The 2010 Legislative session has ended, and results are mixed.  We solved the immediate budget problem facing Minnesota this year, but looking ahead to the next two-year budget cycle, the numbers are staggering.   Most of the cuts enacted late in the session to balance the budget are one-time fixes, and will come back to pose problems down the road.  That's why the coming budget-deficit looks so big.  In addition, about two billion dollars of the shortfall are the K-12 education shift, which is scheduled to be paid back in the coming biennium.

On the positive side, the Legislature got its work done even though the Supreme Court decision on the Governor's unallotment came with just a few weeks left in the session.  That caused a relatively small dificit grow overnight to over three billion dollars  and made for some tense negotiations in the final days.  In the end, most of Gov. Pawlenty's unallotment cuts were put into statute, and we were able to balance the budget without further cuts to nursing homes or hospitals.

This year's elections will be very important.  All legislative seats, both House and Senate, are up for voters to decide, in addition to all state-wide offices.  Our new governor, whoever he or she may be, will have the option of enrolling Minnesota into an early-entry Minnesota-Care program next January.  That would allow us to receive federal matching health care dollars, but also requires the state to put up half the funding.

The parade season is underway, and I hope to see many of you this summer.  As always, meetings are a big part of my schedule.  If your organization would like to hear more about the legislative process, just give me a call or contact me by  e-mail.  I would be happy to come and speak to your group.

Please participate in my Web Poll located here on this site. From the above menu, click on "Polls."

Thanks for the privilege of serving this great district!


Rep. Anderson encourages constituents to contact his office with input regarding any state legislative issue.  He can be reached on the web at www.house.mn/13A and via e-mail at rep.paul.anderson@house.mn. To contact Anderson by phone, call (651) 296-4317.  Mail can be sent to Rep. Paul Anderson, 239 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul, Minnesota 55155.