Pawlenty signs emergency order to guarantee essential services

Betsy Sundquist//May 7, 2010

Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty this morning signed an emergency executive order for “emergency cash management planning for prioritization of core government services.”

The order comes in the wake of Wednesday’s ruling by the Minnesota Supreme Court which declared that Pawlenty had overstepped his authority in unallotting $2.7 billion last summer from the state budget.

The order authorizes Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Tom Hanson to “prepare and review” the department’s operational plans to identify core government services that will be funded on a funds-available basis “should the current fiscal crisis result in appropriated and allotted spending obligations continuing to exceed funding available in the state general fund.”

“Core government services” are defined as those that relate to the “life, health and safety of Minnesota citizens.”

Pawlenty’s order notes that the Legislature is scheduled to adjourn on May 17, “but has still not enacted an acceptable and appropriate balanced budget plan for the biennium.”