What's the best way to end the state government shutdown?
Posted at 5:00 AM on July 5, 2011
by Eric Ringham
(58 Comments)
Filed under: Politics/Government
It's Day 5 of Minnesota's state government shutdown. The Democratic governor and Republicans in the Legislature remain deadlocked over the state's budget deficit. Today's Question: What's the best way to end the state government shutdown?
Comments (58)
Well it looks like Minnesota is just a preview for what's planned on the Federal scene. Seems the Republicans want to take us down to where anarchey can work for everyone. Careful though, you can't have everything (where would you put it?)
Change the budget from a biennial budged to an annual one, like many other states. It would likely be easier to agree on the changes if they would only last for one year until they can see the result of the budget change and adapt the next year's budget to it.
End the entitlement program for the ultra-rich (known as the 1998 tax cuts)- clearly this is unsustainable and has created structural imbalances ever since enactment.
Second, institute broad health care reform as a number of other leading states have in order to get a handle on health care costs
Obviously some compromise combination of new revenue and cuts to existing spending -
How about Governor Dayton agrees to the Republicans' $34 billion budget cap, and the Republicans agree to $1 billion of the Governor's income tax hike.
Easy to end this, elect people to the legislature that are not some fanatical group that wants it their way or kill/shut down the State.
But Oh... they time to deal with the Vikings. GET the RECORDS and see how many attended games at no cost.
And Oh they had time to deal with same sex marriage.
I'm having a very hard time understanding how these people are different for the single minded terrorists we are fighting on the other side or the planet.
Thank God for Gov. Dayton.
Once in a while I have to critique the far left, too, so here goes. Regressive taxes are not inherently unfair if they are used for progressive benefits. That's why Social Security and Medicare are funded with regressive payroll taxes. That's why countries that have some kind of socialized medicine usually fund it with something like a VAT or GST, rather than an income tax. Since state government services, in the aggregate, are progressive, it's not a problem for state taxes, in the aggregate, to be somewhat regressive.
One proper role of government is to pool resources to do those things that are everyone's responsibility in general but no one's in particular-- i.e., things the free market won't do well, if at all. I'm not rich. Neither am I deprived. I could pay more taxes without suffering. I'd be happy to pay more taxes, if it would give me some assurance that the social safety net will be there for me, in case I need it someday.
Dayton is right that we need more revenue, but wrong in insisting that all the increase has to come from top earners. I'd suggest we broaden the sales tax to include clothing and personal services, and close some of the pointless loopholes in the income tax. If we did that, we could even lower the rates a bit and still bring in more revenue.
// "Those "richest MN's" already contribute the largest amount of money to the state..." //
That's because they make SOOOOOO much money, Davyd! They should pay AT LEAST the same PERCENTAGE the middle-class pay. They have way more than enough left over after paying their paltry 8%. Haven't you heard? The rich have been getting richer even through the recession!
You know how you say liberals are the greedy ones? You are drinking some strong Kool-Aid, man!
Individuals and households don't have to take care of the ever-increasing needs that the state has to do. The state's budget is not like an individual's or a family's or a business's budget.
// "...should be taken care of by families and private organizations..."//
And what about those individuals and families who cannot take care of themselves, John? “Private organizations” are not able to fulfill all the needs you’re talking about. Even with help from the state and from private organizations, vulnerable people fall through the cracks all the time. If you’re confined to a wheelchair because of spina bifida or muscular dystrophy, you can’t “grab a saw" or swing a hammer. Maybe you’re able-bodied so you can swing a hammer, but you have no money with which to buy nails and lumber. And you can’t earn the money because you’re already working two jobs just to make regular ends meet, not to mention rebuilding a house... if you have a job at all.
The state should be taking care of people even more than it has been doing. We need to raise revenue for that. The wealthy have not been paying their fair share of taxes for a long time, and they need to step up and start doing that especially now. Even as a working-class person I am willing to pay higher taxes. Not only does it make us a better state to raise revenues, it is simply the right thing for human beings to do.
First shut down everything, mandatory for at least 3 weeks. Then we will show the needy that they can take care of themselves instead of our socialist state government.
People need to learn to depend on themselves and NOT government, TAX payers.
This state pays for so many socialistic programs that should be taken care of by families and private organizations.
They are STILL talking about the money needed for the tornado victims, my God, people need to take care of themselves. Grab a saw, a hammer, learn, get by!
