Dayton takes dim view of GOP plan to cut $1 billion

Posted at 12:03 PM on January 18, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

House and Senate Republican unveiled legislation today aimed at making a projected $6.2 billion state budget deficit smaller before their final budget bills come together at the end of the session.

GOP leaders said their first phase of the proposed budget fix would make permanent some of the unilateral spending cuts made by Governor Tim Pawlenty. They estimated total savings at $1 billion.

House Ways and Mean Committee Chair Mary Liz Holberg of Lakeville said she thinks the projected deficit could look smaller when the February economic forecast is released.

"You could have some revenue growth in the next forecast just attributed to modest economic recovery," Holber said. "You're probably getting darn close to 25 percent of that budget being taken care of before the February forecast comes out."

Governor Mark Dayton says he doesn't support any plan that doesn't address the full $6.2 billion budget deficit. He characterized the GOP plan as "piecemeal."

"I want to deal with this as a complete package." Dayton told MPR News. "To look at it as one side of cuts in the areas of higher education which will mean higher tuition for students and cuts to local government aid which means higher property taxes is taking too narrow a perspective on it."

Dayton says he'll release his budget plan on February 15.

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