health Impact Fee approved by courts

In what is a victory for all tax payers (the Tobacco companies would have pocketed the money otherwise) the health impact fee has been ruled legal. It literally is enough money for one of the three stadiums, so while the money has already been spent it is very significant.

This is both good and bad news for Governor Pawlenty. Any extra money available in an election year is always a good thing, but it also means a tax (as I watch the governor proudly state that the courts called it a fee) the "no new taxes" governor signed into law is not going away. At least one of the Governors challengers is going to make a big deal about this day in and day out throughout the campaign, it will no doubt have some negative on how Pawlenty does in November.