Make no mistake – Minnesota state government was shut down for one reason and one reason alone. Governor Mark Dayton vetoed the balanced budget passed by the Minnesota state legislature. The legislature’s last budget offer represented a 12% increase in state spending, making it the largest budget in state history. But wasn’t good enough for Governor Dayton. He wanted MORE…more spending and more taxes. So he vetoed the legislature’s budget bills.
As a result, our state government ran out of money to fund most of its operations on July 1, 2011. All but the most critical government functions have been shutdown. Thousands of state workers have been laid-off from their jobs. Thousands more of Minnesota citizens are being denied services that they are still paying for with their hard-earned tax dollars.
Governor Dayton’s allies spent millions in advertising trying to convince Minnesotans that the legislature’s budget made “draconian” cuts to state spending. The truth is that the budget originally passed by the legislature actually would have increased spending by $4 billion. But that didn’t stop special interest groups from misrepresenting the facts in their efforts to raise taxes and grow government at a time when the private sector is in decline.
Read Did Beer and Cigarettes End Dayton’s Shutdown? to learn more about how the shutdown was resolved.
It’s time to put an end to Minnesota’s continual budget deficits and ensure a state shutdown never happens again.
A constitutional amendment to require a supermajority vote in both chambers of the legislature to enact tax increases must be passed. The governor has no role to play in such a measure. Once passed by the House and Senate, the question is put straight to the voters. Next, an amendment limiting state budgeting to known revenues will complete the budget reforms.
Finally, a “lights on” bill that would continue to fund government at 90% of the previous budget levels in the event of another “misunderstanding” or other budget negotiation impasse would prevent future shutdowns.
1.Require a supermajority vote of the legislature to raise taxes.
2.Limit future budgets to known revenue.
3.”Lights on” legislation to prevent future shutdowns.
