The Star Tribune and Taxes, Again

The Star Tribune once again fails to stand up for it's editorial convictions. In one of today's editorials, they discuss the likelihood that this year's bonding bill will stall in the DFL-controlled state Senate. They praise the governor's unwillingness to tap the state's 630 million dollar budget reserve, then say

But Minnesotans should also let Pawlenty know that they want him to play a governor's role in coming weeks, not that of the House majority leader he once was. When the House and Senate disagree, people expect the governor to be a deal maker, not a party to the fight. The best governors have been willing to bend on some of their own positions for the sake of the state's higher good. Pawlenty's letter to legislators insisted again on "no new state taxes." Governing well requires greater flexibility.

What they are really mean is, "We agree with the DFL's spending plans, and we want Governor Pawlenty to agree to a tax increase to pay for them." Why don't show their courage in their convictions and just say so? If the self-styled "Newspaper of the Twin Cities" wants us to pay more taxes, they should have the stones to tell us what taxes should be raised, who will be paying the freight, and why they should be happy about it. Instead, we get mealy-mouthed criticism of the governor.