Regarding local KSTP's news story 12/1, about Minneapolis & St. Paul's hiring freeze and budget deficits, I'd thoroughly enjoy reminding you how it all started.
Liberal, weak-spined, feel-good, nannyist, lawmakers capitulated to Nicoderm (RWJF) funded smoking ban activists (link) such as ALAMN, CTFK, etc. and enacted rent seeking smoking ban laws in 2005 which not only eliminated customers but also more than 200 local hospitality establishments , along with approximately 10,000 local jobs .
Mind you, these businesses and jobs were eliminated due to onerous and unnecessary local government action long before our current economic meltdown. And as a matter of fact it is not a stretch to point out that these rent seeking ordinances (smoking bans) were a significant factor in bringing about this recessionary period we are now experiencing.
We can clearly and squarely blame Minnesota's current economic woes on local misguided lawmakers and their actions.
How did smoking bans contribute to the home foreclosure crisis?
http://cleanairquality.blogspot.com/2006/12/eviction-hearing-courtesy-of.html
Update: This is just unheard of! A Minnesota lawmaker who demands that lawmakers live (legislate) within their means .
http://www.mnspendingfreeze.com/news.html
What's next? Intelligience? Common Sense? Fiscal responsibility? Let's not get too hopeful....the MN House and Senate are still dominated by Democrats.