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Location: Blogs Dan's Blog |
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| Posted by: Dan McGrath |
2/19/2010 |
 Governor Pawlenty Vetoed a bill to restore General Assistance Medical Care funding the instant it passed the House - Override Looms.
Citing the state’s current $1.2 billion biennial budget deficit (not even mentioning the looming deficit of over $5 billion in the next biennium), Pawlenty told legislators that the state can’t afford the $170 million appropriated by the GAMC bill. “This legislation utilizes $170 million that I previously identified in my supplemental budget to help resolve the current $1.2 billion deficit. Those same dollars cannot be used twice,” he explained in his veto letter.
Indeed, legislators seem to have failed to consider where the money was going to come from and according to the governor, they did not address GAMC’s fundamental cost structure problems.
The bill initially passed 45-20 in the Senate, but after conference committee, the vote was 47-16. The House passed it by a huge margin, the vote being 125-9. All 87 DFL representatives voted in the affirmative and only 9 Republicans voted no. Dissenting votes were cast by Representatives Bruce Anderson, Mark Buesgens, Steve Drazkowski, Tom Emmer, Tom Hackbarth, Mary Liz Holberg, Paul Kohls, Dan Severson and Ron Shimanski.
With these margins, a veto override looks like a distinct possibility. If Republicans who voted for the bill will now stand with the governor’s veto, the override will not happen. Democrats in the House will need the support of at least three Republicans to prevail.
House Minority Leader, Kurt Zellers is confident that the Republicans will stick together and sustain the veto. Zellers said he thinks any GAMC solution should be part of a comprehensive budget solution package that addresses the current deficit as a whole. “This should be a part of it, the GAMC fix or a new program should be a part of that fix. We're going to work together again, just like we did with this version of it to find a solution that not only the governor can agree to but the house and senate can agree to as well,” he explained.
It should be noted that recipients of GAMC are not being thrown off of public medical assistance. Current GAMC enrollees are scheduled to be moved onto the more cost-effective Minnesota Care program on April 1st. It's not as generous, but it will provide medical insurance on par with the private plans most Minnesotans utilize - at a far lower cost to the taxpayers.
Click here to read an excellent Op-Ed by Senator Julianne Ortman: The State Can't Afford GAMC.
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Comments (32)
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Joanne on
2/23/2010 |
| I disagree with you. What is going to happen to all of the very poor people that do qualify for GAMC? If they need medical care, will the hospital or clinic they go to have to write off the bill? Or, on the other hand, do these people just go without any medical care? |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By DALE W PAJAK anoka,mn on
2/23/2010 |
| I think pawlenty sucks big time and is the worse governor ever.He wont even get 1% of the vote if he runs for president our country dont need to be run deeper into the ground. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Darla Hathaway on
2/23/2010 |
| Please stop the bleeding. I beg you do't add anymore ot our budget. I don't care what it's for we can't afford it. If it's not not food, sheltor or clothing it's not on the budget. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Douglas Standal on
2/23/2010 |
| Money doesn't grow on trees! Grow up representatives, and act like adults! Make the tough choices, and be responsible with the money we tax payers send you. If I wanted to support the BS you are trying to shove down my throat then I'll give money to the causes I think, or deem are appropriate! It's my choice after all, it's my money! |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Robin Galles on
2/23/2010 |
| Please uphold Governer Pawlenty's veto SF2186. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By LBrandenburg on
2/23/2010 |
| Please stop adding more spending ideas and hold everything as it is now for at leasst a couple of years, I don't know how our goverment can think of spending so foolishly-maybe they have to get out in the real people and see how bad they are hurting. The lawmakers have to leave something for their grandchildren- as it is now they aren't leaving much. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Scott Marthaler on
2/23/2010 |
| There are no easy answers to fix the States deficit spending. This problem has been growing for a long time, just like the national deficit, and it won't be fixed overnight by a long shot. However, until we stop doing what got us in this situation in the first place, no matter how painful it might be, we are going to continue done a dark road with a cliff at the end of it. Like Obama, we cannot continue to throw money at a problem like this and hope it will go away. It's like trying to spend $1.00 to get $.10 worth of benefit. This has got to stop! |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Donna Hanley on
2/23/2010 |
| KEEP IT SIMPLE! STOP SPENDING MONEY! PERIOD! GOT THAT? |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Paul Ritter on
2/23/2010 |
| There are some easy answers to fix Minnesota's deficit spending, quit spending. It seems that every one that is representing us want to do good but they try and do good with other peoples money. You just can't keep spending money you don't have, Thank you Governor Palenty for your veto and for all you representatives out ther you need to uphold the veto. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Paul Ritter on
2/23/2010 |
| There are some easy answers to fix Minnesota's deficit spending, quit spending. It seems that every one that is representing us want to do good but they try and do good with other peoples money. You just can't keep spending money you don't have, Thank you Governor Palenty for your veto and for all you representatives out ther you need to uphold the veto. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Linda Kirmeier on
2/23/2010 |
| There is an easy way to stop spending. JUST STOP! cut the fat! Our income as a family is down 1/2 from last year and 3/4 from the year before. We stopped all the extras that seemed "neccessary" in prior years. It hurts, but the state can do it just like families ARE doing it! It is a shame when government workers are getting raises and the rest of us have our income slashed! DFL state reps. seem to spend money like drunkin sailors- so do GOP- but I think they are now hearing the PEOPLE SCREAM OUT! STOP THE WASTE! VETO SF2186 |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Barbara J Noddings on
2/23/2010 |
RE: Governer Pawlenty PLEASE veto this Bill as it comes to your desk. As a
small Business Owner we need tax relief not higher taxes!
