix of spending cuts and revenue increases to balance the budget. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...