While Minnesota Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty flew around his state yesterday talking helpful energy policy, North Dakota Governor John Hoeven sat and did nothing about heating aid issues facing this state. The article from The Forum today best explains Pawlenty's stance. Although some Democrats in Minnesota don't think it is enough, it is encouraging to many.
(link to the Forum article referenced above)
What a crock of baloney.
As I have pointed out again and again, last year North Dakotans got, on average, $933 for heating aid. While heating prices have been going up, it is clear that North Dakotans who need it are already getting plenty of it and Washington has promised to adjust the amount federal funding needed for this upward to match rising energy costs.
There is no problem, thus there is no need for Hoeven to do anything. There is no need to use our state's budget surplus to fix problems that don't exist.
This is an issue of convenience for state Democrats. They're grasping for criticism to hurl at a popular Governor who is doing a terrific job ($100 million state budget surplus, unemployment rate hovering around 3%, approval rating in the 70's) and this is any easy one to twist to their purposes. They're trying to make it sound like, because the Governor is not willing to spend more tax dollars on a program that doesn't need it, that he doesn't care about keeping the poor warm.
Clearly, that's not true. Governor Hoeven is exercising some fiscal restraint, and I applaud him for it.