$5.2 Billion. Where does one start with the cuts?

Good question, it'll be a process for sure

Make the Governor, Representatives and Senators work for $1 a year. If the Governor came out and said "I will work for $1 a year to help the state just a little" he would set himself up nicely for a Presidential run

not sure on mn, but here is a good federal example of waste

U.S. Capitol Rolling Out Over-Priced Welcome Mat

(Washington, D.C.) The nation’s premier taxpayer watchdog group, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today expressed dismay over the exorbitant final price tag for the Capitol Visitors Center (CVC).

Initially conceived in the early 1990s and projected to cost $71 million, the CVC has become an example of out-of-control government contracting and mismanagement. After costs ballooned and construction schedules spiraled out of control, the three-level, underground monument to congressional excess finally came in at a whopping $621 million and three years behind schedule

How many govt. employees does this state have?
Are there too many??
How many hours are wasted by bad planning? Lazy employees?
Why pay overtime for plow drivers when there's more drivers than trucks?
Why when going to the state DMV you wait in long lines and see the people you finally get to talk to,they were the ones standing around the lobby BSin for most the morn?
When a backhoe operator stops diggin cause they need a man in the hole,why do they have to wait till a laborer gets there?
Why in the fall do they temparily surface a road only to resurface it in spring and have to remove the temp surface?
that same road Why did they start it in AUG? When next spring it has to be redon anyway?
Why does population go up making taxes more available and we yet get less bang for the rising taxes? Too many employees?? Too much wasted time waiting for the laborer,Why do projects twice like those roads?

Start by changing the state law in regard to non-english speaking drivers licensing. Currently the state must pay for any non-english speaking person to have an interpreter present for their drivers test. Also the state must print the drivers license manual in multiple other languages. That'd save some cash right there.

Spend money to make money. Start buy bringing in people to do cost analysis on the waste of govt spending. See what cutbacks can be made. I love state parks, but now is not the time to spend millions on one. Hire more poeple to keep track of the ones that abuse welfare and foster care. The money is all there but you have to be accountable for how it's spent. Shore up all the accountability and it will start to turn around.

CUTS??? LOL HA HA HA!!!!!!! Do you actually think there will be cuts? I bet once the legislature meets they RAISE TAXES and propose spending INCREASES!!

They will do the same thing they have done recently. Wack the heck out of user fees to feed the health care monster. Ready for $60 a carton for smokes, $30 a case for [PoorWordUsage] beer, more cuts to state provided services that will be kicked to the county and then the city and ultimately to our property taxes. Look north if you want to see where we're headed.

The state population is going DOWN.

This likely can be attributed to the number of taxes and fees that seem to be neverending and always increasing which is making it difficult for citizens to make ends meet. It's the dog chasing it's tail theory: Revenue decreases therefore taxes are increased to compensate for losses instead of cutting spending = people move out of state. Repeat chorus.

Same thing is happening in NY. People are tired of it and are moving to more economic friendly states that have more to offer anyway.

Really?

"From July 2004 to July 2005, Minnesota's population increased by 36,253 people, or 0.7 percent. The state's population on July 1, 2005 was 5,132,800. Since the 2000 Census, Minnesota's population has increased by 213,307 people, or 4.3 percent, ranking 19th among states in number of people added and 22nd in percentage growth."

Doubt anybody here is really familiar enough wtih State operations to know where to cut... There are some programs we could look at eliminating in my mind and I think some of those are extras that many states don't offer. I don't want to pay for Rolls Royce services in every department, a Cadillac is MORE than good enough for me. I'm not saying I want a Yugo either, but we seem to go far beyond some. I'm tired of the shifting to local govt game too. If the state had to get a check from us for our income taxes the way the locals have to for our property taxes they'd be a lot more accountable!!! Anybody know how much sales tax you paid last year? Anybody really know how much income tax you've paid in so far this year???

Start by making Minnesota more "business friendly".
Again and again bills to lure new investment to Minnesota get stripped down or washed out completely.
Tax credits for new business as well as established business are desperately needed in Minnesota.

Minnesota is tops for people moving to and staying put. nobody is moving out of Minnesota because of how we run things or our Taxes......geeez!

Wrong. The estimated 2010 census is showing a decrease in the population growth. In fact, MN may lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives because of that.

And yes, people are moving out due to the business climate.