End ? Why end it? Let's keep this shut down going. Shut down the Federal government next.
The best way to end the state government shutdown? By realizing that ignorant, greedy, and angry politicians and corporate executives conspired to create an artificial lack in our economy dozen of years ago. Hemp is perhaps the world's most useful and versatile plant, capable of feeding, clothing and housing humans. It can be grown in every state and country. The people of USA and in turn of each state of Its union have been hoodwinked and brainwashed to view this incredible and age old resource for humanity as "marijuana" (a distorted term applied to the beneficial medicinal/recreational/sacramental version of the plant).
It would take less than a day of critical examination of Hemp's usefulness as a prospering resource (in every regard) for today's citizens and politicians to understand that there really need be no lack. Thus, no need for a state government shutdown (let alone a national debt).
This anti tax sentiment is more like a diagnosis than an economic theory or jobs plan. Maybe if we prescribed valium for right wing extremists we could get on with conducting business and educating all for a civil society again. It feels like we're experiencing an anxiety disorder outbreak. Who is whispering in their ears? Weird! (Is "extremism" in the latest DSM - IV?)
Legislators need to quit being such hard-liners and agree that the richest need to pay their fair share--at least an equal share to what working people pay.
Divide the state into 4 pieces and sell them off to our neighboring states of Wisconsin, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa.
I'm embarrassed by our elected officials...if they were hired employees, they would be the ones to lose their jobs for not doing their job. Why is it these politicians can raise millions in campaign funds to support their election but they can't balance a budget. These politicians should have their income denied and receive NO benefits until they either balance the budget or hire outside professionals to get the job done. I personally will not vote for any incumbent in the next elections. Shame on them all for putting their "re-election interest ahead of "for the good of the people"!
- Adjust the amount of revenue that is put into assistance programs. Too much money is being spent on people who are taking advantage of the system. Family welfare, for example, should have requirements that the mothers need to take classes among other things to improve their ability to independently take care of their children. [My mother was on welfare when my father took off and it was just me and my sister. She went to nursing school and, after only a short period of time, was able to take care of us without government assistance.]
Also, we should not give assistance to those mothers who continue to have children despite their inability to care for them without government assistance.
- Adjust and add at least one more tier to the MN tax rate structure. Sure, we want more money from the rich, but maybe we should make it fair by completely changing the structure to compare to more successful states.(see:http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layouthtmls/swzl_statetaxrate_MN.html)
Use the paycheck I, and every other former state employee, would have received to close the gap between the current budget proposals. Most everyone is still paying taxes, but very few services are still operating. The state has a lot of money coming in and next to no expenses. For the good of all Minnesotans, appropriate the money and let us get back to work.
6% more than the last biennium. The largest budget in state history. Projected revenue of 34 billion.
With seeing what California, Maryland, New Jersey and New York have been through, I say that looks like a pretty good deal.
Do what Kid Coumo is doing in New York! STOP SPENDING!
Guess, what, if we raise taxes on "the rich" this time, in two years, the insatiable beast called government will need to be fed again, which means more taxes.
Do you give an alcoholic more booze? At some time you have to cut off a spending addicted Democrat to 6% over last time.
By setting aside the arrogance in the legislature and listening to experienced and intelligent folks offering reasonable ideas.
Horner, Mondale, and Carlsen are working towards solutions. Shame the legislature is not.
Every time I hear a group interviewed at MPR they are asked why not meet in the middle and call it 50/50....
What is wrong with this is some are so extreme in their ideals they are ignoring the realities of why certain government functions are in existence.
What we are seeing right now is what is the bare bones of what is minnesota, the Marrow really. And we can not survive this way.
What is being asked if those who benefited from Minnesota's environment (economically, environmentally, and structurally) are not being asked that much more to help out. And in fact is a restoration of the tax structure we had. When Tax breaks for the rich make no sense you have to revoke them.
The responsibility of those in power (money is a set of power clearly) you have to use that power to help those you govern or are less fortunate. Failure to do so is a abuse of power, and that is when entities like a government must step in and force those resources to go to where they are needed, and not hoarded.
This problem is not going to go away by ignoring the most needy. That was the problem to begin with.
We have seen the middle class vanish from a average income of 70,000 in the seventies to below 45,000 in present day tax cut heavy for the rich. And the only time we see job growth is when we actually have raised the taxes.
