How the MN budget might affect you

01/23/2007

Pawlenty's budget proposal could affect many Minnesotans in many different ways, and one of them could be you.


By Mark Brunswick and Conrad Defiebre,
Star Tribune staff writers
Last update: January 22, 2007 – 11:57 PM


Gov. Tim Pawlenty's $34.4 billion state government budget proposal issued Monday is just that -- a proposal that the DFL-controlled Legislature is likely to slice, dice, spindle and mutilate over the next four months.

But the Republican governor's plan is full of new initiatives that, if enacted, could affect Minnesotans in many walks of life for years to come. That could include:

Property tax payers: Pawlenty wants to put $47 million more into homestead credits and increase income-based property tax refunds by $8.5 million. Together with more state aid for local governments and schools, it is said to total $150 million in relief from property taxes.

Motorists fueled by E85: How about $12 million to power a fivefold increase in the number of service stations, to 1,800, where you could fill up on 85 percent ethanol fuel, all by 2011.

Anglers, conservationists, developers, farmers, etc: And $40 million in permanent funding to monitor and clean up impaired waters in the state.

Stuck in traffic: Apply $100 million in surplus money to the trunk highway fund to complete "priority projects" (think Crosstown Commons) and develop technology needed to shift road funding from the gas tax to a mileage charge. Pawlenty advocates $1.7 billion in new highway borrowing over 10 years.

State troopers: Money for 40 more of them in a $19 million highway safety initiative.

State convicts: A $66 million plan to lock up more felons and increase guards' pay.

Ex-convicts: Proposes $6 million for more reentry services and supervision for released felons.

Judges: Asks $42 million, enough to increase court budgets 4 percent a year, largely for pay raises.

Not-so-small business owners: Those with 11 or more employees would be required to establish a pre-tax health insurance plan for workers.

Mentally ill: Suggests $45 million to improve psychiatric services and facilities infrastructure.

Health insurance purchasers: Individuals lacking employer-based health care would be able to buy coverage with pretax dollars; Pawlenty's budget assumes a loss of $2 million in tax revenue.

MinnesotaCare enrollees: Premiums for children would fall, and enrollees would have access to $17 million in new subsidies for plans with lower premiums but higher deductibles and co-pays. In addition, 13,000 more children would become eligible for the state health plan.

Health-care workers: They would no longer puzzle over doctors' scribblings under a $18.5 million plan to transform health-care records from pen-and-paper to electronic.

Professional and commercial license applicants: They would move into the digital age with $15 million in beefed-up online services.

Armed services members and veterans: A $75 million package would exempt them from state income tax on military pay and pensions. Eligible veterans and their dependents could also get $1,000 per semester for up to five years for post-secondary education not covered by other benefits.

Homeless and house-poor: $36 million to end chronic homelessness and develop and maintain affordable housing.

Foreclosure bait: Homeowners would get added protection from a $1.6 million initiative to tighten regulation and oversight of the mortgage industry.

K-12 students: Each would fetch $202 more per year for their school districts by 2009. If enough of them in any school performed well on state math and reading tests, each would bring in another $90 to $150. Total K-12 state funding boost: $986 million.

K-12 teachers: Budget calls for $23.5 million would help them bone up on math and science, get more coaching early in their careers and boost pay if their students succeed.

Top-flight professors: The U of M is in line for a $28.5 million "Competitive Compensation Fund" to recruit and retain star-quality faculty members. Total higher-education funding increase: $454 million.

Preschoolers: Proposes $38 million to prepare at-risk children for kindergarten and improve the education they get in early childhood and child-care programs.

Duluth Arena: $37.9 million for half the cost of building a hockey rink for University of Minnesota-Duluth teams, the biggest chunk of Pawlenty's $69.8 million bonding package for "urgent projects."