Republicans sustain Pawlenty's tax increase veto:
Pawlenty’s health, tax vetoes stand
duluthnewstribune.com
By: Don Davis, Duluth News Tribune
ST. PAUL — Money talk became emotional Sunday as Minnesota representatives sustained two vetoes — one that ends a health program for the state’s poorest and sickest residents and the other that would have raised taxes $1 billion.
With the Legislature facing a midnight tonight deadline for adjourning, the House votes cement Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s position that he will cut state programs on his own to balance the state budget. There were no signs late Sunday that any overall budget deal was forthcoming.
Tears were plentiful in a hushed House chamber during touching stories of near-death and poverty-laced childhood experiences during debate on Pawlenty’s $381 million veto of the General Assistance Medical Care program. The veto would eliminate the program in 2011, ending state-funded health care for up to 35,000 poor, childless adult Minnesotans.
The 87-47 House vote fell three short of the number needed for an override. Immediately after losing the health-care vote, Democrats who control the House moved on to the tax decision, which fell five votes short of an override, 85-49. In both cases, only Democrats voted to overturn the vetoes.
Pawlenty’s line-item General Assstance veto was his biggest cut in what could end up being Minnesota’s largest budget-cutting exercise. If Democratic legislative leaders and Republican Pawlenty do not reach a budget deal tonight, the governor says he will cut budgets on his own.
The Legislature sent Pawlenty spending bills totaling $34 billion for the budget, when tax collections are expected to reach only $31 billion. With the General Assistance and other cuts he already has made, Pawlenty still would need to cut more than $2.5 billion from the two-year budget beginning July 1.
Rep. Tom Huntley, DFL-Duluth, said people will die in the streets if they do not get medical and mental health care provided by General Assistance.
However, Rep. Rob Hamilton, R-Mountain Lake, said Democrats in control of the Legislature give other items priority over health care for the poor.
“We are willing to build hockey arenas and bike trails and dog parks over your needs,” Hamilton said, talking to three General Assistance recipients in the House gallery. “You should be outraged,” he said.
One of the recipients is Robert Fischer, a Duluth resident who at one time operated a successful Twin Cities suburban business.
Fischer told a rally urging the health-care override that he lost his business, then his home and then his health. He lived on the streets for three years.
Fischer quietly told dozens of people outside the House chamber that that General Assistance saved him. “I was able to completely turn my life around.”
After the health-care debate, the House remained divided over raising taxes.
Democrats said that the tax bill would provide $1 billion to help fill the gap between spending and available money. They said the revenue would help the state’s economy.
Republicans, however, countered that raising taxes hurts the economy.
House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, said lawmakers have two choices: “Go it alone with the governor on these cuts to education, to health care, to nursing homes, to disabled Minnesotans — or a balanced approach, a compromise.”
The tax bill would raise income taxes on wealthy Minnesotans, increase alcohol taxes and place a new tax on credit card companies that charge more than 15 percent interest. |