When Clinton raised taxes we encountered the largest economic BOOM in this country's history. And we saw a job growth of over 22 million jobs! Then we his Bush's tax break taking 700 million out of a budget slated to make ends meet and end the deficit with Clinton's plan, if only Bush left the economy in automatic from Clinton ....
Long story short, even with these facts.... Our governor is working from the Heart, and it happens to have facts to base his ideal on, and that is the Strongest ground to work from.
The house and state senate did not have a mandate, no one clearly paid attention to them. They just wanted a 'change' but clearly the Governor's race was paid attention to. And the more people hear that libertarians are just anti-government (borderline treason for many) and anti-people the more they realize that was the wrong pony to back.
I just wish Minnesota had a recall election option.
How about a class action suet against the campaign funds, and future campaign funds of Governor, Legislators (maybe just the republicans) ( Note you cannot sue the governor or Legislators them selves) for loss income.
It seems that nobody is working on a long term, systemic, out of the box solution?
Can the judiciary branch be engaged to change the rules by which we come to agreement?
What if legislators had no say in redistricting?
What if legislators did not control the pay structure for thier own jobs?
What if there was no pay for anyone during a shutdown, and no recourse for back pay?
What if a shutdown launched an automatic recall for the Governor, house and senate leadership?
@dzeny
RE:"I am shocked that MPR uses the term "top-earners" instead of "the wealthy" to describe the small elite group of people that Governor Dayton wants to raise taxes on."
They use the term "top earners" because that is the correct term for the people that Mark Dayton wants to tax. The "top earners" are currently making over 1 million per year which can be taxed. Many of "the wealthy" already have money which was made in previous years and can't be taxed again.,
Mark Dayton would probably be considered "wealthy", but maybe not a current "top earner".
Best way to end the shutdown = teach Republicans what the word "compromise" means.
I am shocked that MPR uses the term "top-earners" instead of "the wealthy" to describe the small elite group of people that Governor Dayton wants to raise taxes on. AND this is just restoring taxes to pre-Bush era days, untaxing the tax cuts. I am sure the wealthy will still be wealthy after taxation. Please don't contribute to the lies by using such propaganda phrases MPR. Is "top-earners" even a word and did they all "earn" their money?
Why is MPR contributing to the brain-washing of Americans? I feel more and more like we are living in a giant casino, where everyone thinks they can become a "top earner."
Part of the budget package has to include a section that states that no legislator or the governor or lt. governor gets their salary or per-diem or milage or any other monies from the start date of a shutdown until after the budget bill has been passed. Don't care if they are "working" or not,. Also they (governor, lt governor and legislators) cut their own salaries, per-diems and milage reimbursement and travel expenses by 50% - and they can't pad any other way of being paid. If a legislator lives within 50 miles of the capitol, they don't get per-diem, or milage or travel expenses. And for the next two years there is NO paid outstate travel for anyone.
Also include a section that states that a legislative session cannot be called to order until the budget bill is ready to be voted on. In this manner, they will know how much money they can spend. No more spending money and then trying to pass a budget bill.
Next - any bill that is brought forward must include statement (not necessarily part of the bill) that shows exactly how this law will be funded. These bills must also be posted on a website in a brief (readable) manner with the authors' names and cost and where the money will come from . This posting must also include any little ad-ons that someone wants to sneak past the citizens.
As for immediate progress - both sides give up at least 50% of the spending increases (starting with their own costs and salaries) and at least 50% or what they want to increase in taxes. And if they can't resolve the budget issue within seven days - they all resign in shame.
Quit believing the Gang Of Plutocrats' lies. It's not the liberals who are greedy, but the free-market fundamentalists. When conservatives accuse liberals of greed, they're just projecting their own faults on their opponents. You won't hear many liberals saying, "Greed is good."
(I'd say quit believing the liberals' lies, too, but they aren't lying very effectively these days.)
I still believe that Governor Dayton did the right thing in standing up for his plan of cuts and tax increases on the wealthiest 2% or his compromise of an increase tax on the wealthiest 1% of Minnesotans (millionaire tax).
What I really would like to see is MPR or other media outlets interview some of these millionaires to see what they think. I will never achieve millionaire status, but I'd like to think that if I was a millionaire, I would be fine with an increase on my taxes with the knowledge that my money was going to support this great state we live in and the people who are less fortunate than me. Just saying....
