What options do we have here. I read what Plawlenty is going to do. As residents of this fine state and also a lease holder What can be done to divert this tragedy.... I heard of a company who's CEO is working for free the next year freeing valuable money to prevent layoffs. Maybe people in the Govenor's office should cap their wages or give up part of them to put the money back into this state. Then if cuts needed to be made they could justify them. Thanks for letting me vent....

I have been an opponent of this whole unallotment process from day one, mainly because it allows an ideologue to determine the state spending priorities, but fail to see that this is the most disastrous of the unallotments -- certainly not a tragedy. The human tragedies are those involving medical assistance and child-care and issues involving the "weakest among us." Two point seven billion dollars disappeared and we are complaining because things around here are starting to feel like Mississippi. Welcome to upper Mississippi.

TPAW is now fighting his fourth 2 year budget crisis in an 8 year administration. If we're to blame Obama, we better find out how an Illinois State Senator screws up the Minnesota budget.

Better yet, maybe we should look at the real legacy of how "Mr. P ... has kept us out of the red": he simply kicks the problem into someone else's lap. And that someone is county and city government. And maybe that does have some appealing elements: local benefits/decisions drive local consequences.

What is not appealing is the simple fact that the local guys will solve the problem by cutting as much as they dare and then raise local revenue to make up the difference. And while TPAW's state revenue raising tool box (otherwise known as TAXES) has 20 drawers with every tax and fee known to man, the local guy has a tote tray tool box that has essentially your property taxes inside it. And that is where we get pounded time after time because TPAW is afraid of his tools and the local guys have no choice but to use the only one they own.

I really hope when I am 75 and retired I can live in the house I now live in. Our kids were born and raised here, we're comfortable here, this is home. Solving every revenue problem by forcing another property tax increase reduces the ability of most Seniors to stay in their houses

Yes; but, TPAW looks good for that 2012 Presidential run. This is one bad and cynical Governor who thinks he can do for the whole country what he has done for us.

Excellent bayside and to all the comments. I know that it is more important to feed and care and nurture and teach the human animal and sometimes that is financed by all of us but this issue is a microcosmic example of our Gov and his way of seeing things. This issue not only benefits the selfish few who have leases, or as my good blogger friend roj would say, shacks, it benefits the economic vitality of northern Minnesota pumping millions into someones coffers and nurtures the human spirit in the role as free and easy recreation. Yes, streets, health, education are important but so is sanity in the north land. Again, bayside, excellent statement. Black bay, you should have ok weather at the estate.Chopper

Twist it in whatever way you want, Just remember 20 years from now your kids and their kids will be paying for what your president is doing today, Think its bad now? hah we got it easy! we can make it really difficult or a little easier by just going back to spending on the basics.

Its like losing your job and being on a really tight budget, you might have to lose the cable tv, the vacation you had planned, eating out, new vehicles. You just have to sink back to the basics, food, water, housing. Find a new job and then you can afford to get some of those things back.

Or lets just play dumb, wine wine wine, Our debt will never catch up to us. For now atleast.

Sorry it might seem like I'm explaing something to a 3rd grader....

Sometimes it just feels like I am

Our kids are paying right now -- don't get us worried about 20 years from now. My underinsured [2000 deductible] twenty-something paid more in medical bills this year than his parents and their uninsured dog. Next, he is starting graduate school where tuition has risen to almost $30,000 per year [as it is also doing in Minnesota due to reduced state support of education], so he will have major debts to repay after graduation. I see the current generation being hurt by a terrible healthcare system and the increasing costs of everything.

The children of my friends in the "socialized" countries of Europe don't worry about health care disasters or massive educational loans. I helped one of them set up his trucking firm in his mid 20's; this kid is loan-free, married, and entrepreneurial. He will bear a higher tax burden than most of the American equivalents, but he is not been hit in his 20's with incredible debt.

Public debt is shared by all; private debt is individual and causes the defaults and bankrupcies that are so much the reality for the younger generation of Americans. There is a correlation between taxation and standard of living. Remember, Denmark is the happiest place on earth: http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Story?id=4086092&page=2.

First of all, everyone have a good 4th, remember what it means and pray for all in harms way who help keep the memory of freedom alive. Now to my good blogger buddy roj. I know I am not going to change your mind about how Minnesotans have spent too much on education, health, family assistance programs, roads, street lights, law enforcment, fire protection,and much much more. Yes, some of what is spent on programs and pork is frivolous, just plain wrong, and needs to be questioned and cut regarding taxpayer expenditure. That is where Timmy and the legislature fails, not attempting to work together to finance the right programs at the right price. Everyone is wrong and it is not just Minnesota. My problem with our Governor is that he is not doing his unilateral cuts for the betterment of our state, rather he is trying to prove his staunch conservative values in his quest for the 2012 nomination. If potential republican candidates keep girl and boy friends on the side, and squeaky clean Tim stays the course, he just may get a consideration from the delegation at the convention. Again, it's his unilateral decisions that drive me crazy and I am not happy with the legislature and how it is more interested in not getting along instead of doing their job and do what is best for us, their constituents. Now to my selfish wish to keep funding programs like SFI. Don't mess with it. This is where I am selfish. Yes I have a cabin on the lake and a cabin(shack) in the woods and I like both of them. The cabin is safe because it is mine, the shack is mine but it is on a lease and because of the loss of the SFI program, large land barons as you call them will close off access and sell and parcel out tracts of land. The majority of these tracts will be purchased by large hunting groups and organizations like the wilderness society and the sierra club. That is scary roj. Have a good holiday everyone. Chopper.

21, first of all, happy freedom day to you and all. It is great to be an american. 21, yes, I am forturnate to have the things I have and am lucky in the way I have them. I have received a few good breaks and also the huge loss of my parents gave me some of these gifts. Mom and Dad are my benifactor's and also a bit of roll the sleeves up sacrifice and a great wife have given me new life. I do agree with you that some in the federal and state govt' scare the he-- out of me and I too wonder where this will end. We will see but I don't think we are on the same path of societial destruction as the Romans, Inca's or Greeks,at least I hope. I am going to end this and just say that I have been at the bottom of the food chain and now I am in the middle. I am willing to pay my fair share of taxes to get services I need and enjoy and I am also willing to pay a bit more for the well-being of my fellow compatriates, the poor, the middle class and yes, even Al Franken. Happy 4th. Chopper