Gov. Ventura called on legislators to put aside "election year politics" during his State of the State address, but it appears the political sniping has just begun. Ventura used his weekly radio show to blast DFL Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe, who referred to the state's budget shortfall as the "Ventura deficit." Ventura also repeated his intention to cut government spending if the Legislature doesn't move quickly to deal with the deficit, a prospect making many potential targets of spending cuts nervous.

	Ventura called the media "a bunch of boneheads" for not asking Moe to explain his "Ventura deficit" reference. Moe was questioned about his comment on Minnesota Public Radio following Ventura's speech. Listen to Moe's explanation. (MPR File Photo)

Ventura spent much of his radio show taking offense to Moe's characterization of the deficit. He said sarcastically that he didn't realize he had the power to create a nationwide economic crisis. The governor said Moe should know better.

"And if somebody ought to know about government, it's a 33-year elected career politician like Sen. Moe. He's been around since before I was in the Navy," Ventura said.

Ventura called the media "a bunch of boneheads" for not asking Moe to explain his "Ventura deficit" reference. Moe was questioned about his comment on Minnesota Public Radio following Ventura's speech. Moe says when Ventura took office, he inherited a surplus from the Carlson administration. Moe says the budget now has a nearly $2 billion hole.

"If you're going to take credit for all the good things that the governor has certainly been unabashed about doing over the last three years, he certainly would have to take some of the blame for the problems that we see now," Moe said.

Ventura says anyone who's been around at the Capitol for 30 years shouldn't point the finger at him. But he didn't just single out Moe for criticism. He also questioned House Republicans' response to his State of the State.

Ventura says all options for balancing the budget should remain on the table. Republican leaders say they won't consider any tax increases to address the deficit. They also oppose any cuts in K-12 education, nursing home funding and local government aid.

Ventura plans to release a detailed plan for balancing the budget next week. He repeated his insistance that lawmakers act on his plan in the first week of the session that begins Jan. 29.

"The folks that howl the most ... are the ones that are usually defended. And a lot of the other defined constituencies are going to be able to do that a lot better than a number of low-income working families and children." - Minh Ta, director of public policy for the Children's Defense Fund

"If they don't, I'll use my executive power and I'll start doing the cuts where I deem them necessary and they can react to me," the governor said.

That threat has created waves of anxiety through cities, counties, non-profit organizations and other groups that rely on state funding.

Minh Ta, director of public policy for the Children's Defense Fund, says he worries that programs for low-income Minnesotans will be first on the chopping block.

"Particularly in times of budget shortfalls, the folks that howl the most, make the most noise, are the ones that are usually defended. And a lot of the other defined constituencies are going to be able to do that a lot better than a number of low-income working families and children," Ta said.

Ta says many of the people he's been talking to have questioned the governor's authority to unilaterally cut spending without legislative approval. But legal experts at the Capitol say state statute gives the executive branch the power to do so in times of deficit, after the governor has first tapped the state's $653 million budget reserve.

Ventura also made it clear in his State of the State that state aid to cities and counties is a potential target for cuts.

League of Minnesota Cities lobbyist Gary Carlson says cities are very nervous, since they just set their budgets for 2002.

"If local government aid to cities or aid to counties was reduced, the cities and counties would certainly have to cut services and there are constituencies for those services that would certainly feel the immediate impact," Carlson said.

Carlson says cities can't deplete their budget reserves to absorb cuts. He says cities and counties get two large property tax payments a year, so their reserves have to last them for six months at a time. Cities, counties and other groups are anxiously awaiting the release of the governor's detailed budget plan next Thursday, when the extent of his spending cuts will become known.

Ventura challenges lawmakers in State of the State address