Considering the circumstances, the proposal by the Minnesota Legislature to increase the tax rate for the highest income earners to help erase a $3 billion budget deficit sounds reasonable.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty, however, is almost sure to veto it, and his most ardent supporters in the Legislature will ensure the bill will not be overridden, which likely will result in a state government shutdown, a special session, and more gridlock.

We think Pawlenty’s unwillingness to compromise will be to the detriment of state residents.

Under the proposal, married couples filing jointly with taxable income above $200,000 would pay a new tax rate of 9.15 on income over that amount. The current rate is 7.85 percent. Single filers with a taxable income above $113,000 also would pay a higher rate.

Pawlenty would suggest that he is acting in the interest of state residents by vetoing any and all tax increases. Yet, when Minnesotans elected a DFL majority in the House and Senate two years ago, they did so knowing that most DFL legislators believe that, tax increases should be a part of balancing a budget deficit, and not simply spending cuts.

Pawlenty, who clearly has aspirations beyond the governor’s office, clearly seems more interested in cowtowing to his political base than in doing what’s right for Minnesota.

And we’re all going to suffer for it.