Almanac: At the Capitol

Senate Tax Chair Tom Bakk came down to the Capitol Press Corps to respond to Gov. Pawlenty's remarks earlier in the day.  Bakk sounded a very interesting and conciliatory note.  He said in negotiations "nobody gets everything they want, but governors are very powerful."  Of course Bakk wants to be governor too.  Bakk also gave a surprising signal saying "we don't have to have a tax bill this year."  Some in the press thought that had the echo of several years ago when then Majority Leader Dean Johnson admitted "we don't need anything."

Meanwhile, Pawlenty had a new approach to talking with reporters.  He held a casual press conference sitting down with reporters at a big table in his reception room.  Pawlenty took on the tax chair saying "Sen. Bakk's bill increases property taxes more than mine" and added that the notion local governments have "no option but to raise taxes is bunk."  Bakk said he'd rather not have property tax increases approved either.  It seems maybe Bakk could get along better with Pawlenty than Senator Pogemiller who admits his relationship with the governor isn't great.

And Pawlenty is going new media, not just a new website, but he's now on Twitter (with staff help tweeting).  This is not a note you get every day:

Hi, Mary Lahammer  (mlahammer).

Tim (pawlenty) is now following your updates on Twitter.

Check out Tim's profile here:
  http://twitter.com/pawlenty

So what do Sonny & Cher have to do with Pogey & Pawlenty?  In reacting to the House DFL tax bill, Rep. Marty Seifert said "Sonny and Cher have a better chance of reuniting than Pawlenty and Pogemiller."  When reporters reminded the minority leader that Sonny is dead, he said he knew, that's why they don't have a good chance of getting back together.  Another sign that the session may not end well.

In recounting the alcohol and cigarette taxes Seifert added "a lower or middle income voter voting for Democrats is like a dog fetching a stick it was beat with, at some point they'll understand Democrats want to tax you out of existence."  Republican lead on the Tax Committee Rep. Laura Brod added "this bill hurts job creators, hurts small businesses; hurts individuals and families who can least afford tax increases." 

In a day dominated by pubic safety, House Republicans fail to get their bill passed, Governor Pawlenty wants to put offenders to work, and the Senate passed an anti-bullying bill.

View the Capitol Update for April 16, 2009.

Governor Pawlenty meets with Senate Republicans as they prepare for budget negotiations, and higher ed bills move forward in both the Senate and the House.

View the Capitol Update for April 14, 2009.

Gov. Pawlenty met with the Senate GOP today to share their message of stopping tax increases and getting done without a special session.   The governor does not plan to meet with DFL legislative leaders because he said there are no budget or tax bills yet to start negotiating.  When asked about Senate Minority Leader Dave Senjem's statement that the new 4 year "out year" balanced budget requirement be "rescinded" even though Pawlenty signed it, the governor said again that his budget is balanced, Democrats just don't like it.  Pawlenty added that to "make draconian decisions 4 years out may not be the wisest course."

House DFL Majority Leader Tony Sertich provided a sharp response saying "the governor seems more interested in digging his heels in... and not meeting with Democrats who are the majority of the legislature, he should talk to leaders and not just to his base."  Pawlenty has only met with leaders once recently and it didn't end well.  He's met with House and Senate Republican caucuses (who fit in his office).  Sertich also tossed out some new tough lines about Pawlenty being the "Reactor in Chief" and "Criticizer in Chief."  And I had accused Sertich of being cautious with the quotes this session--no more!

Back to the governor, he also added an interesting new word to repeated questions about signing an election certificate in the Senate race.  He said the recent MN Supreme Court decision says a certificate "CAN" be issued once state court action has completed.  Pawlenty again said he'd make a decision "when we get there" and wouldn't reveal any more.

On the issue of state worker furloughs, Pawlenty said his budget doesn't require it, but upon further questioning he said he "would" ask non-union employees to do the same, perhaps like himself and his appointees.  Finally, on the Vermillion State Park that could be part of a Pawlenty legacy, he said "it's disappointing" negotiations are not going well to get the land.