Almanac: At the Capitol

The new budget forecast and state deficit inform policymakers' discussion of federal stimulus funds, supporters rally of clean cars rally and young people want youth service programs spared.

View the Capitol Update for March 5, 2009.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty unveiled his "Green Jobs Investment Initiative" which has an overall price tag of $86 million over many years and would create a "significant number of jobs" without naming a specific number.  It expands the tax-free JOBZ zones for green jobs and has other tax credits and investments.  In light of his new national position and the fact some conservative Republicans have been skeptical of his environmental positions he stood by going green and said there are "no worries of being too green or environmentally sensitive."  He thinks the legislature which is DFL-controlled will view the package favorably because the jobs are "clean and green" and "we're in a recession."  Urban Dems have taken aim at the gov's tax free zones in the greater Minnesota and nearly axed it last session.  Pawlenty didn't steer too hard left as he still adhered to his belief that business taxes are too high in the state saying "if it were up to me we would make the whole state more like a JOBZ zone."     

The governor also sounded off about the swinging U.S. Senate tallies and referenced "concerning repots of someone driving around with 30-40 ballots in their car."  He asked emphatically "How does that happen?"  Pawlenty reminded us that Minnesota has a proud election tradition being one of the leading states and believes "the process is not flawed on its face."  He said his lawyers have been looking into a gubernatorial role in a recount and it generally doesn't seem he can play a major role as the controversy continues.

Back to the Green Jobs thing, Rep. Tim Mahoney, chair of the Committee of Biosciences & Emerging Technologies, stopped by the press offices and said there was not enough detail, but lawmakers look forward to working with the governor.  Mahoney said "we all like green, but it seem like the governor is focused on how we cut taxes."  The DFL lawmaker wondered "why throw in one of the most contentious issues" by including JOBZ.  He thinks that hurts the plan rather than create DFL converts to the concept.

Many politicians talk about living green, but it's fun to catch them actually walking the talk — or in this case, biking the talk. I was downtown Minneapolis on my way to interview a high-profile former CEO for another story and I ran into Rep. Phyllis Kahn (DFL-Minneapolis) getting on her bike. I know I used to run into her a lot in road races back in the day when we were both faster distance runners. But to see a lawmaker biking downtown to do a little shopping is unusual. Kahn tends towards the unusual, but she says she recently had company downtown Minneapolis when Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller biked to their same meeting downtown. And yes, that's a Talbot's bag she's about to strap to the bike. She didn't walk out of Sak's with a sack :) 

U.S. Senate candidates U.S. Senate candidates Al Franken, Norm Coleman, Dean Barkley and Steve Williams debated outside of Redwood Falls. Energy was the top topic. Discluded candidates Priscilla Lord Faris, Jack Uldrich and Ole Savior are here standing by in protest.

Franken hit Coleman repeatedly saying the senator voted certain ways because "President Bush told him to." Coleman highlighted his experience in front of this rural audience, noting his 6 years on the agriculture committee.

Immigration, jobs and more farming issues came up. True to form, the Independents got the most laughs with their creative answers like Barkley begging for more than 8 days in Washington and Williams on immigration saying "the only people who need to be deported are the ruling parties in Washington."

Afterwards reporters asked Coleman why the crowd seemed to favor him; he said he's had the benefit of working with these people for 6 years. Coleman said Franken should "hit me in another forum." Franken told reporters he did hit hard on Coleman's ties to Bush because he voted with the president nearly every time.