Editorial: State of state / Undervaluing government's role


A memorable moment in Gov. Tim Pawlenty's first state of the state address, delivered Thursday, came when he held up the dollar bill sent to him by Phyllis Bakke of Northfield as a voluntary contribution to the state budget.

Pawlenty saluted Bakke for her "spirit of giving and sacrifice," and called on Minnesotans to show more of the same.

There used to be a way in which Minnesotans could come together to make such contributions, through the consent of a majority of their elected representatives. It was called a tax increase.

an undervalued concept, by me.