 | Are Minnesotans getting what they pay for?
In its informational materials, the Growth & Justice Center of St. Paul describes itself as a center "for a prosperous, fair and sustainable Minnesota economy."
Dane Smith, its current president after spending three decades as a journalist, also says that the center is non-partisan, meaning it doesn't openly advocate for the election of certain people of a certain party to office. But, that said, most of what Smith says - he and Growth & Justice Communications Director Ellen Perrault visited the Times last week - gives a strong indication that they feel the tax cuts, fiscal management and overall priorities of Governor Tim Pawlenty's administration are off the mark.
And it's not just about policy, Smith says. It's also about a systematic effort to convince citizens that the government is essentially incapable of doing anything right or good. The basic message is that big government is bad, backward and maybe even evil, and that a leaner government that cuts taxes and lets the market and society as a whole pretty much dictate how things go is by far the preferred way to go. So, in an election year like this one, candidates stand behind podiums and microphones and talk about how they're going to "fix" everything, which implies that government is broken, Smith says. Two candidates vying for one political office engage in a war of words that has each one trying to find the best way to say the worst things about government.
The result, Smith says, is a state that was once seen as a leader across the nation in education, healthcare, the environment and other areas, now kind of stuck in the middle of the road.
A sampling of Smith's thoughts:
- "We've created a state where we're slumping toward mediocrity. We've always been a high-tax state, but we were a state with a good economy, good healthcare and good government. We were the healthiest, wealthiest and wisest. Now, we're 31st in spending (in the nation) and it's really clear that Minnesota thrived at one time because of our first-class public sector."
- "I've been in every corner of this state and, compared to some other states I've seen, our stuff has always been nicer, our libraries, arenas, parks, even our rest areas have always been nicer and cleaner. It was just a touch of class that spread throughout the public sector. It costs a little extra for all that, but it's a quality of life issue. It's proof that you get what you pay for. Minnesotans would always grumble about paying higher taxes, but they paid them. There was almost a sense of pride in the investment in their state. It was a sophisticated understanding that you pay taxes, but you get something back. The last 10 years, it's been penny-wise, but pound foolish, and our state is under-performing for the first time in 30 years."
The legislature's override of Pawlenty's veto of the transportation bill might be the jolt that stems the tide, Smith believes. It's not about just raising taxes, but it's about spending revenue wisely on meaningful projects that benefit the lives of Minnesotans in every walk of life, he says. "This isn't just leftist propaganda," he stresses. "There are old-school, moderate Republicans who believe in it just as strongly. The tide is turning."
The tone of the election season debate will determine whether or not the Growth & Justice Center is on the right track with their "Invest in Minnesota" initiative, almost as much as who wins and loses on the first Tuesday of November. If taxation and government in general continue to get ripped, it's going to be tough to start convincing more people that the government exists to help them more than hurt them.
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