Audio The Minnesota budget plan (Midday 2/24/03) Budget cuts and low-income programs (Midmorning 2/21/03) Pawlenty calls for spending reform (Midday 2/29/03) Photos Budget Balancer logo More from MPR How did we get here? (03/12/2003) Resources Start the Budget Balancer Minnesota Taxpayers Association Minnesota Council of Non Profits Coalition of Minnesota Businesses Respond to this story News Forum: "Let’s see…you chose not to raise my taxes by a maximum of $1,000 per year for the next two years and instead your decision will cost us $4,150. Wow I am glad we moved to Minnesota to admire your “common sense approach” to government." Commentary: "If the purpose of this is to "spread the pain around" How about freezing or cutting the legislators salaries?" Help us cover this story

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The Budget Balancer
March 12, 2003

Before you begin the Budget Balancer, you might want to learn more about the governor's budget proposal. Simply select a link in the navigation bar to the right to explore the issue. (MPR Graphic)

St. Paul, Minn. — On Feb. 19, 2003, Gov. Pawlenty proposed a two-year state budget that, although increasing in size, cuts a number of programs and services. "I don't think it is unreasonable in times of war, in times of recession, in times of thousands and thousands of Minnesotans losing their jobs, in times of an enormous state budget deficit, to ask state government to live within a nearly seven-percent growth in revenues," said Pawlenty, who was swept into office largely on the strength of a no-new-taxes pledge. During a recent legislative debate on short-term cuts to close a budget deficit, one lawmaker defended his actions by saying "this is what the people of Minnesota elected us to do." Is it?

In the wake of 2002 election, each party had its own interpretation of what message the voters were delivering, and subsequent polls have been unclear about a precise vision for Minnesota's future.

Anyone can balance a budget; just cut from the expenditure side until it matches the revenue side. Easy, right?

But budget-balancing requires more than math skills. It requires a vision. We could just make the budget scales balance and then see what the state looks like five years from now. Or we can think about what we value about Minnesota, what our priorities are, and what we want to be standing when this "pain" -- as the governor describes it -- is over.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

The budget deficit wasn't built in a day. It's a complicated beast and while we don't pretend that this simulation takes every component into account, it will require you to think about the choices you want the state to make. So, give the future of Minnesota 10-15 minutes.

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