Polinaut: March 5, 2009 Archive

The Daily Digest: 3-5-09

Posted at 8:43 AM on March 5, 2009 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

Jobless pain is not felt equally across the state.

State budget cuts could hit rural seniors harder.

A deal has been struck on allowing non-profits to continue being exempt from property taxes.

Minnesota lawmakers consider a new tax credit for school donations.

A vote on Central Corridor is delayed.

2008 Race for U.S. Senate

Senate candidates are still raking in the cash.

DFLer Al Franken says he's confident that he'll win the election. He also criticized Norm Coleman. So for those paying attention, we're back to the day before Election Day.

Franken's team contends election mistakes were isolated.

Franken will also move to dismiss the trial.

Franken's witnesses wonder if their votes counted.

D.C.

President Obama will hold a health care summit.

The Pi Press says Obama's foreclosure plan will help 200,000 Minnesotans.

The first couple charms congressional committee chairs.

Obama also has high approval ratings in Minnesota.

The office of DFL Rep. Tim Walz has been flooded with stimulus requests.

DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar tells Texas lawmakers that some of their state projects could be denied.

2009

Tony Sutton, a longtime Republican, will run for Party Chair.

2010

Stu Rothenberg ranks Minnesota as "Narrow Advantage for Incumbent Party" if Pawlenty runs.

2012

Gov. Pawlenty appeared on MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show to discuss the GOP and Rush Limbaugh.

Pawlenty also talked with the American Future Fund during his trip to CPAC.

Side note:

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Sunday liquor sales bill proposed

Posted at 10:42 AM on March 5, 2009 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)

DFL Rep. Phyllis Kahn is proposing a bill that would allow the sale of off-sale alcohol on Sunday.

Question of the Day: Is it a good idea?

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Hail mary? You bet...

Posted at 10:52 AM on March 5, 2009 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)

GOP Rep. Tom Hackbarth has introduced legislation that would ask voters if a metro area casino should be built and the revenue to be used to build a new Vikings stadium. Here's the proposal.

Republican Representative Tom Hackbarth, of Cedar, said he's making the proposal to help break the logjam on the Vikings stadium issue.

"I've got a lot of constituents that want to see a new Vikings stadium but mostly I have constituents who don't want tax dollars going to build that stadium. This is a good alternative. Allow one privately owned casino in the metropolitan area. Pass a constitutional amendment that would allow that to happen and then that license for that casino would go to buy a new stadium for the Vikings..."

Hackbarth's proposal is the first attempt at reconciling the Vikings stadium issue. He says he has not checked with the Vikings to see whether they support the plan. Vikings owner Zygi Wilf has been lobbying for public funding for a new stadium, saying the stadium issue needs to be resolved soon. The Vikings lease on the Metrodome expires in 2011.

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Testy budget discussion reveals new plans are on the way

Posted at 4:06 PM on March 5, 2009 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)

Governor Tim Pawlenty's chief financial advisor says a supplemental budget proposal will be completed within the next two weeks.

Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson told members of the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy today that revisions are needed to reflect the new economic forecast and the federal economic stimulus money coming to Minnesota. But Hanson bristled when House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, called it a do-over budget.

"It's not a do-over budget. It's a handful of modifications," Hanson said. "If it were a do over, we'd be getting it to you in May, because it would take that long."

Kelliher explained she was measuring the needed changes by the dollar amount, not by the number of new budget pages.

"Somewhere between 80 and 85 percent of the budget is going to be recalculated based upon what's happening here," Kelliher said.

Meanwhile, Kelliher said House and Senate leaders are proceeding on a parallel timeline to develop their own budget proposal. She said they would not wait for the governor's new proposal.

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Pawlenty to enter lion's den

Posted at 6:07 PM on March 5, 2009 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

Gov. Pawlenty will make an appearance in Hibbing on St. Patrick's Day to discuss his budget plan. It's an interesting move since Hibbing is a part of the Iron Range (a DFL stronghold).

Need proof? Barack Obama received greater than 60% of the vote and Al Franken received 55% of the vote in the Hibbing area in 2008.

In 2006, Pawlenty received 30% of the vote in House District 5B (which includes Hibbing). DFLer Mike Hatch received 65% of the vote.

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