Pawlenty opens door to a limited special session

While voicing skepticism about the value, Gov. Tim Pawlenty on Friday left open the possibility of a limited special legislative session to address issues left on the cutting room floor by his veto of a tax bill earlier in the week.

Pawlenty said he could envision a one-day or a half-day special session to deal with specific measures such as increases in aid to local governments. But he also said he had doubts that legislative leaders could show the discipline to keep the effort focused.

He underscored his concerns by having spokesman Brian McClung call reporters afterward to reiterate that Pawlenty did not think a special session is necessary, is not inclined to call one and is skeptical of the agenda remaining limited.

The focus of any special session - which only a governor can call - would be provisions of the vetoed tax bill. The veto scuttled more than $70 million in local government aid and $33 million in direct homeowner property tax relief. Also falling to Pawlenty's veto pen were public subsidies for expansion of the Mall of America and Thomson West publishing, as well as a state guarantee of costs associated with next year's Republican National Convention.

Addressing what he called a "summer ritual" of speculation about a special legislative session, Pawlenty said local government and property tax relief could be things addressed in a special session, but cautioned that legislative leaders "seem unable to restrain themselves in terms of scope and ability to agree."There are some nice things, some optional things that would have been good to have been completed this year, and so we'd at least be willing to listen to the legislative leaders if that's what they want to do. But it's not necessary," Pawlenty said after attending a ceremony as part of a celebration of the St. Paul Cathedral's centennial.

Blame game afoot

While Pawlenty had raised other objections, the prime cause of his veto on the tax bill was a provision requiring that inflationary spending increases be assumed in future budget forecasts. Republican Pawlenty said the provision would allow for unhealthy government growth. But DFL leaders said it more accurately reflects the state's financial position, pointing out that Minnesota is the only state in the country that does not include inflation in its forecasting.

Rep. Tom Rukavina, DFL-Virginia, the chairman of the House Higher Education and Work Force Development Division, called a news conference Friday morning to decry Pawlenty's calculations as "weapons of math destruction."

Pawlenty said his office has been hearing from the principals involved in such things as a state subsidy for infrastructure as part of a $1.7 billion expansion of the Mall of America and the expansion of Thomson West's Eagan campus, "but the general public hasn't been calling in."

In particular, Pawlenty laid the blame for the veto on Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, who had insisted that the inflation adjustment provision remain in the tax bill.

"Whatever the consequences of this veto, Senator Pogemiller and the DFL leaders choose this outcome. Any fallout from this needs to lead back to Senator Pogemiller's office," Pawlenty said.

Criticism of St. Paul's mayor

House and Senate DFL leaders weren't the only targets of Pawlenty's displeasure on Friday. On his weekly radio show, he criticized St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman for his response to the Pawlenty veto. Coleman said Pawlenty's veto shifted the fiscal burden onto local governments, leaving the city with a $15 million deficit, "which has jeopardized our ability to continue investing in public safety programs and provide quality core services such as parks and libraries."

Pawlenty also said that St. Paul should not expect the state to bail out the city for its financial woes.

Coleman and Pawlenty appeared at the ceremony laying a wreath for the centennial of the St. Paul Cathedral, separated in the procession by U.S. Rep. Betty McCollum. Shortly afterward, Coleman's office released a statement.

"The governor's comments accomplish nothing more than show that he is entrenched in a culture of empty rhetoric and schoolyard political tactics. There is nothing I take more seriously than providing a safe, livable city for the residents of St. Paul. This conversation is about the future of the city of St. Paul and the state of Minnesota, not engaging in a political tit-for-tat."

Mark Brunswick • 651-222-1636 • mbrunswick@startribune.com