Ventura gave away the store with his big reduction in license tab fees. This was the main cause of the state's big budget deficits. With this kind of deficit wasn't it not only impractical to take a "no new tax pledge", but irresponsible? People want to blame both parties for the impasse but shouldn't the governor and the Taxpayers League take the blame? -- Don, Minneapolis

Citizen Spin is not normally inclined to defend the legislative genius of Jesse Ventura but the license tab fees did not create the "state's big budget deficits." First, there was the little matter of a recession. But beyond that, Ventura actually tried to keep the Legislature from giving back all of the state's surplus in the form of tax rebates. He argued that at least half of it should be reserved for a "rainy day."

But it was an election year and the Legislature, giddy with the dough and awash in tobacco endowment money, well, gave it back.

Compounding that was the state's decision to assume the cost of public schools. Ventura advocated that but he also proposed expanding the state's sales tax to services and goods not now -- or then -- covered by the sales tax, as a way to help pay for the assumption.

The Legislature liked the first part -- the part about reducing the property tax bills, but didn't like the second part -- the part about paying for it -- so it didn't adopt the latter part.

Certainly reducing license tab fees was part of the mix, but a relatively small one. And it's worth noting that the license tab fees have not only been returned to the previous levels, but raised over when Ventura was in office by adding an extra year on the date of the car before they begin to fall.

Citizen Spin thinks that will hardly dent the deficit, another indication that the tab fee reduction had little to do with it in the first place.

Citizen Spin also thinks if the current situation proved Ventura right, it shows the utter depth of the state's problems.

As for blame. Well, yeah, there's plenty to go around. But blaming a particular party or group and the governor are not mutually exclusive.

Was the "no new taxes pledge" irresponsible? Citizen Spin is not inclined to thrust his -- or is it her -- answer to that upon you because then people will say "you're one of them when the reality is I'm one of you (the collective you). I'd rather be one of you.

It's lonely being a them.

Citizen Spin was leafing through the Web site the other day and found the story in which Pawlenty was endorsed for governor by his party....on the 11th ballot (or maybe it was the 12th, Citizen Spin has difficulty counting past 10). One less pledge, one different position and who knows? We could all be talking about Gov. Sullivan today.

What is the effect of the shutdown on road construction projects?

Several of the projects are shut down too. The concern is that where there are holes in the ground currently, groundwater will most surely fill them to overflowing, purple loose strife will sprout, a canoist will unwittingly introduce zebra mussels, houses will begin to pop up on the edge of the water, and the setting will become so idyllic that a proposal then will be made to build a coal gasification plant nearby. That, should the Legislature return, will touch off battles between environmentalists, energy interests, sportsmen, and nearby existing residents in the path of the rerouted highway that is needed to avoid the environmentally sensitive area.

It's simple. Enact a constitutional amendment to 1) Institute a temporary 10 percent sales tax on July 1 if the Legislature hasn't completely finished budget approval. When they get their job done, if it is too much, send the balance back in a rebate. The Commissioner of Revenue and/or the State Auditor would approve the temporary department budgets 2) Require a special election on July 15th. If
the legislators don't get re-elected, they lose their salary and expenses for any special sessions. 3) Require that the budget and any related items be passed before any social items (stadium, gay marriage, etc.). Then do you think they'd find the incentive to get their work done?--William, Bemidji

William, Citizen Spin guesses that the flaw in the process is the legislators would have to vote to change the system to this one. You might want to have the "pass a budget or we burn your house down" alternative ready just in case.