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Jan 6, 2009 6:59 pm US/Central
Facing Big Deficit, Minn. Legislature Convenes
ST. PAUL (AP) ―
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Lawmakers must balance the books on a $4.8 billion state deficit.
AP
Some Minnesota lawmakers were looking to the federal government for help with a giant deficit as the Legislature convened on Tuesday. Others focused on cutting costs as small as stamps.
Legislators must balance the books on a $4.8 billion shortfall, a hole that could get deeper when budget watchers update their projections next month. They've got 4-1/2 months until the end of the regular session.
The Democrats who control both houses said they were preparing bills to get the most out of an anticipated federal stimulus package. A state companion bill could include money for Medicaid, transportation, public works projects and aid for cities and counties, although details were still sketchy.
Moments after Secretary of State Mark Ritchie called the House to order and Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau presided over the Senate -- which fired her from her second job as transportation commissioner less than a year ago -- lawmakers were haggling over the budget process and their own spending on travel and postage.
Senate Republicans tried to force Democrats to reveal their budget blueprints early in the session, stop paying for any travel to conferences and pare back postage allowances from 5,500 stamps to 3,500 per senator.
"This is not a big savings, but I did a little math and it's over $56,000," said Sen. Amy Koch, R-Buffalo.
Those proposals all failed, but Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller urged senators to turn back stamps they don't need and said restrictions on most travel would be enforced, except for out-of-town budget hearings and other key meetings. He also outlined an approach to budgeting that breaks from past practice.
"We should break this task into small pieces," said Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis. "I think we should pass things that we do agree on early -- start sooner rather than later -- and just kind of work piece by piece to see if we can't get a resolution."
In the House, Democrats forwarded a GOP attempt to reduce daily expense payments and housing allowances for legislators to committee for a hearing.
House members re-elected Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, who predicted "rough patches" ahead.
One of those bumps could be a Senate vote on confirming Dan McElroy, who head the Department of Employment and Economic Development. Pogemiller said that's on hold while legislators take up proposals to reorganize the agency. A vote is also pending for Iron Range Resources Commissioner Sandy Layman.
And the Senate may weigh in on Transportation Commissioner Tom Sorel -- Molnau's replacement -- as soon as Thursday. Sorel has earned positive reviews from some of Molnau's toughest critics.
(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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