Veepstakes: A Look at Tim Pawlenty

As speculation swirls about who Governor Mitt Romney will select as his running mate, we are taking a closer look at the oft-reported shortlist, and highlight their stances on the issues that are important to the tech community.  We begin with former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty.  And be sure to chime in with your thoughts on who would make the best running mate for Governor Romney.

At the end of the series, look for a checklist to see how the potential Vice Presidential nominees stack up on these critical issues.

(Click here for more information on the tech community’s key issues.)

Tim Pawlenty

Governor Tim PawlentyOn tax, Governor Pawlenty echoed the call of the tech community that the corporate tax rate is too high.  During his presidential run, Governor Pawlenty put forward a tax plan that would reduce the corporate tax rate to 15%, stating that “the current tax code is an anti-growth, 900-page monstrosity.  American businesses today pay the second-highest tax rates in the world, and that is a recipe for failure.”  Furthermore, as Governor, he urged Congress to extend the R&D tax credit, an innovation incentive that tech companies heavily rely on.  On immigration, while he is on record as strongly opposing any form of amnesty or legalization, TechElect could find no comments from the Governor on skilled immigration – a matter important to the tech industry.

Governor Pawlenty has been a strong proponent of STEM education, having launched a community-wide action plan designed to help Minnesota students succeed in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). In a 2011 interview, Pawlenty commented that “Science, technology, engineering, manufacturing, and related fields are so important to the future of our country. We need people who are engineers, scientists, inventors, innovators to come up with the next increment of productivity that will help keep our economy growing.”  In June 2006, Governor Pawlenty proposed the ACHIEVE program for those students who finished in the top quarter of their class.  The program would pay for in-state college tuition for the first 2 years (4 years for selected fields such as STEM).  However, the program was not included in Minnesota’s 2007 higher education bill. The Governor co-chaired the Innovation America Task Force for the National Governors Association, which promoted innovation and enhanced STEM education.

Pawlenty has indicated that the U.S. should aim to get 25 percent of its energy from renewable sources, and that there should be tax incentives in place to promote energy efficiency. He is a supporter of free trade and created the China-Minnesota trade partnership.  The Governor acknowledged the importance of tech as a source to provide improved, accessible government services for Minnesotans by creating the state’s first Chief Information Officer.  Upon leaving office, Governor Pawlenty joined the board of directors of an Atlanta-based supply chain and retail technology provider RedPrairie Corporation.

Check out the full Veepstakes series: