Minn. Dems seek to limit governor's unallotment power
Democratic lawmakers are going after the governor's power to reduce state spending, even as Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty is due to tell a court why the cuts he made last year were legal.
The Democratic heads of legislative spending committees unveil a proposal Tuesday to limit the governor's power to cut the budget without legislative consent. It's an executive power called unallotment.
Pawlenty used unallotment after last year's legislative session to erase a $2.7 billion deficit.
He is appealing a lower court ruling that said he exceeded his authority when he balanced the budget on his own. State lawyers representing Pawlenty face a deadline for filing a brief to the Minnesota Supreme Court in the case.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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