A sight too seldom seen early in this decade's legislative sessions unfolded Wednesday morning in Gov. Tim Pawlenty's reception room. There stood the Republican governor, flanked by both DFL and Republican legislators, in joint support of a measure to require more joint administrative service arrangements by the state's school districts and charter schools.
At the ensuing press conference, DFL Sen. Terri Bonoff of Minnetonka and DFL Rep. Ryan Winkler of Golden Valley had prominent roles. Also present was Assistant Majority Leader Tarryl Clark, who noted that rolling out a bipartisan proposal for cost-saving efficiency measures made for a good start for the 2009 session.
Put the emphasis on the word "bipartisan." The state's money problems are too serious this year for time and energy to be wasted fussing over who gets credit for every savings idea. This year ought to produce a thaw in the permafrost that has built up between DFL legislators and the GOP governor.
