Tuesday may mark the start of a season of sacrifice for Minnesota.

With billions in red ink, no reserves left to spend and a Republican-dominated government that isn’t keen on raising taxes, we can expect to see state government redefined during the legislative session that begins tomorrow (or perhaps in a series of special sessions this summer). Practically no budget area can expect to be safe.

It would be nice to be able to say all will be well as long as legislators stay away from the most important services, like education, health and human services, local government aid and transportation. But without those, there isn’t much left to cut. So, even the services Minnesotans have come to expect or rely on the most will likely be scaled back.

Making the situation more difficult is a large crop of rookie legislators who will be thrown directly into the fire.

Only time will tell whether the cutting will be too deep, or whether the kind of reforms that will be needed this year will represent a positive move toward more limited government.

Tribune editorials represent the opinion of the newspaper’s management and editorial staff.