Do not pay & impose a fine until they can resolve this issue. They are all to blame for letting it get this far. Quite honestly, the middle class can not take another hit. They are barely getting by, most have cut back everwhere they can
What's at stake is not our welfare system, but our general welfare: the education of our children, the most vulnerable in our society, the public spaces everyone can enjoy but most take for granted. Dayton is not asking for "the richest" to pay a higher percentage than other Minnesotans, he is asking them to pay a similar percentage, which they currently don't do. My question is how much are those opposing the tax increase receiving in kickbacks, loyalty, promises, threats from those who are at the center of this debate? While this is a very painful time for thousands of Minnesotans, I am proud of our governor for standing his ground on this issue, and for seeking reasonable compromise with those who oppose him so vehemently. I suspect that this is less about ideology and more about the fears of those opposed to the tax increase that they will lose support from their sugar daddies. Well...if they're successful, then everyone loses.
Thanks MPR for making a great video explaination. In the next two years, it will cost more to provide the same services. Cuts are needed AND new revenue is needed, otherwise, we'll be in the same boat again next time we need to balance a budget.
Stop paying the Politian’s until the magically come up with a solution.
Or, not only stop paying them… give them a daily fine (2x wage) per day they can’t play nice.
The solution to this impasse is a straight tax with no loop holes. Maybe even a public stoning of the first tax lawyer that tries to short circuit the tax law.
∑
DTOM
It seems both "sides" are able to present their positions and their actions as reasonable - but we don't really know what went on in the negotiations prior to the shutdown. I tend to believe the governor more than the GOP leadership. However, I think more transparency is needed. Put webcams in the room so that we, the people, can hold them accountable.
The people of Minnesota should put more pressure on the Republican legislators to raise taxes on the richest 2%.
I read an editorial in the S/T by Howe who proposed reform our tax structure from income to sales tax. I think this option should be explored. As a family with an income between paycheck to paycheck and upper middle class, I wouldn't mind paying our share of taxes if I felt everyone did too. But we know families with half our income who pay no income tax, even receive EIC. And then there are those who make twice as much who don't pay as much because of the S Corp status. If a sales tax replaced income, then it seems everyone would pay their share. There may need to be rebates for some people but assets and age should be considered, not just income.
Fifty years ago while doing taxes at the dining room table, my Grandfather answered my questions about what he was doing with: “It’s a privilege to live in this country and it’s a privilege to pay taxes.”
Seems to me the legislature could at least consider a revenue increase.
If 22,000 employees are considered non-essential start by eliminating or privatizing those departments. 22,000 seems to be a low number to manage and operate a state government with a budget of $x billion dollars. It seems that the jobs for the other positions and responsibilities not part of the shutdown are the areas which really need to be addressed. It's time to address what government management and oversight really means.
Tax the wealthier portion of the population and give a break to those battered by this recession; i.e., reduce property taxes for homes valued at less than $250K, reduce state taxes for those earning less than $50K a year..
I have had to retire early and I am not having an easy time. I have not relied on the obvious government services. I am a-political and don't care for either political party. Get the politics, lobbyists and empire building bullys out of the equation.
MPR... stop this obessive coverage of the issue and let the governor and the representatives do their jobs. The shutdown is no longer newsworthy. Find other things to report on this summer... I'm happy to provide suggestions.
To me, the definition of politics is compromise. Governor Dayton has compromised several times. The republicans have been stuck in cement. They need to give something up.
It's clear that the State needs some additional revenue and some cuts in spending. It's not one way or the other.
It seems to me that the Legislature and the Govennor and the Govenor can find some common ground.
Gov mDayton has not compromised one bit. The Legislature passed a balanced budget LARGER than last budget. Sign it so we can get back to work.
Stress that it is patriotic to pay taxes to support this wonderful country and state and it is good citizenship to take care of those who can't take care of themselves. There are few of us whose state taxes are so high that we are being hurt by those "contributions" to better our state. I'm saying that not as a "rich" person, but as a person who is blessed to live in Minnesota. Those other people who are similarly blessed and not selfish need to stand up and be counted.
