The process of unallotment^[1] chosen by the governor of Minnesota — as is his right by law — has raised the ire of lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled legislative branch. Through this action, Governor Tim Pawlenty, who is widely believed to have designs on a presidential run in 2012, has unilaterally made cuts into many programs overseen by the state’s Department of Human Services.

Many of those of programs are Medicaid-funded and, most notably, include Minnesota’s General Assistance Medical Care.^[2] While proposed cuts to programs such as this have made the headlines, it is a lawsuit by six indigent patients against the governor that is shining a spotlight on a state program that covers special diets for terminally ill patients. The program’s entire $5M budget is slashed because of Pawlenty’s unallotments, leaving the nearly 5100 elegible patients for the program vulnerable. | LINK

1. The Governor has the authority to reduce the amount of state spending to prevent a deficit. Minnesota’s Constitution requires a balanced budget. Total: $2.76B, $236M from the Dept. of Human Svcs. [↩]
2. Human Services expenditures make up almost 30% of the state general fund and are largely responsible for dramatically increasing state government costs. In an effort to limit direct impacts to individuals, as well as avoid further reductions to hospitals and nursing facilities, targeted reductions include ending General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) coverage on March 1, 2010 [↩]

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