Republicans bow out of state economic summit

Several key Republicans are refusing to participate today in a meeting on the state's future budget challenges.

A bipartisan group of former governors and former legislative leaders will attend the summit. But Gov. Tim Pawlenty and the current Republican minority leaders in the Minnesota House and Senate are staying away.

DFL lawmakers say the gathering is aimed at getting a better handle on the state's recurring budget problems. But Pawlenty claims Democrats just want to get affirmation for their tax-raising and big-spending ideas.

"I think you have the architects of the social welfare state gathering to say that they've run out of money and now they need more money to keep the social welfare state moving ahead with more taxes and more spending," he said. "And that's a very different view of the future than I have."

Pawenty and GOP leaders will instead meet together in Eden Prairie for a roundtable discussion on business issues.

DFL Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller says he's disappointed the governor declined the invitation. Pogemiller says the budget is a nonpartisan problem that can no longer be pushed forward.

"It's going to take a collaborative, multi dimensional, multi philosophical approach to resolve this situation in our budget," Pogemiller said. "Otherwise we're going to have a continued, persistent, structural budget problem. And we will be in the same straits as California."

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