Thank you for listening! |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Ev on
2/23/2010 |
| I am so "thankful" for a governor that has some SENSE! People NEED to take responsibility for themselves instead of coming to this state to live off the rest of us who work HARD for our incomes~IF YOU DON"T want to work then you shouldn't eat says the creator. STOP BIG GOVERNMENT! STOP ILLEGALS, STOP DEADBEATS WHO JUST COME TO MINNESOTA TO LIVE OFF THE TAXPAYERS! |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Craig Johnson on
2/23/2010 |
| Stop the waste of program duplication!! We have programs for the people in GAMC. Stop the wasteful spending in government. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Dean on
2/23/2010 |
| Dale from Anoka, How do you see Pawlenty as the "worse governor" ever ? Is it because he is attempting to be fiscally responsible and not handing out taxpayer dollars to each and every person that is begging for a handout ? Are you possibly one of those people that thinks you are owed something ? I also wonder if you meant the worst governor, or did you mean worse than ? And if you have you have not noticed lately, the country and your freedom is being "run deeper into the ground" by the current administration. Have a pleasant day. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Keith Lillis on
2/23/2010 |
| The legislators are just wasting the tax payers money. They are making decisions that the general public is not liking and not paying attention to us "The People". I have had my years of paying taxes and yet when it comes time for me to so called "reap the benefits of retirement" there is nothing there and some how I have to try to find the money to live on and that is difficult when I am totally disabled now. I believe that there need to be many changes. Some checks and balances so that we the people do not always have to keep paying for decisions they are making. This country was founded on "OF THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE AND BY THE PEOPLE". We need to take that power back from the legislators and their high mightedness. They should have to pay just like the rest of us. Health care certainly doesn't come easy for us so why should it for all the polititians. And there is much more that they should be accountable for as well. We all need to speak up and if anyone wants to they need to start banding together to do so. Lets start with forming a band called "OF, FOR AND BY THE PEOPLE". Lets start making ourselves heard and seen. Lets do it so that we aren't sorted out. Lets do it together. kwlillis51@hotmail.com |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By BRUCE on
2/23/2010 |
yOU MUST STOP SPENDING MONEY WE DONT HAVE, MY CHILDREN AND GRAND CHILDREN WILL BE SLAVES TO THE SYSTEM (WELFARE STATE)
WHY NOT SET UP A REWARD SYSTEM FOR TURNING IN WELFARE CHEATS, I COULD NAME A FEW AS COULD MOST PEOPLE, IWOULD BE WILLING TO DONATE THE REWARD BACK TO THE STATE. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA - Looking for an Override |
By Cakexner on
2/23/2010 |
| Raise taxes, this is Minnesota NOT Mississippi, we are better then this. We are more educated. Look at the figures it would only take $2.71 a week for those households over 130% of poverty to eliminate the state's deficit, or a 2 cent rise in the sales tax. Good grief most people waste more money then that a week. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By dan.mcgrath on
2/23/2010 |
| You are so wrong. It would require either an across the board increase of 30% in income taxes or a 56% increase in sales taxes to close the deficit. In addition, the state's unfunded liabilities (outside the general fund deficit) equal over $60 billion (that's $30,000 per Minnesota household above and beyond normal taxes paid). |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By james walsh on
2/24/2010 |
| I work for my benifits. I don`t owe free medical to anyone. Believe it or not ...healthcare is not a constitutional right. The govt has no business in this business. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By S Klatt on
2/24/2010 |
| We cannot pay off what we already owe in debt so why would we want to increase it? We simply cannot afford this bill! Stop SF2186, please. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Beth Seeliger on
2/24/2010 |
| ENOUGH !!!!!!! PLEASE HEAR US !!!!!!!!! |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Von on
2/24/2010 |
