Anoka County crime lab funding escaped Gov. Tim Pawlenty's roving veto pen as the governor shaved about $200 million off the bonding bill passed last week the DFL-controlled Minnesota Legislature.

Pawlenty charged that lawmakers were "busting the cap" and "acting irresponsibly" in passing their $925 million general obligation bill.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty line-itemed vetoed some $200 million in projects out of the bonding bill sent him last week by the DFL-controlled Legislature. The governor charged the bill was irresponsible. by T.W. Budig
ECM Capitol reporter

Anoka County crime lab funding escaped Gov. Tim Pawlenty's roving veto pen as the governor shaved about $200 million off the bonding bill passed last week the DFL-controlled Minnesota Legislature.

Pawlenty charged that lawmakers were "busting the cap" and "acting irresponsibly" in passing their $925 million general obligation bill.

"That was an unwise move," said Pawlenty, speaking at a Capitol press conference on Monday, April 7.

Pawlenty cut into the bill even deeper than the administration's previous negotiation positions suggested he might do.

Deteriorating economic conditions justified cutting the extra funding, the governor argued. (Photo by T.W. Budig, ECM Capitol Reporter)

Although Pawlenty indicated his line-item vetoes - a tactic DFLers in recent days had encouraged him to take over simply vetoing the entire bill - could indicate bonding was finished this session, he took a "we'll see" approach to the idea of lawmakers giving it a second try.

Disturbing trend

House Majority Leader Tony Sertich, DFL-Chisholm, saw a "disturbing trend" in politics today, suggesting the governor had used his vetoes to punish House Capital Investment Chairwoman Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul.

St. Paul lost a number of big projects including Central Corridor light rail and funding for Como Zoo.

"I think that's very un-Minnesotan," Sertich opined.

It was too soon to know whether the House would try a veto override attempt on the bonding bill, he explained.

"An override is a very serious thing," said House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, DFL-Minneapolis, last Friday. "We haven't entered into a discussion about that" she said.

Suburban projects, too, fell to the veto pen.

A prairie restoration project in the Anoka-Hennepin School District and more than a million dollars for the National Sports Center in Blaine was vetoed.

Coon Rapids' 85th Avenue bike trail funding and more than $2 million for the Springbrook Nature Center in Fridley was also vetoed, another other projects.

Transportation cuts

In the area of transportation, Red Rock corridor transit funding, old Cedar Avenue bridge funding, I-94 corridor transit funding in Washington County, and Rush Line corridor transit funding was all line-item vetoed.

One project Pawlenty highlighted as an example of excess was $400,000 in funding for the Chatfield Music Lending Library in Chatfield, south of Rochester.

Rep. Ken Tschumper, DFL-LaCrescent, carried the funding bill and argues it would be money well spent. "We know it's the best collection of sheet music in North America - perhaps in the world," said Tschumper. "This is like a gem in the rough. And they have it in an old building there," he said. "I don't know why he singled this out. I think it's some kind of game he's playing," said Tschumper. "I know a lot of people in Chatfield are going to be very upset," he said.

Rep. Kathy Tingelstad, R-Andover, gave a brief answer to the news one of her projects, the Anoka County crime lab, was still in the bill. "Thumbs up," she said.

Tingelstad, who serves on Capital Investment, said Republican and DFL projects had been cut all around the state by the governor.

"I think he (Pawlenty) sent a good message that for the rest of the session the Legislature and his office need to work closely together on a bipartisan basis to solve the budget issues," she said.

Tingelstad opined the bonding bill likely isn't finished for this session.

"I would guess that this is not the last word," she said.