Capitol View: May 14, 2008 Archive

Updates on congressional races

Posted at 10:24 AM on May 14, 2008 by Tom Scheck

1st District GOP candidate Brian Davis issued a news release saying the National Republican Congressional Committee is backing him. Davis is running in a primary against State Sen. Dick Day. DFL Rep. Tim Walz is running for reeelction.

Meanwhile, 6th District DFL candidate El Tinklenberg has started running radio ads. He's running against GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann.

Game on!

Posted at 10:37 AM on May 14, 2008 by Tom Scheck

DFL legislative leader are headed to meet with Governor Pawlenty right now to discuss the budget.

Someone has it out for Harold, Elmer and Jesse

Posted at 6:37 PM on May 14, 2008 by Tom Scheck

The Minnesota Historical Society just removed the official gubernatorial portraits of Elmer L. Andersen, Harold LeVander and Jesse Ventura. The paintings appear to have red and black markings on it. They think it was done by some school children who were touring the Capitol. The paintings will be repaired and replaced.

The Senate Playlist

Posted at 7:26 PM on May 14, 2008 by Tom Scheck

DFL Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller has his own draft sountrack for the session. Here it is:

Whipping Post - Allman Brothers
Stand By Me - Ben E. King
One Way or Another - Blondie
The Times They Are A-Changin' - Bob Dylan
Back Door Man - The Doors
Peope are strange - The Doors
Little Lies - Fleetwood Mac
High Hopes - Frank Sinatra
Keep Your Hands to Yourself - The Georgia Satellite
I will survive - Gloria Gaynor
Piece of Heart - Janis Joplin
White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
I'd Do anything for Love (But I won't do that) - Meatloaf
Sympathy for the Devil - The Rolling Stones
Leader of the Pack - The Shangri - Las
I'd Love to Change the Wolrd - Ten Years After
The Lion Sleeps Tonite - The Tokens

Break time!

Posted at 8:30 PM on May 14, 2008 by Tom Scheck

My spidey senses say it's going to be a long night. Budget talks just broke off for the dinner hour (half hour they say). DFL House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher and DFL Assistant Senator Majority Leader Tarryl Clark said the recent meetings focused on the tax bill (even though they also said it was a wide ranging discussion).

They said they're trying to sort out the mix of tax relief (direct property tax relief, an increase of Local Government Aid and the size of the property tax cap). Kelliher said they also presented the governor with a military pay proposal for active duty Minnesota National Guard members as well as a pay offset (no further details were provided).

Kelliher said the health plan reserve (which blew up negotiations last night) is back on the table but is still an issue.

She said they may not take up HF1812 (the massive budget bill) tomorrow morning because there isn't an urgency to do so. She said they pushed through the Education Finance Bill and the Real ID bill because they wanted to have enough time to override a potential veto. The governor has until Friday to act on those bills.

She said the governor presented an alternative education funding proposal (which included a $36 increase on the per pupil formula) but she argues it will be more expensive over the long term.

When asked if it was their intention to override the governor's veto of the education finance bill, Kelliher said "We like to have options at this point."