| I've worked all my adult life and paid taxes to this irresponsible state of MN. Now that I have to rely GMAC due to illness beyond my control. I, as a tax paying citizen of MN SHOULD be able to have access to it. It is those who have NEVER paid taxes in MN and come from other states to "Money-apolis" to take advantage of the system. How difficult is that for you ppl to figure out??? Dont punish the ppl who deserve this program, REFORM it. It is completely out of control!!! I see it first hand, having to deal with the idiotic county workers to the unbelievable moronic way they calculate the food program. I paid my dues and am entitled. I shouldnt be treated like a 3rd class citizen because of it! Pawlenty was a hypocrite from the beginning and has run our state to the ground. Open your eyes!! |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By dan.mcgrath on
2/24/2010 |
| Von - No private sector individual who pays for their own medical insurance gets unlimited medical coverage such as is provided by GAMC, yet they all have to pitch in to provide a benefit to people who aren't working (whether through no fault of their own or not is irrelevant) a benefit the private sector taxpayer could not receive themselves? Moving GAMC enrollees to MNCare IS reform. Minnesota Care is insurance coverage very similar to what everyone else gets - it's more than "fair" and it costs the taxpayers of Minnesota much less. GAMC was unsustainable and certainly NO ONE is entitled to it. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By rangenurse on
2/24/2010 |
| I work in Healthcare and have been outraged by people that have GAMC that use their benefit as a free pass to any ER Dept. They go there for sore throats, earaches etc..Maybe if they had to get prior authorization for any ER visits some of the cosots could have been avoided. Minnesota has been way too kind for too long. The other issue is people who move to Minnesota because of our kindness. They come right out and say they moved here because of this. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Sandy of White Bear Lake on
2/24/2010 |
| I commend our govenor !!! He has always had Minnesota as his best interest in taking care of the state. We are in deep money wise but if WE all come together as one and quit having sides, we can help make a difference in our state. We should all be on the same team, thats what can make a HUGE difference in Minnesota !! You go Govenor Pawlenty !!!! |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By M. Sagar on
2/24/2010 |
| These are tough times for all of us! If families have to cut back, THEN THE GOVERNMENT MUST CUT BACK! NO MORE SPENDING!!! THAT INCLUDES HEALTH CARE!!! |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Mike from Elk River on
2/24/2010 |
| This GMAC problem is only the tip of the ice berg. Any one who lives on a budget can see more pain is ahead. Yes the poor will suffer, but if the problem isn't corrected more people will end up suffering. Government isn't the answer, hitting the taxpayer with more taxes isn't the answer. Remember less people working means less people paying taxes. Veto this bill and others like it. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By teresa certuche on
2/24/2010 |
| you need to stop spending and be more responsible with our money. i think we need to get you all out of office and start new because i think to many years in office corrupts you people so less time in office just might make you all concentrate on the matters at hand and not how to con people into voting for you again then maybe the people we have in office will do for the people instead of themselves |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Barb on
2/25/2010 |
| People need to take on their personal responsibilities, themselves. Accountable to their own expenses, within their own means, whatever the financial status. It's the idea of the "American". It's the only way for this country to be free. If this ugliness in government isn't stopped, freedom and independence will. |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By Gary Spooner on
3/8/2010 |
| The people who cannot afford insurance should not depend on the taxpayer to pick up the load. Let them die. WHAT IDIOCY!!! The conservative movement has no compassion whatsoever. What do we do with people who cannot afford to fend for themselves? |
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Re: GAMC Bill DOA |
By dan.mcgrath on
3/8/2010 |
| What a foolish and ignorant comment. Minnesota has four different medical assistance programs. Do we need four different programs to meet the needs of the poor and uninsured? Surely not. How much is wasted in maintaining those seperate bureaucracies? It's not about lacking compassion, it's about posessing common sense. What aid we do provide to the poor should be done in the most effecient and effective way possible and it shouldn't bankrupt our state providing better (unlimited, total) medical coverage for people who don't work, while the people paying the philanthropic bill (the working taxpayers) don't have nearly as good medical insurance themselves. GAMC is simply unsustainable and needs to be dismantled and replaced with coverage more on par with what the rest of us have. |
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