On the core issue, Dayton has compromised, and the Republicans have not. That's because the Republican ideological foundation is tangled up with the fundamentalist religious beliefs of the right wing base of the party. Some of those members were talking about a shutdown before the legislative session even began, and the next step will be to hold the state hostage to the social issues they will put on the table. They will offer to accept a watered down tax increase in exchange for a ban on abortion, erosions of the separation of church and state, and many other reactionary goals of the religious right. Since such extreme measures would be impossible to get past Dayton in a normal legislative session, they will try for it here.
Since neither party will compromise, give them both what they want. Call the legislature back into session. Have the Republicans enumerate the $1.8B in cuts they recommend. We already know the Democrats want to generate the $1.8 B by raising taxes on the top 2%. Put the two options to a vote. Tell them they have to say yes to one or the other. See which one wins and live with the consequences till the next election. We now have a recorded vote of what each legislator really wants come next election day. Then let the voters decide.
MRI's for the Republican leadership and those who elected them to look for underlying brain damage. Then treatment to restore them to sanity.
They've already had the best option on the table the compromise which included new taxes only for the top 1%. But the republicans chose millionaires over the masses. I don't think the poor, elderly and disabled can take another hit, so if republicans are going to be rabid for millionaires then once again the middle class will have to pick up the bill with a sales tax on clothing.
True leaders often change/compromise; e.g.: Hubert Humphrey standing up against the then dominant thought that the Dems should not embrace Civil Rights; Pres. Eisenhower’s concern with an increasing military-industrial complex; Pres. Regan’s change and then his increasing taxes 5 or 6 times; Pres. Geo H.W. Bush’s “no new taxes” pledge which he then changed once he got into office. Our leaders need to compromise, which means come to the middle; away from extreme ideologies. I believe the Preamble to the Constitution states a government of, by and for all the people….that includes the pursuit of happiness and the betterment of ALL people.
This won't end until the Repubs accept the fact that most Minnesotans are more interested in maintaining at least a semblance of our much-lauded quality of life than they are in protecting the wealthy from paying their fair share of taxes. (For example, my Repub "representative" has sent a boilerplate email claiming that "the richest Minnesotans" already pay 40% of the state's income taxes. He doesn't speculate on why "the rich" pay a smaller proportion of their income in taxes than the middle and lower classes.)
Eight years of the T-Paw administration tilted us toward Mississippi, and the "no tax increases" mantra of the current crop of Rs keeps us moving farther down that path. We can only hope that Dayton stands his ground.
Dayton should resign. Raising taxes to make MN the highest-taxed state is not an option.
Mark Dayton--good for 1970s MN. Keep electing him in 2014 to continue The Bad Old Days.
Start recall election petitions now!
In my district that creepy internet stalker Tom Hackbarth, and Connexus energy corporate shill Mike Jungbauer need to go! Neither of these guys have the brains to clean the capitols restrooms. They are only looking out for their own self interest, not their constituents.
Lock the legislators, the Governor, and their essential staff into the State Capitol until their work is done. The only food available will be White Castles.
Governor Dayton should borrow a Pawlenty option -- no new taxes for millionaires, but a "millionaire FEE".
Pawlenty did that all the time and was able to hang on to his "never raised taxes" fiction.
2012 can't happen soon enough..
Oh wait, forgot about the Mayan Calender. ; ^)
Next time, vote for Democrats and Independents. The Republicans have become too ideologically driven.
Best way to end the shutdown for the 22,000 newly unemployed? Quickly.
Those "richest MN's" already contribute the largest amount of money to the state, so why not limit government and tell Dayton to just take the 6% increase this time around? But, no, greedy libs who need to grow the welfare trough to buy votes (who LOST, btw, in the legislature in the last vote) will always play the class envy card and whine about NOT ENOUGH increases to spending. Limit spending this time around (WE have to, as individuals and households) and see how it goes...then, if it doesn't work, let the socialists have their way with the state so that we move from the 2nd least-friendly tax state to the TOP most-unfriendly tax state! Then, when there's no more rich people to tax, you can all go back to Econ 101. Dayton...putting "NO" into "GoverNOr" since 2010.
Republicans claim businesses are failing to invest because of political uncertainty, but evidence says businesses are sitting on cash is lack of consumer demand. If corporations have plenty of cash (in this time of economic recession and record-breaking corporate profits) they’re not using, why would giving them a tax break do anything to accelerate an economic recovery?
Raise taxes on the richest MN's. They do their part for a change. GOP are dead wrong on this issue and they will pat at the polls in 2012.
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