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University of Wisconsin–Madison
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty

Budget Cuts and Programs for the Poor – Minnesota

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  • Health care for poor rescued, By Warren Wolfe, May 7, 2010, Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune: “It appears that Gov. Tim Pawlenty blinked. A compromise state health plan for the very poor, on the verge of collapse just a few days ago, was rescued this week when the Pawlenty administration changed course and negotiated with participating hospitals to limit the number of patients each will see. As a result, Hennepin County Medical Center and three other metro hospitals will participate in a slimmed-down version of General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC), a health plan for thousands of Minnesota’s poorest and sickest residents. The four hospitals serve about 47 percent of the current 36,426 enrollees, none outstate. The remaining 144 Minnesota hospitals will treat patients and dip into a $20 million fund for that purpose…”
  • Could a budget crisis force compromise at the Capitol?, By Tom Scheck, May 7, 2010, Minnesota Public Radio: “Gov. Tim Pawlenty is scheduled to meet with members of his cabinet Friday to discuss the state’s budget problems in light of the recent Supreme Court ruling that undermines his ability to balance the budget on his own. Pawlenty and legislative leaders met twice Thursday to discuss how the state will react to the ruling that could make the state’s budget problems dramatically worse. The governor has canceled a political trip to South Carolina this weekend to continue negotiations. When the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that Pawlenty’s unilateral budget cuts were unlawful, the prospects for the state budget twisted from a major problem to a potential tailspin…”
  • If you thought the state’s budget was shaky before…, By Bill Salisbury, May 6, 2010, Pioneer Press: “Minnesota is in danger of running out of cash if people whose aid Gov. Tim Pawlenty cut unilaterally last year sue to get their money back. The state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that Pawlenty overstepped his authority by single-handedly cutting state funding for a small nutrition program. But that ruling opened the door for others affected by the governor’s $2.7 billion in budget reductions to seek to have their state funds restored…”