Gov. Tim Pawlenty, or at least members of his senior staff, will come to a Dec. 7 hearing of the state Senate Tax Committee to discuss the governor's proposed constitutional amendment that would limit state spending.

Committee Chair Sen. Tom Bakk, a DFLer running for governor in 2010, invited the governor to discuss the issue with the legislators and the governor replied:

"Commissioner Tom Hanson and others will look forward to outlining the proposal in detail and receiving input from the committee at the Dec. 7, 2009, hearing."

The governor also declined Bakk's offer to hold a special session before the end of the year to pass a bonding bill, saying his staff is conducting reviews of capital investment projects for the bonding bill and hopes to present them by Jan. 15.

"Given these timelines, and the efforts underway, along with the scheduled Feb. 4, 2010, start of the regular legislative session, a special session just 30 days prior (or even less) to the regular session would not make a real difference," he wrote to Bakk.