Talking Points for large-screen TVs for Sex Offenders in Moose Lake

• Here’s what happened: 
• 25 50-inch plasma TVs were purchased for patients at the sex offender treatment facility in Moose Lake. They cost nearly $2,300 each or more than $57,000 total.
• Pawlenty ordered the TVs unplugged and sold. He called the decision to purchase the TVs “boneheaded.” 

• Thanks to Governor Pawlenty for finally rolling up his sleeves and looking at waste in the state budget. MAPE members have developed great ideas on how to trim waste from the state budget. We strongly encourage the governor to review these ideas and implement them today.
• Since May, MAPE has been encouraging the governor to trim approximately $357 million in waste from the state budget. Gov. Pawlenty has refused to implement the savings.
• Gov. Pawlenty is ultimately responsible for the operations of state government, and decisions like those involving the purchase of large-screen TVs for the Moose Lake facility.  It is the governor’s appointees who are making these “boneheaded” decisions. Ultimately, Governor Pawlenty only has himself to blame for the decision to purchase large-screen TVs. The buck should stop on Governor Pawlenty’s desk.
• At the same time as the issue of large-screen TVs purchased for the Moose Lake facility patients came to light, the facility has been eliminating security positions. The public needs to be concerned that they are reducing security positions at the facility.
• This underscores the misplaced priorities of the Pawlenty Administration. They’d rather spend money on large-screen TVs than keep the public safe. They’d rather cut programs that help Minnesotans, than eliminate waste from government.   

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