What the heck is Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty doing?

[InlineFive]

I know we are having budget issues but cutting several important services is ludacris! :|

Full article on governor.state.mn.us

?Minnesotans need to hear about and understand the real human impacts if state government shuts down,? Governor Pawlenty said. ?State parks will close, rest areas will be boarded up and new drivers licenses won?t be issued. More than 15,000 state employees ? hardworking, dedicated people ? will essentially be locked out of their jobs."

State parks will close: I love going to state parks, camping and hiking. Now where can we go?
Wew drivers licenses won?t be issued: How is this supposed to help? Not to mention severely limiting new drivers for who knows how long.
No enforcement of minimum wage or overtime: This one (out of the ones I have seen) is easily the most dangerous. This has too much potential for abuse and should not be eliminated.

If this is the result of not having the so called "smoking tax" then I think that smokers can pay up. Partly because (a) I don't smoke and (b) smoking is bad for you in the long run.

Anyone have any comments? I'm pretty mad about this!

-Por

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: PorBleemo
I know we are having budget issues but cutting several important services is ludacris! :|

Full article on governor.state.mn.us

?Minnesotans need to hear about and understand the real human impacts if state government shuts down,? Governor Pawlenty said. ?State parks will close, rest areas will be boarded up and new drivers licenses won?t be issued. More than 15,000 state employees ? hardworking, dedicated people ? will essentially be locked out of their jobs."

State parks will close: I love going to state parks, camping and hiking. Now where can we go?
Wew drivers licenses won?t be issued: How is this supposed to help? Not to mention severely limiting new drivers for who knows how long.
No enforcement of minimum wage or overtime: This one (out of the ones I have seen) is easily the most dangerous. This has too much potential for abuse and should not be eliminated.

If this is the result of not having the so called "smoking tax" then I think that smokers can pay up. Partly because (a) I don't smoke and (b) smoking is bad for you in the long run.

Anyone have any comments? I'm pretty mad about this!

-Por

What is there to be mad about? The House and Senate cant balance the budget and thus the govt will shut down except for essential services.

Wish there was a way to move this to the federal level.

 

[irwincur]

If this is the result of not having the so called "smoking tax" then I think that smokers can pay up. Partly because (a) I don't smoke and (b) smoking is bad for you in the long run.

Smokers already pay up.

Sounds like Mr. Gov. is looking for something to blame. I really doubt a new tax is the solution to the problem. Never is and never will be. More taxes lead to, well, more taxes as the spending issues are never addressed.

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: PorBleemo
I know we are having budget issues but cutting several important services is ludacris! :|

Full article on governor.state.mn.us

?Minnesotans need to hear about and understand the real human impacts if state government shuts down,? Governor Pawlenty said. ?State parks will close, rest areas will be boarded up and new drivers licenses won?t be issued. More than 15,000 state employees ? hardworking, dedicated people ? will essentially be locked out of their jobs."

State parks will close: I love going to state parks, camping and hiking. Now where can we go?
Wew drivers licenses won?t be issued: How is this supposed to help? Not to mention severely limiting new drivers for who knows how long.
No enforcement of minimum wage or overtime: This one (out of the ones I have seen) is easily the most dangerous. This has too much potential for abuse and should not be eliminated.

If this is the result of not having the so called "smoking tax" then I think that smokers can pay up. Partly because (a) I don't smoke and (b) smoking is bad for you in the long run.

Anyone have any comments? I'm pretty mad about this!

-Por

What is there to be mad about? The House and Senate cant balance the budget and thus the govt will shut down except for essential services.

Wish there was a way to move this to the federal level.

Yes, shut it down.

Actually the Federal Government did shut down a few years back, you might have been in Elementary school then.

 

[jimkyser]

This is no different than any other politicos when the money runs low. They cut the things that they know will hurt the populace so they will get a approval to raise taxes. I'm sure there are other programs within the MN state government they could choose to cut instead, but it wouldn't have the desired effect. Look at how many cities cut police and fire protection first when in similar situations. It's all about protecting your little empire.

 

[InlineFive]

Well, if you read the whole article he blames the DFL'ers who are attempting to raise some of the taxes. Okay, so I can see why he thinks that's an issue because of DFL'ers wanting to raise taxes. Where as he and the GOP want to eliminate spending to cut spending.

I can live without some of those but as stated above I would really miss the state parks and not monitoring businesses worries me. I already have a license so (fortunately) I'm out of that issue.

-Por

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: irwincur

If this is the result of not having the so called "smoking tax" then I think that smokers can pay up. Partly because (a) I don't smoke and (b) smoking is bad for you in the long run.

Smokers already pay up.

Sounds like Mr. Gov. is looking for something to blame. I really doubt a new tax is the solution to the problem. Never is and never will be. More taxes lead to, well, more taxes as the spending issues are never addressed.

I can attest to that since I live in MN. We are taxed through the nose up here. Time to balance the damn budget and cap spending in this place.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: PorBleemo
Well, if you read the whole article he blames the DFL'ers who are attempting to raise some of the taxes. Okay, so I can see why he thinks that's an issue because of DFL'ers wanting to raise taxes. Where as he and the GOP want to eliminate spending to cut spending.

I can live without some of those but as stated above I would really miss the state parks and not monitoring businesses worries me. I already have a license so (fortunately) I'm out of that issue.

