Governor Pawlenty uses line-item veto to slash construction bill

Governor Pawlenty made substantial across the board cuts to many programs in the bonding bill, including reducing the $1 billion request for construction projects by $319 million . MN Building and Construction Trades President Harry Melander said, "By reducing the bonding bill the Governor is again acting irresponsibly and preventing thousands of Minnesotans from going back to work." Said MN AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson, "Each veto means thousands of new, family-sustaining jobs won’t be created."

Upon news of Governor Tim Pawlenty’s out-of-state veto of a number of critical projects from a jobs and infrastructure bill, Minnesota AFL-CIO President Shar Knutson said, “While Governor Pawlenty vacations and plays partisan politics in Florida, there are thousands of Minnesotans who desperately want to stop collecting unemployment checks and start earning pay checks again.

Each veto means thousands of new, family-sustaining jobs won’t be created.

It’s time for the Governor to come home and work with lawmakers on a balanced approach that grows jobs & improves Minnesota’s quality of life.

The MN AFL-CIO says a conservative estimate of Pawlenty's line item vetoes means about 7,000 fewer good jobs.