Posted 4/4/01 Governorís veto pen is within sight By T.W. Budig ECM capitol reporter Gov. Ventura was upset with two of his predecessors last week, saying heíd never do what they did. The two culprits were Arne Carlson and Wendell Anderson, both of whom recently testified before a Senate higher education committee and poked holes in the administrationís higher education funding proposal. First of all, itís just the idea of the two showing up, Ventura explained to Greater Minnesota journalist last Thursday. ìIt troubles me only in the fact I wouldnít do that when I leave office. Whoever comes after, Iím not going to try to sit in their chair,î said Ventura. At the heart of the matter lurks politics, Ventura ex-plained. Heís third party ñ the anomaly, the blip on the screen ñ and DFLers and Republicans sensed a vulnerability and attacked it, Ventura said. ìThey looked at it (education) as my Achillesí heel, politically. I made a stand and demanded accountability,î he said. Heís not anti-education, Ventura insisted. ìI donít believe education is a blackhole; itís the way weíre paying for it and the system weíre using,î he said with some evident exasperation. The governor stuck fast to his proposed budgeting, chiding House Republicans for promising increased education spending without specifying what they propose to cut to pay for it. Do they want me to abolish the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency? Ventura asked rhetorically. Tell me what they want me to cut, he demanded, thumping the table top and testing pocket recorder manufacturersí claims of durability. Ventura repeated his vow to veto major growth in government spending, saying thereís no way heíll stand for a 25 percent increase in spending over his four years. ìI will not allow that under my watch. The veto pen is right in there,î he said, gesturing towards his office where the veto pen and other implements are kept. The governor said heís sticking with his whole budget package ñ sales tax expansion, everything. And as the legislative session now enters its latter phases, he seemed to indicate that he felt himself in as good of a position to negotiate as anyone. ìYou canít get income tax cuts and property tax cuts without doing the sales tax piece,î said Ventura. ìThey (House Republicans and Senate DFLers) have to meet in conference committee,î he said. ìWhat do they have to agree on,î said Ventura, making a very good point. His main focus remains on making governmental reforms, said the self-styled political ìanomaly.î ìWhen they (House and Senate) make some decisions, come and talk to me about it,î Ventura said. ©Post Review