-Por

As you are aware we are taxed way too much in this state as it is. With the growth rates we are seeing in terms of people moving into the area from out of state there is no excuse as to why we would need to raise taxes to balance the states budget.

 

[jimkyser]

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: irwincur

If this is the result of not having the so called "smoking tax" then I think that smokers can pay up. Partly because (a) I don't smoke and (b) smoking is bad for you in the long run.

Smokers already pay up.

Sounds like Mr. Gov. is looking for something to blame. I really doubt a new tax is the solution to the problem. Never is and never will be. More taxes lead to, well, more taxes as the spending issues are never addressed.

I can attest to that since I live in MN. We are taxed through the nose up here. Time to balance the damn budget and cap spending in this place.

I used to live there and if I remember they had like the 5th highest overall tax burden in the nation. They really need to look for things to cut that make sense. But they have their little fiefdoms within the state government that they don't want to upset.

I remember when I lived in VA. We had budgetary problems in the county, but that didn't stop them from building a lavish new county office building. Or force them to take away government issued cars for low level employees. They should have made do with what they had.

 

[Mursilis]

Originally posted by: PorBleemo
Well, if you read the whole article he blames the DFL'ers who are attempting to raise some of the taxes. Okay, so I can see why he thinks that's an issue because of DFL'ers wanting to raise taxes. Where as he and the GOP want to eliminate spending to cut spending.

I can live without some of those but as stated above I would really miss the state parks and not monitoring businesses worries me. I already have a license so (fortunately) I'm out of that issue.

-Por

So quit bitching and send in more money! These services aren't free, you know.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: jimkyser

Originally posted by: Genx87

Originally posted by: irwincur

If this is the result of not having the so called "smoking tax" then I think that smokers can pay up. Partly because (a) I don't smoke and (b) smoking is bad for you in the long run.

Smokers already pay up.

Sounds like Mr. Gov. is looking for something to blame. I really doubt a new tax is the solution to the problem. Never is and never will be. More taxes lead to, well, more taxes as the spending issues are never addressed.

I can attest to that since I live in MN. We are taxed through the nose up here. Time to balance the damn budget and cap spending in this place.

I used to live there and if I remember they had like the 5th highest overall tax burden in the nation. They really need to look for things to cut that make sense. But they have their little fiefdoms within the state government that they don't want to upset.

I remember when I lived in VA. We had budgetary problems in the county, but that didn't stop them from building a lavish new county office building. Or force them to take away government issued cars for low level employees. They should have made do with what they had.

Who knows what they are spending the money on down there. All I know is my state tax rate is through the roof compared to a state like North Dakota.

Our roads are a mess, the inner city public schools are floundering, our city council members are being arrested almost daily for corruption, and we spend more than we can afford.

Yeah good old blue state in action here.

 

[irwincur]

I used to live there and if I remember they had like the 5th highest overall tax burden in the nation. They really need to look for things to cut that make sense. But they have their little fiefdoms within the state government that they don't want to upset.

Hopefully they can get that und control before business starts leaving. Competing with Southern States that have low tax, get huge federal kickbacks, and have no infrastructure repairs is going to get very hard for the Midwest. Being from Michigan, we are in much the same position, and our Gov, sure as hell has no clue. Actually I can't think of anything she has done at all over the last three years - other than have the FBI repeatedly investigate her and her husband.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: irwincur

I used to live there and if I remember they had like the 5th highest overall tax burden in the nation. They really need to look for things to cut that make sense. But they have their little fiefdoms within the state government that they don't want to upset.

Hopefully they can get that und control before business starts leaving. Competing with Southern States that have low tax, get huge federal kickbacks, and have no infrastructure repairs is going to get very hard for the Midwest. Being from Michigan, we are in much the same position, and our Gov, sure as hell has no clue. Actually I can't think of anything she has done at all over the last three years - other than have the FBI repeatedly investigate her and her husband.

Ouside of the weather MN has a real problem with a low wage low tax state to the west named North Dakota.

Its only saving grace is the fact Minneapolis is 230 miles away on the other side of the state. If Minneapolis was closer to say Alexandria I bet there would be a large migration.

 

[Hecubus2000]

Looks like you guys need to bring back Jesse Ventura.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: Hecubus2000
Looks like you guys need to bring back Jesse Ventura.

That dingbat took a decent sized surplus and ran it into a 6 billion dollar deficit.
That guy can wither in the wind. Only thing he accomplished(and I can commend him on this) in his 4 years was reducing the price of vehicle registration in this state.

The cost of registering my old car was 442 dollar, in ND it was 38. Where do you think that car was registered?

 

[irwincur]

That dingbat took a decent sized surplus and ran it into a 6 billion dollar deficit.

Not sure you could totally blame him. The states usually take it hard when a recession hits and they also tend to feel the pain the longest. Most states lost their surplusses. I am not even willing to blame our current Gov. for that considering the circumstances.

Economics need to be removed from Government as they are both out of eachothers control.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: irwincur

That dingbat took a decent sized surplus and ran it into a 6 billion dollar deficit.

Not sure you could totally blame him. The states usually take it hard when a recession hits and they also tend to feel the pain the longest. Most states lost their surplusses. I am not even willing to blame our current Gov. for that considering the circumstances.

Economics need to be removed from Government as they are both out of eachothers control.

His policies of spending too much is what lead us to that problem. Recession or not it was on the road to ruin.