I'm betting the State of the State is great.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty delivers the address for the fourth time today at the Capitol. (You can listen to it at noon live on MPR)

I'm thinking the governor will tell us things are going pretty well, especially since he's trying to get re-elected this year. Expect to hear a lot about how he balanced the budget (even though it is the governor's job to balance the budget). Let's see if he mentions the "supercharged truth in taxation" bill he proposed last year. Or getting some money from Indian casinos. Those are some proposals from State of the States past that never happened.

There's always a great feeling of excitement around the speeches although people tend to forget them pretty quickly. I'm not sure whether they're as big a deal as they used to be, especially for a governor like Tim Pawlenty, who is on TV so often and is so good at being a TV personality. Pawlenty is out and about so much that it doesn't seem like a major event when he gives a speech at the Capitol. But, as I say we're broadcasting it, and it's sure to get a lot of coverage. If nothing else it's a good kickoff to the campaign and the session.

In the news roundup today, there's still some fallout from the straw poll at the precinct caucuses the other night. MPR's Tom Scheck had just about all the candidates claiming victory and this analysis:

While many of the candidates continue to spin the results in their favor, Carlton College political science professor Steven Schier says he expects Klobuchar and Hatch to be the DFL candidates on the November ballot.

"There are frontrunners in each case. One is a prohibitive frontrunner, Amy Klobuchar. The other one, Mike Hatch, is a frontrunner but faces some bumps between here and the endorsing convention and the primary, potentially, but otherwise I think the signals are pretty clear."

Speaking of clear signals, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman is sending one about Capitol city's budget. Tim Nelson of the Pioneer Press quotes the mayor laying out the problem:

"In 2007, we face a $20 million deficit and a growing gap between expenditures and permanent funding sources," Coleman told the City Council, scores of employees and others gathered in the council chambers for his first major address.

"If we were to tackle this issue entirely with tax increases, we would have to raise the levy by over 30 percent," the mayor said. Cuts would require a layoff of 150 police officers and firefighters.
"Neither option is acceptable," Coleman said.

In the short term Coleman has appointed a commission to help him come up with financial solutions.

If you were a state lawmaker looking for an issue an election year issue that would save consumers $100 million, the Legislative Auditor may have found you one. MPR's Annie Baxter had it:

The analysis says the restriction on beer and wine sales at grocery and convenience stores leads to higher prices, costing Minnesotans about $100 million a year. But the report also says loosening up those restrictions could lead to alcohol abuse. Legislative Auditor James Nobles said the report is aimed at educating lawmakers without prescribing a new liquor law approach.

Sounds like an invitation to reopen that wine in grocery stores debate.