PRIORITIES FOR WHERE TO SPEND MONEY.

>> Eric: GOOD STUFF, THOUGH, THANKS.

>> Cathy: THANK YOU.

>> ERIC: LAWMAKERS HEADED HOME EARLY THIS WEEK FOR HOLIDAY BREAK BUT NOT BEFORE SOME ATTENDED THE GOVERNOR’S STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS IN OWATONNA.

REPORTER MARY LAHAMMER GIVES US CONTEXT ON WHY THE LAST THREE GOVERNORS HAVE TAKEN THE IMPORTANT SPEECH ON THE ROAD.

[ Applause ] >> Mary: GOVERNOR TIM WALZ WENT ON THE ROAD TO WATONNA TO DELIVER HIS STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS.

>> I'M PROUD TO REPORT THAT THE STATE OF OUR STATE IS STRONG.

MINNESOTA.

[ Applause ] >> Mary: WALZ IS NOT THE FIRST GOVERNOR TO PICK A NEW VENUE.

IN FACT, BOTH HIS PREDECESSORS DID.

GOVERNOR DAYTON DELIVERED AN ADDRESS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA WHEN THE CAPITOL WAS CLOSED FOR CONSTRUCTION.

>> MINNESOTA WORKS BECAUSE WE WORK HARD TO MAKE IT WORK.

>> TRUE OR NOT TRUE THAT YOU HAVE PTSD FROM HAVING TO TAKE GUBERNATORIAL ADDRESSES ON THE ROAD?

>> IT'S A LOGISTICAL NIGHTMARE FOR MOST IF YOU'RE ATTENTION TO DETAIL PERSON LIKE I AM.

BUT WE HAD A GREAT TEAM THAT REALLY WENT TO WORK.

BUT IT IS NOT EASY.

I MEAN, YOU'RE IN A GLORIOUS HOUSE CHAMBERS HERE WHERE IT TRADITIONALLY HAPPENS.

IT'S, I WOULDN'T SAY EASY, BUT IT'S BUILT-IN INFRASTRUCTURE.

WHEN YOU GO ON THE ROAD, YOU HAVE TO TAKE EVERYTHING WITH YOU.

>> Mary: GOVERNOR PAWLENTY WENT ON THE ROAD TWICE.

FIRST TO ROCHESTER.

>> TELEPROMPTERS TO COMMISSIONERS, STATE PATROL, IT'S A SECURITY NIGHTMARE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THAT.

BUT IT'S GLORIOUS FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES TO HOST A STATE OF THE STATE.

I MEAN, IT REALLY ELEVATES THOSE COMMUNITIES AND IT'S REALLY FUN.

>> PAWLENTY WON'T RAISE TAXES, BLAH BLAH BLAH.

WELL, WHERE'S YOUR PLAN?

>> Mary: St.

CLOUD WAS THE SECOND SITE FOR THE REPUBLICAN WITH RATHER POOR ATTENDANCE.

>> I STILL HAVE AN IMPORTANT TOOL TO RESTRAIN TAXES AND SPENDING.

I CALL IT THE TAXPAYER PROTECTION PANEL.

TAXPAYER PROTECTION PEN.

OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE VETO PEN.

AS I THINK YOU'LL KNOW, I WILL NOT HESITATE TO USE IT TO STOP GOVERNMENT FROM DIGGING INTO YOUR WALLETS.

>> Mary: WE COULD SEE PAWLENTY'S ASPIRATIONS.

>> I CAN HONESTLY SAY, BEING IN THE ROOM AS THAT SPEECH WAS BEING DEVELOPED, THAT WASN'T AN INTENTIONAL PRIORITY.

>> Mary: WE BOTH NOTICED GOVERNOR WALZ WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF AMERICAN FLAGS, NOT A MINNESOTA FLAG, OLD OR NEW.

IS THERE A MESSAGE IN THAT, PERHAPS?

>> I THINK THERE'S A SUBTLE -- I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS INTENTIONAL OR NOT.

IT CERTAINLY CAN BE SUBLIMINAL.

I THINK THERE'S GREAT PHOTO OP INVOLVED IN THAT.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME WITH THE CONTROVERSY AROUND THE MINNESOTA STATE FLAG, YOU CAN'T PUT THAT BACK THERE EITHER.

