Editorial: The battle begins

• Gov. Tim Pawlenty

Gov. Tim Pawlenty said Minnesota's budget shortfall is the result of the national and international "economic collapse" affecting nearly all states' budgets. (Scott Wente/Minn. State Capitol Bureau)

Talk about it

Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced his plans Tuesday to balance Minnesota’s budget, and quickly our general news e-mail address (dgnews@dglobe.com) began to fill up.

One of the items was from Rep. Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis. Thissen, who chairs the House Health and Human Services Policy Committee — and who is planning a run for governor in 2010 — criticized the plan as one that “hits the health and human services budget the hardest, threatening both the short-term and long-term health of not just Minnesotans, but our state economy.”

Another e-mail came from Minnesota 2020, the thinktank chaired and founded by former DFL legislator — and former Worthington resident — Matt Entenza. “His (Pawlenty’s) ideas are, unfortunately, more of the same failed conservative policies of reckless tax giveaways, burdening college students, making health care more expensive for working Minnesotans, and slashing community investments,” said the e-mail. (It should be noted that Entenza is also consider a bid for governor.)

And there’s this from the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities and its president, Wadena Mayor Wayne Wolden: “Here’s what it means for families: The loss of thousands of jobs, huge increases in property taxes, cuts in core services in our community such as police and fire protection, libraries and parks and pothole repair.”

Pawlenty and legislators clearly face a formidable task in balancing a nearly $5 billion deficit. If the political battling and posturing hadn’t begun already, it sure has gotten under way now.

Tags: opinion, timpawlenty, tim, pawlenty, minnesota, budget, deficit