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Gov. Pawlenty is refusing to slam the door
shut on a special session to pass a reconfigured tax bill. But he said he's doubtful the Legislature can pull off a quick meeting.

The Republican governor left many Capitol players craving a special session by vetoing a wide-ranging tax bill this week. 

The bill would have
boosted local government allowances, provided immediate help for
fire victims in northern Minnesota, finetuned the corporate tax
code and subsized two large business expansions -- one for Thomson West publishing, and one for the Mall of America.

During his weekly radio show Friday, Pawlenty  stressed that he is "not inclined" to bring legislators back.

Pawlenty said he would demand a prior agreement on the agenda and want
assurances that the session last only a day. 

Governors have sole
power to call lawmakers into a special session, but the Legislature
isn't bound by any time limit once they return to work.

Pawlenty also said critics of his veto shouldn't blame him, but rather the DFL legislative leaders. 

Pawlenty said he warned DFL legislative leaders that they should not include a provision that would have required finance officials to factor inflation into future budget forecasts.  

Several city and county officials say without the funding in the bill, they will be forced to increase property taxes. 

"If they're going to be complaining about local government aid not going up or staying at this year's level, they knew that was a consequence of this bill," said Pawlenty. "I want to make sure that everybody concerned about aspects of this bill refers their concerns to the people who made that choice.  They knew what the outcome was going to be."

DFL legislative leaders say they are disappointed with Pawlenty's veto, and think he's putting his political interests in front of the best interests of the state.  

      Prior to a 2002 law change, finance officials considered the
year-to-year rise in program costs when determining whether the
state had a deficit or surplus. Forecasters now build inflation
into revenue projections, but ignore it on the spending side.

      Pawlenty argued that baking across-the-board inflation into the
forecast leaves the impression that every program should get more
funding. Democrats argue the governor's argument is flawed because
lawmakers are required to sign off on increases in spending.

      Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, continued to hammer away at
that point Friday, challenging Pawlenty to a one-on-one debate over
the topic.

      "The governor is using weapons of math destruction. He's using
his own new math accounting procedures," Rukavina said. "I don't
think he could pass Accounting 101 using this principle."

      Pawlenty wouldn't take the Rukavina bait. "We are always
interested in his perspective," he said.

      Unlike most spending areas of the state budget, the state can
head into a new fiscal year without passing a new tax law. Old tax
policies continue until changed.

      The lack of a bill means aid checks to city, county and township
governments will remain static, wiping out $93 million in
additional funding approved by the Legislature.

 Tax breaks sought
by the Mall of American and publisher Thomson West for building
expansions won't occur. And the state couldn't come through with a
$39 million financial guarantee promised to planners of the 2008
Republican National Convention.

      Pawlenty said Republican convention officials "are willing to
give us some breathing room on that issue." 

A convention contract
included the expectation that the financial backup would be in
place by Aug. 1 and available to tap if fundraising fell short of
goals.

      House Minority Leader Marty Seifert, R-Marshall, said he'd be
surprised if convention organizers made much out of the unfulfilled
commitment.

      "It would be foolish for the Republican National Convention
team to punish a principled governor for taking a stand," he said.

      With this week's actions, the 2008-09 budget is complete. It
will total $34.5 billion, about 9.6 percent more than the present
two-year budget.


      
(The Associated Press contributed to this report)


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Gov. Pawlenty is refusing to slam the door
shut on a special session to pass a reconfigured tax bill. But he said he's doubtful the Legislature can pull off a quick meeting.



Pawlenty 'willing to listen' on special session option

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