Continued: Geoff Michel and Terri Bonoff: Candidates and the budget: Let's give 'em something to talk about

As the State Fair approaches and back-to-school sales are in full bloom, the longest and loudest campaign season ever heads into the final lap. Minnesotans wait patiently for this noise to turn to substance. What are we talking about as a state? What are the issues of the 2008 campaign?

In Minnesota, one issue that hangs over our state like a dark cloud is the state's projected budget shortfall. Including inflation, current projections call for a $2 billion deficit. And with the economy continuing to struggle, this number could grow to rival the $4 billion deficit of 2003.

State legislators will convene in January, and resolving the budget deficit will be job number one. We know that, and we know it today. Yet it is not on the minds of most Minnesotans as they consider who to vote for. No one is talking about it on the radio or writing about it in newspapers or on blogs.

So how can we get elected officials, candidates and the public to start talking about the budget and the state economy? How can we make this a campaign issue? One simple answer would be to move up the formal state budget forecast, when the number crunchers tell us what we are spending and how much we are taking in taxes, to September.

Current state law calls for a formal state budget forecast in November. This forecast is the starting point for tax and spending discussions. Conveniently for candidates and politicians, this is after the election. But wouldn't it be helpful to know about the state of our economy, with specifics, during the election season? If we arm citizens and candidates with the numbers in September, we can have an honest discussion about budgets before the election. We can have debates and forums on the budget. And we can make judgments about candidates and their plans and vote accordingly in November.

Currently, a candidate can ignore the budget deficit or avoid the question by proclaiming that "we will know more after the November forecast ..." A September forecast would force discussion and debate about specifics: How would you balance the budget? Would you raise taxes? Would you cut spending? Some combination? Are there new ideas to create jobs and to grow our economy? And how can our state government become more efficient?

Voters armed with facts, combined with candidates who campaign with specifics, help to create consensus solutions and mandates, not to mention meaningful elections. And wouldn't that be nice come January?

Let's make the budget a focus of the election discussion rather than an afterthought.

Geoff Michel, R-Edina, and Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka, are members of the Minnesota Senate.

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