Governor Tim Pawlenty announced plans Monday of a new tax incentive plan. In the plan dubbed âÄúGreen Jobz,âÄù after his original Jobz economic program, Pawlenty outlines a series of incentives and tax credits for green companies, or companies that create jobs in the field of renewable energy in Minnesota. If enacted, Green Jobz will cost a total of $3.6 million for the next two years, nearly doubling in 2012-2013. Pawlenty hopes that the plan will create jobs in the booming green energy market. The DFL-controlled Legislature has been open to Green Jobz, but is not sold on the programâÄôs proposed effectiveness. Sen. Ellen Anderson, DFL-St. Paul, said in an interview in MondayâÄôs Star Tribune that the initiative looks too far into the future and does not solve problems the state currently faces. While we do agree with AndersonâÄôs comments, this plan has strong potential to be very beneficial for the state within the next five years. The plan itself takes direct aim at two ongoing issues: the rising unemployment rate and the stateâÄôs initiative in green energy. Under Green Jobz, incentives for green companies to conduct business in Minnesota will greatly increase, in turn attracting new companies to the state. Although there will be a significantly large investment up front, the Green Jobz initiative will create a more stable future for a state that is not immune from the financial crisis. What makes this plan even more enticing is how friendly it is to green companies, a nice change from your usual tax cuts to the oil and pharmaceutical industries that have dominated the federal legislatureâÄôs interests. We urge the legislature to consider more reforms like this to ensure Minnesota that it will stay at the forefront of the green initiative, while at the same time creating a more stable economic future.