Pawlenty scores in New Ulm

Gov.-elect practices with NUHS hockey team; hears

concerns of citizens

By RON LARSEN

Journal Staff Writer

NEW ULM -- "He's pretty quick on the ground, and it went through my five hole."

That was senior goalie Jeremy Mueller's assessment of Gov.-elect Tim Pawlenty's performance on the ice at Vogel Arena Friday afternoon.

Wearing No. 44 on his Minnesota Gophers jersey, Pawlenty spent more than 30 minutes on the ice with the 3-1 New Ulm High School Eagles varsity boys hockey team. The governor-elect took part in scoring and passing drills during the Eagles' practice.

"They're a tough, good team," Pawlenty said afterwards. "It's fair to say that the goalie was gracious and let me score that goal."

"Is that what he said?" Mueller asked, sounding a bit surprised. "It was a real neat experience; it was a lot more than I expected."

The governor-elect seemed to enjoy the break from reporters' questions about the monster state budget deficit, and how he is going to attack it without raising taxes.

"That question always comes up at every stop," Pawlenty said, almost wistfully, upon his arrival in New Ulm. However, he would address the same question, or variations on the deficit theme, five or six times before he left in his limousine for Mankato an hour and 20 minutes later.

He went out of his way to let locals know that he would be back in a matter of weeks to chair what he called a "mini-summit on economic development in southwestern Minnesota."

As he went from one photo opportunity to another, including being photographed with the boys and girls hockey teams before he dressed for the practice and then again in uniform, Pawlenty sought out concerns from bystanders.

Mayor Arnold Koelpin got his ear for a moment to talk about preserving local government aid dollars for the community.

Carli Lindemann, executive director of Oak Hills Living Center with its nursing home and assisted living facilities, made a pitch for more long-term care aid.

Pawlenty, who had given his lieutenant governor-elect, former State Rep. Carol Molnau of Bernadotte, some time off from the statewide tour to finish some details on her new home, said K-12 education and health care which when combined make up 60 percent of the budget won't be immune from budget scrutiny. And he remained firm on his stand that dealing with the huge deficit still should not involve tax increases.

What he was learning with his tour, he told reporters, was that people in Minnesota are most concerned about "the deficit, the loss of jobs, rising health care costs for seniors, employees and others, and that there is a need for health care reform and stemming education costs."

He also said there has not been any new developments with the deficit that would change his stance.

"I still consider it an opportunity to make government more efficient and more responsive," he said.

How does he feel about President Bush jaw-boning him into running for governor rather than the U.S. Senate?

"It's the best thing that could have happened," he said. "It's what I really wanted, and it allows me to spend more time with my family."

But, there are times, he admits, that he is a little envious of his Republican colleague, U.S. Sen.-elect Norm Coleman.

"He can fly off to Washington, D.C., and leave all this (deficit) stuff behind."