Gov. Tim Pawlenty unveiled his plans to balance the state budget on his own, and as anticipated, it isn’t pretty.

With big cuts to Local Government Aid for cities and counties, health and human services across the state, and the delay of payments to school districts, lots of people will be saying “Ouch” under the Pawlenty plan.

Critics of the plan have been preparing their reactions ever since Pawlenty announced he would balance the budget on his own. The Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities says the cuts in Local Government Aid will result in communities cutting services or raising property taxes.

Many school districts, who will have to wait until the next biennial budget for about $1.7 billion in funding payments from the state, will have to borrow money to make payroll and pay their bills.

The impact of the cuts on social service and health programs will be drastic.

Many of the cuts will come in the second year of the budget, 2010-2011. That means there could be time in the 2010 legislative session for legislators to come up with an alternative plan. But we are guessing that the Legislature that couldn’t come to terms with the governor this year isn’t going to have much more success next year.

— The Journal of New Ulm, June 17