DFL BUDGET SHUTDOWN ENDS
Who Won? Who Lost?

TAXES: Minnesota currently ranks # 4 in the nation in taxes. Governor Pawlenty pledged not to raise taxes. As he said in his State of the State address: "we don't have a tax problem, we have a spending problem."

The DFL wanted to raise tax rates to the highest in the USA -- a massive $1.4 billion income tax increase. The goal of the DFL, of course, is class warfare. The SD42 DFL website even admitted as much, sneering that Governor Pawlenty is protecting 40,000 evil rich people "at the expense of the other 2.2 million taxpayers in the state."

UPDATE: Be sure to catch former KSTP host Jason Lewis lampooning the DFL obsession with taxing the rich.

WINNER: DFL. Although they did not get their massive income tax increase, the DFL persuaded Governor Pawlenty to break his promise and raise taxes. The new budget includes a hike in cigarette taxes and property taxes.

Rep. Phil Krinkie deserves our thanks for his principled stand against the new taxes.

And smokers not smart enough to quit can avoid the new tax entirely by simply purchasing their smokes online.

GAMBLING: Governor Pawlenty argued for fairness. Indian tribes need to share gambling proceeds as they do in other states.

The DFL, who get a ton of contributions from the tribes, said "no".

MINNESOTACARE: One of Governor Pawlenty's top priorities was to reign in the growth in health care spending.

Minnesota's state-subsidized health care programs are among the most generous in the nation but are expected to sustain double digit growth rates. We cover folks that most states do not cover -- healthy, able-bodied adults with no children.

The DFL said "no" to all reforms.

TWINS STADIUM: Legislative leaders of both parties seemed willing to force Hennepin County residents to pay for a new $1.1 billion Twins Stadium Deal. Current law requires such a tax to be put before voters in a referendum, but both parties seem willing to ignore that requirement.

Polls currently show that the taxpayers of Hennepin County DO NOT WANT to pay for a new stadium.

WINNER: TAXPAYERS -- FOR NOW. Hang on to your wallets, Minnesota! Legislative leaders warn that they may be back this Fall with a SECOND SPECIAL SESSION to force taxpayers to pay for not one -- not two -- but THREE NEW STADIUMS. Yow!

Not only does billionare Carl get his Twins Stadium, but you get to pay for new stadiums for the Gophers and the Vikings too! Think about that next time you're trying to pay your grocery bill.

No referendum -- they still insist that you do not have a say in the matter.

WINNER: REPUBLICANS -- FOR NOW. Republicans continue to have the better argument.

As Joe Soucheray explains, the DFL continues to be the party that "wants to spend money, wildly, irresponsibly, madly, drunkenly. The Republicans are trying to hold the line". This, he says, ought to put any thinking Minnesotan solidly in the Republican camp.

But there is one way that Republicans can throw it all away: By acting like Democrats.

Will Republicans continue to give way on the tax issue? Will our state's unrestrained spending ever get addressed? Are legislators really prepared to hand over huge piles of tax dollars to the wealthy owners of sports teams? The answers to these questions may well hold the key to 2006. If Republicans keep getting it wrong, they may wake up to find this purple state has, once again, changed to blue.