The budget presented by Gov.

Wednesday, January 24, 2001

The budget presented by Gov. Jesse Ventura Tuesday pleased some and angered others, but as state spending is hashed out over the next months, it will be most important for all sides to keep an open mind.

That includes Ventura, who made the unrealistic request that none of his budget be changed by legislators – as if they’ll give it a rubber stamp and let the governor have everything he wants.

Lawmakers are supposed to use the governor’s suggestions as a starting point from which to craft a budget, and that’s what they’ll do. In areas such as higher education and transportation, to name two, valid arguments can be made that more funds are needed. Ventura will have better luck getting his proposals passed if he understands and accepts that his budget isn’t going to survive intact.

On the other side, lawmakers have a duty to seriously consider the ideas Ventura has put forth, even those that are unconventional. Expanding the sales tax is considered a political hand grenade, but Ventura is proposing cutting other taxes to offset the changed sales tax. He’s talking about a different and possibly more fair tax distribution, not a tax increase. Because the idea is new and may sound scary doesn’t mean it’s a bad one. The same goes for the other legs of Ventura’s property-tax and school-funding proposals.

Last year should have taught all involved that compromise will be necessary if anything is to get done. That will be easier to achieve if Democrats, Republicans and Ventura try to think outside their partisan boxes when they act this session.