>> Mary: THE CURRENT GOVERNOR GAVE UP LIVE STATEWIDE TELEVISION BY NOT CHOOSING THE CAPITOL.

WELCOME TO A SPECIAL EDITION OF "ALMANAC: AT THE CAPITOL," I'M MARY LAHAMMER, COMING TO YOU FROM THE HOUSE GALLERY, WHERE GOVERNOR TIM WALZ IS ABOUT TO DELIVER HIS STATE OF THE STATE ADDRESS.

WALZ'S WORLD HAS SHIFTED SINCE HIS LAST ADDRESS WITH LITTLE MONEY LEFT TO SPEND.

THEY'RE SITTING ON A RECORD $17.5 BILLION BUDGET SURPLUS.

>> THERE WERE BROKEN PROMISES.

THOSE DOLLARS WERE NOT RETURNED BACK TO MINNESOTANS IN A MEANINGFUL AND TAX RELIEF WAY.

>> Mary: LEGISLATIVE LEADERS FROM DIFFERENT PARTIES, OF COURSE, DIFFERED IN THEIR RESPONSE.

>> THE PART OF THE SPEECH THAT I LIKED THE BEST WAS WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT HOW WE HAVE TO KIND OF BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND.

ONE DAY WE WILL ALL WALK OUT OF THE STATE CAPITOL FOR THE LAST TIME AND WE HAVE TO ASK OURSELVES IF THE THINGS THAT WE DID WERE GOOD FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA, AND I THINK THE ANSWER IS A RESOUNDING YES.

>> WE'RE GOING TO LEAVE A LITTLE BIT OLDER, SOME A LOT OLDER, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT GRAYER, BUT HOPEFULLY ALL OF US A LITTLE WISER.

WE WALK OUT THE DOORS OF THE CAPITOL IN St. PAUL FOR THE LAST TIME, WE'RE GOING TO GET THAT OPPORTUNITY, EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US, TO ASK OURSELVES A SIMPLE QUESTION.

WHAT KIND OF FUTURE HAVE WE BUILT?

NOT FOR US.

BUT FOR OUR KIDS AND THE STATE THAT WE LOVE.

>> Mary: NO ONE'S EXACTLY SURE WHAT'S NEXT FOR WALZ.

>> I THINK WALZ IS DOING AS MUCH NATIONAL MEDIA, THOUGH, AS PAWLENTY WAS AT THIS POINT IN HIS SECOND TERM.

ARE YOU SEEING SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE TWO?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

AND THERE'S A VOICE TO BE PLAYED.

I MEAN, PEOPLE WANT THE MIDWEST LEADER TO COME ON AND TALK ABOUT NATIONAL ISSUES.

I THINK IT'S AN ATTRACTIVE THING.

AND THERE'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS FROM BOTH THOSE GOVERNORS.

SO THERE ARE SIMILARITIES WHEN THE NATIONAL PRESS LOOKS FOR A VOICE ON ISSUES.

AND I WOULD LOVE TO SEE ANOTHER EXECUTIVE, A GOVERNOR, ACHIEVE THE PRESIDENCY.

BUT, AGAIN, IT'S A GAUNTLET.

I MEAN, YOU HAVE TO NAVIGATE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS AND IT REALLY, FOR SOMEBODY IN THE MIDWEST OR FROM MINNESOTA, IT STARTS IN IOWA.

>> Mary: WHAT DO YOU THINK IS AHEAD FOR GOVERNOR WALZ?

DO YOU THINK IT'S A THIRD TERM?

>> I WOULD SAY YES.

NOBODY'S ACTUALLY DONE IT.

I KNOW GOVERNOR PERPICH HAD HIS TEN YEARS.

AND -- BUT, AT THE SAME TIME, I THINK THIS IS A JOB E REALLY ENJOYS.

AND I THINK WHY NOT?

I DON'T SEE SOMEBODY WHO'S READY TO LEAVE IN TWO MORE YEARS.

SO, WE'LL SEE.

AT THE SAME TIME, EIGHT YEARS IS A PRETTY LONG