Minnesota House Minority Leader Marty Seifert said Tuesday night that support to local governments likely will be cut in the state budget, and he said all areas of government will look to cut costs, with the Legislature recommending a 5 percent cut.

The longtime state representative from Marshall spoke at the Freeborn County Republican Appreciation Dinner about welfare reform, ways to refocus the party and the 2009 state budget.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty recently released his 2009 state budget.

It has a projected deficit of $4.8 billion. Spending pertaining to nursing homes, public safety and veterans will not be cut, but Seifert said spending will be reduced for things such as the humanities commission and the higher education budget.

Part of saving money may include cutting government employees, Seifert said. Tough decisions are needed, Seifert said, to make things more efficient and to see if certain jobs can be consolidated.

It is possible Minnesota could receive money from the federal stimulus package, but Seifert said he doesn’t believe using that money, much of which would be borrowed, is a good idea.

“Where is this money going to come from, I’m kind of wondering?” Seifert said. “It’s going to come from us or our kids or our grandkids, because it’s got to be paid back. … I am hopeful that people don’t get panicked into having to vote for something just for the sake of having to vote for something.”

In light of the surplus and the budget deficits both in the state and federal governments, Seifert said Republicans must examine what they stand for.

“Now that George W. Bush is out of office, and a lot of these Republicans who enjoy pork and scandal and the bribery and the rest are gone, maybe we can be Republicans again, and say we don’t like deficits, and we don’t like wasted money, and we don’t like pork projects. It’s OK to say that, isn’t it? There are some people who kind of lost their way,” Seifert said.

Seifert had a message for Republicans disappointed after the 2008 elections. Democrats currently hold the majority with 87 seats to the Republicans’ 47, but Seifert said it’s not like the 1970s, when at one point the Democratic majority was 103 to 31.

“For those of you who are down in spirit about elections last fall, I can tell you that the pendulum will swing, but we need to push the pendulum, not just ride the pendulum. People need a reason to vote for us, not just to vote against the Democrats.”

Some Republican candidates have been successful in attacking Democrats, but Seifert said candidates have to be able to tell voters what the party stands for.

One thing Seifert stands for is a reform bill to adjust Minnesota welfare, and he was recently involved with a press release on the issue. The press release addressed things such as electronic benefit transfer cards. According to Seifert, if the bill passes, EBT cards would no longer be able to be cashed out and would only be used for commodities and can only be used in the state of Minnesota with photo identification.

Seifert said welfare debit cards can be used for items that are not necessities, and some of the money has gone out of state and has cost taxpayers money. The bill stipulates that people moving to Minnesota will be held to the welfare rules of the state they moved from for one year, Seifert said.

Seifert said he does support welfare for people who temporarily have needs for things such as diapers, he said.

Aside from reforming spending, Seifert said election reform is needed after the Senate recount in the race between incumbent Norm Coleman and challenger Al Franken.

“But we’re going to keep trying. We’re going to keep pushing the envelope,” Seifert said. “We’re going to keep getting the message out there that we are going to balance the budget. We are going to do everything that we can to grow jobs in the state. We are going to reform welfare. We are going to reform our election system — we’re going to bring more accountability. That is my message to you tonight.”