The last gasp of the Legislative Advisory Commission was filled with anger and passion and pleas for somebody, anybody, to throw a roadblock into Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s plans to unallot $2.6 billion from the state budget that begins Wednesday.

But there was also an emptiness about it at this morning’s meeting. Although the LAC is filled with DFL legislative heavyweights, it has no power other than to “advise” on budget fixes. It did that by passing a toothless resolution asking finance commissioner Tom Hanson to advise the governor not to go through with his plans.

“We hope you forward this resolution,” Sen. Larry Pogemiller, the LAC chairman, said to Hanson.

“Sure will,” said Hanson.

It was a nonmember, Rep. Tony Sertich, the DFL majority leader, who had the last words before Pogemiller adjourned what likely will be the final LAC meeting.

“It is sad, sad testament that one person can assume so much power over the people’s money,” Sertich said.

As has been the case since the Legislature passed a balanced budget - which called for a combination of budget cuts and a $1 billion tax increase - members of the LAC stressed that the the DFL-controlled Legislature had indeed balanced the budget, an action vetoed by Pawlenty.

“It didn’t get signed,” said Hanson of the legislative balancing. “That was your fault,” he told the group.
What lies ahead?

Legislators again this morning asked that some organization step forward to file suit challenging Pawlenty’s legal authority to make some of the moves he’s making.

“I would hope somebody would initiate a suit to get an injunction to stop these cuts,” said Sen. Dave Tomassoni of Chisholm. Tomassoni consistently has asked Pawlenty to delay any unallotment decisions until the November economic forecast, with the hope that the economy will have improved and that more revenue than expected would be coming into state coffers.

But Hanson has just as consistently said that waiting merely puts off the inevitable.
As they have at past meetings, the LAC members pounded on the governor’s decision to shift $1.8 billion in K-12 spending, calling it a dangerous gimmick that, unlike similar shifts in the past, this time has no legislative authority requiring the money eventually to be paid to the schools.

The members also repeated the theme that Pawlenty’s actions refusing all new sources of revenue will leave the state with a debt of more than $4.5 billion - perhaps as high as $7 billion - at the end of the new biennium. Legislators also predicted that the governor’s decisions will be job killers.

At times, the attacks on Hanson Tuesday were very personal. For example, Pogemiller told Hanson that he would be “reluctant” to ever again vote to approve a finance commissioner who is a political appointee.

“It’s a professional job, not a political one,” Pogemiller told Hanson.

Hanson did not respond.

Almost certainly, legislators next session will rewrite the current statute, which the governor claims gives him broad powers to use unallotment in an unprecedented manner.