Two documents I came across today tell two very different stories of the state budget.
A letter from Senate Republicans to Gov. Mark Dayton outlying their "perfectly clear" opposition to taxes to helping balance the budget states his budget would be a 22 percent increase.
A Minnesota Taxpayers Association newsletter describes it as 4.5 percent increase: "The Governor’s budget for FY2012-13 proposes to spend $37.1 billion from the state’s General Fund: growing spending by about 4.5% from the last biennium if one adjusts for the effects of the K-12 education shift and the federal stimulus
dollars"
So who's right?
Well, the MTA says it is a "non-partisan, non-profit corporation founded in 1926 to advance economy and efficiency in government."
And the Senate Republicans, well, let's just say they're not non-partisan, or possibly not non-profit either.
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Editor Spear
ReplyDeleteAccording to the Minnesota Management & Budget office website (http://www.mmb.state.mn.us/doc/budget/report-spend/nov10.pdf) the General Fund for the biennium ending 2011 is $30.266B.
If Dayton proposes a $37.1B budget ending 2013, by my math you calculate the percent increase by taking 37.1B - 30.266B and divide by 30.266B
or
(37100000000 - 30266484000) / 30266484000 ~ .2257 or 22.6%
Looks like to me the Senate Republicans nailed it at 22%.
Now, you can obfuscate that by gimmick accounting such as k-12 shifts and stimulus dollars, but aren't you then playing the same budgetary gamie the Free Press has blasted Pawlenty over for the last 8 years?
I think you are trying to find numbers that fit your bias against the Senate Republicans so it looks like to me the MTA and the Free Press are the fibbers.
Only a 4.5% budget increase for 2013? I'm sorry, not by any legitimate measure.
we spend 3800 dollars per person in MN in state budget,CA spends 2200 dollars.MN deficit is 1200 dollars per person and CA is 500 dollars. We have a spending problem.
ReplyDeletePatrick. I would not really consider education shift and stimulus "gimmicks" nor does MTA, a group highly credible with both parties.
ReplyDeleteThe Legislature and governor before Mr.Dayton (Republicans and Democrats) agreed to spend the school money, but much later, so it doesn't show up. It's kind of like phantom spending.
It's multiple billions, as is stimulus.
Dennis. Do me the courtesy of identifying yourself next time, then we're on a level playing field.
Agree we have a spending problem, but would suggest no one would be concerned if we didn't have a revenue problem...and had a balanced budget..
The revenue losses from all the job loss, reduces the balance.
I believe per capita numbers are always a little suspect because they're distorted comparing two very different states in population. (Calif. and Minnesota)
So per capita tends to skew the reality.
I'm sorry, Editor Spear, but when it comes to the actual numbers published by the state agency tasked with tracking actual general fund spending versus the numbers published by a 'highly credible' non-profit organization, I'm not convinced. And did you really use the phrase 'phantom spending'? You're not helping your case when you have to explain things in terms of 'phantom spending'.
ReplyDeleteI think you are trying to find something that fits your political bias against Senate Republicans to show them as liars and fibbers as your blog suggests. It would appear that Senate Republicans calculated the budget increase using the same number i used from the MMB. I guess you are telling me that I am a liar, too.
Patrick. I think you misunderstand my point. You might to go back and read my post carefully.
ReplyDeleteThe $30 billion you cite does not include billions in education funding (shifted) and fed stimulus (spent but not counted.
I respectfully disagree about the bias charge you make. The Free Press has longstanding credibility as unbiased, our internal surveys show our readers have great confidence in us, and we aim to maintain that.
But as a watchdog journalism organization (not advocacy like some blogs) we need to question the numbers put out by politicians from all sides and government numbers as well when we have facts to the contrary.
Thanks for your feedback.