Commentary; Posted: 1/15/03

Gov. Pawlenty is off to a good start

Don Heinzman

Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is off to an impressive start. He has brought back dignity and respect to the governorís office, and he has answered questions honestly from people in tours throughout the state since taking office on Monday, Jan. 6.

The media appears to like him, and for now heís in a honeymoon period.

He also brings a suburban community perspective to the office, and he has surrounded himself with commissioners who also understand the suburban way of life and mindset.

Pawlenty was a council member in the city of Eagan before becoming a legislator. His lieutenant governor, Carol Molnau, comes from Chaska.

Pat Awada was the mayor of Eagan before her election as state auditor. In fact, she had become a recognized spokesperson for her conservative metropolitan views in the mayorís office.

Another Republican elected state office holder is Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer who comes from the rapidly growing Big Lake are.

Now, the Governorís Chief of Staff is Charlie Weaver, who hails from suburban Anoka.

Finance Commissioner Dan McElroy was a power in the House and he hails from Burnsville.

This suburban flavor can be found throughout the Pawlenty Administration and it should be of help to the new governor.

Add those state commissioners to the many elected and re-elected suburban Republican legislators and the suburban influence in this Legislature is high-powered, probably more powerful than any time in the stateís history.

Pawlenty also faces what suburban officials and homeowners know only too well: DEBT.

In the case of the state, the forecasted debt is a staggering $4.6 billion. The Pawlenty Administration, however, prefers to attack this debt, the old fashioned way, by cutting spending.

It is also mindful that the suburban agenda is clearly defined: maintaining the state aid to cities, keeping the schools well funded and doing something about the traffic mess on metropolitan highways.

Suburban residents, however, also, know what it is to pay taxes and assessments when overnight they re-make cornfields into communities and shopping centers.

They expect to pay the costs of needed infrastructure.

There is plenty of support in the suburban communities to increase taxes to sustain the economy, fund schools, assist the elderly, the sick and the disabled and to build a multi-modal traffic structure.

We hope Governor Pawlenty doesnít forget the important fiscal lessons he learned in Dakota County.

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