Polinaut: January 29, 2009 Archive

The Daily Digest: 1-29-09

Posted at 8:08 AM on January 29, 2009 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

The Pi Press says anti-tobacco groups will push to ban smoking in cars with kids. It's the latest salvo in the public health vs. personal choice debate.

Gov. Pawlenty will make his case on the budget to several more business groups today. The business leaders who heard his pitch yesterday liked his tax cut plans.

Fox9 takes a look at the groups that don't like the cuts.

Pawlenty's plan to borrow from future tobacco payments raises some questions at the Capitol.

WCCO reality checks Pawlenty's plan.

St. Paul says police, fire and rec centers will be cut if Pawlenty's plan to cut LGA is approved.

KAAL says cities face major losses due to the proposed LGA cuts.

Rochester Schools are proposing a freeze on salaries and jobs.

Smart Politics says a photo id requirement for voting gets support in the polls. The bill's chief author, GOP Rep. Tom Emmer, wrote an op-ed on his reasoning here.

Lawmakers study the impact of lead bullets on the environment.

Congress

The House passed President Obama's economic stimulus plan without any GOP votes. Here's the Roll Call from Minnesota's delegation.

The Star Tribune wonders whether the plan will work.

Minnesota could get $477 million for roads and bridges.

Cities and counties also submit their projects that they hope will be a part of the stimulus package.

DFL Rep. Tim Walz and DFL Rep. Collin Peterson decide to freeze their salaries.

Walz also urges funding for an eye-trauma center for combat injuries.

The Washington Post says union ranks grew over the last year. GOP Rep. John Kline is mentioned.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar and the Senate Judiciary Committee back Eric Holder for AG.

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson is pushing a bill would prevent most credit default swaps.

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison presses Secretary of State Clinton on Gaza.

2008 U.S. Senate Race

Deputy Secretary of State Jim Gelbmann will continue testifying in the Senate trial today. AP, Forum Communications and MPR have stories.

The Pi Press says Gelbmann said some valid votes are still uncounted.

The Star Tribune says Republican Norm Coleman's campaign is looking for reasons as to why some ballots were rejected.

KARE says the trial has turned into a primer on election mechanics.

Attempts to seat Franken without an election certificate will raise constitutional issues.

Kandiyohi County Auditor is on the list to testify.

2010

Pawlenty's campaign reports having $580k in campaign cash. He says he's keeping his options open and will announce his intentions later this year.

Correction

We reported earlier that Gov. Pawlenty would be leaving today to attend the House GOP retreat in Virginia. Pawlenty told me the retreat starts today but he'll be speaking on Friday night and returning to Minnesota on Saturday.

DFL leaders say federal money is for jobs, not state budget deficit

Posted at 5:06 PM on January 29, 2009 by Tim Pugmire

DFL legislative leaders are trying to lower expectations about the federal economic stimulus bill, and its potential impact on Minnesota's $4.8 billion budget deficit.

House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher and Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller held a private meeting today at the State Capitol with three members of Minnesota's congressional delegation. After the meeting, Pogemiller told reporters that the message from Representatives McCollum, Oberstar and Peterson was that the federal money is not for balancing the budget.

"This money is meant to create jobs," Pogemiller said. "Some of it will be used in a way that helps us stabilize our situation. But there should not be an expectation from Minnesotans or the executive branch that this solves Minnesota's budget problem. We still will have to make some very difficult decisions to get our budget under control."

Earlier this week, Governor Tim Pawlenty released a budget proposal that counts on at least $920 million in federal aid to balance the books.