When the Minnesota Legislature convened in January, the state faced an historic budget deficit of just over $5 billion. In fact, Minnesota’s deficit as a percentage of its revenue was fourth highest in the country, right behind California. Significant unemployment, great numbers of home foreclosures and the overall weak economy left Minnesotans searching for solutions which would boost job growth, strengthen personal and business revenue and stabilize the economy.

The number one task to accomplish this legislative session was to come up with a balanced budget that would pass the majority of the legislature and be signed by the Governor. Not an impossible task, but one that was given some additional challenges considering the fact the legislature is controlled by Republicans and the Governor is a Democrat. Again, just the fact there is a “divided” government should never have meant there is an impasse so insurmountable as to not be able to conclude the business of the people in a timely manner. The main job was to agree to a balanced budget while considering spending priorities and revenue sources, while also determining the long-term ramifications for any proposed decisions and providing for public and legislative debate of the options. Successful conclusion of the 2011 legislative session should be the ability of our elected officials to do what is best for Minnesota at this point in time while not doing damage to our long-term strategies.

Boiling it down to simple terms, the choices are: $5 billion in cuts, $5 billion in revenue, or a combination of cuts and revenue. Even though there was some talk of reform and innovation, it wasn’t substantial enough in either content or conclusive evidence of its merits. While the talk was about fixing the budget and creating an atmosphere for job growth, neither was accomplished. Session adjourned in May with a last-minute push to debate controversial social issues and by sending a cuts-only budget to the Governor with the expected outcome of vetoes and a special session. In five months of the budget bills, only the agriculture finance bill was signed into law.

In June, just like in January, the choices and priorities haven’t changed. With our deficit unresolved and a special session needed to conclude the business of balancing the state’s budget, the time is now for the people of Minnesota to tell us what direction the policy makers need to take.

Please continue to let me know what you consider to be the priorities of the state and the solutions you recommend at the state legislature by contacting me: through email rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn, or by phone at 1-888-682-3180 or 1-651-296-4193 or 507-438-7857, and by mail at 291 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155.