Please see below for a response to Tim Pawlenty’s latest ad. Despite claims in the ad, Pawlenty’s record shows he lacks leadership. He is taking cues from the extreme wing of his party, offering no new ideas. As governor, his jobs record was “anemic” and he relied heavily on accounting gimmicks to balance the budget and left Minnesota with a projected $6.2 billion deficit.
TIM PAWLENTY IS TAKING HIS CUES FROM THE EXTREME WING OF HIS PARTY
Pawlenty Signed The “Cut, Cap, Balance” Pledge “Promising To Make Substantial Cuts In Federal Spending, Cap Spending And Support A Balanced Budget Amendment.” “Also this morning, Pawlenty said he has signed the ‘Cut, Cap, Balance pledge,’ promising to make substantial cuts in federal spending, cap spending and support a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution that includes both a spending limitation and a super-majority for raising taxes.” [Des Moines Register, 6/23/11]
Pawlenty On The Bipartisan Debt Ceiling Agreement: “This Deal Is Nothing To Celebrate” And It’s Not A Victory “When The Government Narrowly Avoids Default, Agrees To Go Further Into Debt, And Does Little To Reform A Spending System That Cannot Be Sustained.” “Tim Pawlenty spokesman Alex Conant says in an emailed statement about the debt deal: ‘This deal is nothing to celebrate. Only in Washington would the political class think it’s a victory when the government narrowly avoids default, agrees to go further into debt, and does little to reform a spending system that cannot be sustained by our children and grandchildren. While no further evidence was needed, this entire debt ceiling fiasco demonstrates that President Obama must be replaced.’ Pawlenty ended up against the original John Boehner plan, and his rejection of the ultimate deal is consistent with that stand.” [Politico, 8/1/11]
· Pawlenty’s Spokesman “In A Follow-Up Email… Said Mr. Pawlenty Opposes The Deal.” “Mr. Pawlenty’s spokesman, Alex Conant, said Monday the deal is ‘nothing to celebrate,’ though his written statement did not specifically say whether the former governor would sign the bill. ‘Only in Washington would the political class think it’s a victory when the government narrowly avoids default, agrees to go further into debt, and does little to reform a spending system that cannot be sustained,” Mr. Conant’s statement said. ‘While no further evidence was needed, this entire debt ceiling fiasco demonstrates that President Obama must be replaced.’ In a follow-up email, Mr. Conant said Mr. Pawlenty opposes the deal.” [Wall Street Journal, 8/1/11]
AS GOVERNOR, PAWLENTY’S RECORD ON JOB CREATION WAS “ANEMIC”
Minnesota Gained A Mere 6,200 Jobs Under Pawlenty. Minnesota Public Radio detailed “Pawlenty's Governorship By The Numbers” which included the state’s job numbers. According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, in January 2003, total non-farm employment, seasonally adjusted was 2,662,200. In November 2010 the number had increased by 6,200 to 2,668,400. [Minnesota Public Radio, 12/22/10]
Minnesota’s Unemployment Rate Grew From 4.6 Percent To 7.1 Percent Under Pawlenty. According to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, in January 2003 Minnesota’s unemployment rate was 4.6 percent while the nation’s was 5.8 percent. By November 2010, Minnesota’s unemployment rate was 7.1 percent while the nation’s was 9.8 percent. [Minnesota Public Radio, 12/22/10]
· Pawlenty Has A “Much Weaker” Record On Job Creation Than Other 2012 Candidates, Because “During Pawlenty’s Time As Governor Of Minnesota (2003 To 2011), The Number Of Jobs Grew By An Anemic 0.5 Percent.” “While all the GOP contenders are quick to hit the ‘jobs, jobs, jobs’ mantra, the former governors running for president have very different records on job creation… Mitt Romney and Tim Pawlenty have much weaker records. Romney, who governed Massachusetts from 2003 to 2007, had an overall job-growth rate of 1.6 percent. During Pawlenty’s time as governor of Minnesota (2003 to 2011), the number of jobs grew by an anemic 0.5 percent.” [National Review Online, 6/20/11]
AS GOVERNOR, TIM PAWLENTY RELIED ON ACCOUNTING GIMMICKS TO BALANCE THE BUDGET & LEFT THE STATE WITH A PROJECTED $6.2 BILLION DEFICIT
2010 National Conference Of State Legislatures Report: Minnesota Was Second Among States Relying On One-Time Budget Fixes, Thanks To Pawlenty Who “Relied On One-Time Solutions To Close 41 Percent Of The State’s Gap.” “Minnesota is second only to Alaska among states that relied on one-time fixes to close their budget gaps for this fiscal year, according to an update from the National Conference of State Legislatures...In Gov. Tim Pawlenty’s solo post-session effort to balance the budget last year, he relied on one-time solutions to close 41 percent of the state’s gap, mainly by delaying payments to school districts...Further, Minnesota faces a structural budget imbalance of $5.4 billion, not counting general inflation. In other words, the state has a chronic shortage of funds to meet obligations that have remained in place through several rounds of one-time fixes in which the decision makers have neither raised taxes nor formally cut the programs tied to those obligations.” [MinnPost.com, 2/2/10]
