Cleanup Crew At Work

Image via WikipediaMark Dayton took the oath of office as Minnesota's new governor Monday, the first DFLer since Rudy Perpich two decades ago.  This is just weeks removed from his defeating Republican Tom Emmer in what turned out to be a pointless recount.

Like any new governor, Dayton's first task is to clean up the mess left over by his predecessor, which in this case is Republican Tim Pawlenty.  Dayton inherits a $6.2 billion deficit, caused mostly by Pawlenty's insistence on cutting back on essential services while adding no new taxes, and vetoing anything the DFL-controlled Legislature came up with.  That makes for excellent conservative credentials should Pawlenty ever decide to run for President.

Dayton ran (and won) on a pledge to tax only the wealthiest Minnesotans as a way to pay down the deficit, which is interesting coming from a member of one of the richest families in the state.  But now he has to work with a Legislature that has been taken over in both the House and Senate by the GOP, something that hasn't happened in 40 years since the two parties were known as "Liberals" and "Conservatives".  The Republicans won here and everywhere else because they promised to not raise taxes on anybody.  The rich included.

Problem is, how much money is enough to keep state government running without raising taxes?

In his inauguration speech, Dayton stressed cooperation between the Governor's office and the Legislature, which he isn't likely to get.  That's unfortunate, because so much needs to be done before the session ends in May.  Besides the deficit, there's the matter of getting thousands of unemployed Minnesotans back to work.  And, oh yes, there's that Vikings stadium that can no longer wait another season.

So while Governor Dayton will be working to undo the damage Pawlenty did in the past eight years, the former governor will be off on a tour to promote his new book.  Conveniently, the tour will be going through such primary stops as Iowa and New Hampshire.  Just in case he's serious about making the White House his next forwarding address.