Minnesota House Republicans seem intent on taking Minnesota back to the Pawlenty era and the days of budget deficits and austerity.

During the Pawlenty administration, when “no new taxes” was the mantra, the state budget ran billions of dollars short, resulting in the need to cut state spending on education, cut LGA funding, cut transportation. As a result cities and counties had to raise property taxes, school districts had to cut programs and teachers just to keep up with inflation, state college and university students had to borrow more for tuition, and road and bridge repair projects were shelved while the roads and bridges continued to deteriorate.

So far this session, the Republicans controlling the House have passed a transportation plan that shortchanges needed projects like Highway 14, a plan to slash Local Government Aid for Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth – which would certainly create large property tax increases in those cities – and this week they passed an Education plan that provides a tiny increase, .6 percent a year for two years in the state funding formula, a figure sure to send school boards back into budget cutting mode.

This austerity is needed to fund the GOP’s budget plan, which would include about $2 billion in tax cuts for businesses and middle class taxpayers.

Minnesota does have nearly a $2 billion surplus. There are needs, especially in education and transportation, that the state should be working on meeting. Spending money for education and safe roads should not be considered state profligacy.