Minnesota Faced A $6.2 Billion Deficit In The Upcoming 2012-2013 Biennium. “Minnesota is facing a $6.2 billion deficit in the upcoming biennium, up from earlier projections of $5.8 billion. The shortfall represents about 16 percent of the state's two-year budget.” [Minnesota Public Radio, 12/2/10]
TIM PAWLENTY OPPOSED THE RECOVERY ACT BUT ACCEPTED BILLIONS IN FEDERAL AID
Pawlenty “Opposed The Stimulus But Accepted The Funding.” Politico reported that Gov. Tim Pawlenty “opposed the stimulus but accepted the funding on the grounds that ‘Minnesota is a net donor to the federal government,’ making the payments only fair.” [Politico, 4/10/09]
Pawlenty Used “$2.3 Billion In Federal Stimulus Money To Balance Its Budget During The Two-Year Budget Cycle Ending This June.” “Pawlenty, like other Republican candidates, has often derided the stimulus — a $787 billion package of federal grants, benefits and tax breaks signed by President Obama in 2009. Pawlenty has called it ‘reckless,’ ‘irresponsible,’ and ineffective at creating new private sector jobs. But he has also used the money. In Minnesota, where Pawlenty was governor until January, the state used $2.3 billion in federal stimulus money to balance its budget during the two-year budget cycle ending this June.” [Boston Globe, 5/26/11]
· Minnesota “Received A Total Of $5.9 Billion, Including Funding For Programs, Unemployment Benefits And Medical Assistance, According To The Minnesota Management And Budget Office.” “Pawlenty, like other Republican candidates, has often derided the stimulus — a $787 billion package of federal grants, benefits and tax breaks signed by President Obama in 2009…The state received a total of $5.9 billion, including funding for programs, unemployment benefits and medical assistance, according to the Minnesota Management and Budget Office.” [Boston Globe, 5/26/11]
Pawlenty On The Stimulus: “It's Something That's Going To Have A Lot Of Positive Features For Our State.” “Despite his coolness to the stimulus plan, Pawlenty said he is confident in Minnesota's ability to use the money well. ‘It's a lot of work, but it's something that's going to have a lot of positive features for our state,’ he said. ‘We're going to work as hard as we can on making sure it's effective in stimulating the economy and creating jobs.’” [Star Tribune, 2/24/09]
Pawlenty “Said The Fiscal Stimulus Will Be Welcome.” “Amid the worst unemployment numbers in years and a deteriorating economic outlook, Minnesota got a whiff of good news on Thursday -- indications that the federal stimulus package being shaped in Washington could send as much as $3.2 billion this way. That's far more than anything state leaders had imagined and could go a long way toward taking the sting out of the state's $4.8 billion projected deficit… Gov. Tim Pawlenty said the fiscal stimulus will be welcome but that the short-term outlook remains grim.” [Star Tribune, 1/23/09]
Pawlenty Said That Stimulus Funds To Help The Unemployed Would Be “A Big Help To The State.” Gov. Tim Pawlenty held a news conference call in which he touted the $130 million that Minnesota was scheduled to receive in federal stimulus funding to assist the stats in making unemployment payments to laid-off workers. Pawlenty “said the new money will be a big help to the state,” and that, “new stimulus funds will help unemployed Minnesotans survive the economic downturn,” according to a report by Minnesota Public Radio. Pawlenty said, “Minnesota continues to experience concerns about unemployment these additional funds will help bring relief to Minnesotans who are unemployed, have entered the unemployment ranks we want to do all that we can to help them and this money will be a great step in that direction.” [Minnesota Public Radio, 5/6/09]
Pawlenty Embarked On “A Whirlwind Tour Of The State” To Promote Transportation Projects That Were Funded By The Stimulus Act. “In a whirlwind tour of the state that’s certain to provide stimulus to airplane fuel producers, Gov. Tim Pawlenty is promoting some of the transportation projects that Minnesota will undertake with the stimulus money approved by Congress. The governor has said he doesn’t like the stimulus bill, but will take the state’s share. In appearances today in Rochester, Mankato, Cambridge, Duluth and St. Paul, all within about seven hours, the governor announced 60 state highway projects scheduled to begin in greater Minnesota as early as this spring. Stimulus funds targeted for the highway construction, paving, bridge and safety projects total $180 million, he said.” [MinnPost.com, 2/25/09]