Dayton defends LGA, blasts GOP budget

Posted at 3:06 PM on March 24, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton told a gathering of local government officials today that he's never seen a legislative session that compares to this year.

Dayton spoke during the Joint Cities, School Districts, Counties, Townships Legislative Conference, where he described the spending reductions in Republican budget bills as extreme, drastic, cruel and Draconian. The DFL governor is particularly concerned about proposed cuts in aid to cities and counties, which he argues would drive up local property taxes.

"It's sheer denial of reality that is exercised by some up at the Capitol," Dayton said. "They're not responsible for higher property taxes. If they eliminate local government aid and property taxes go up, that's your fault. If they cut back on state aid for schools and property taxes go up, that's your fault."

Senate Tax Chair Julianne Ortman of Chanhassen said her bill provides cities and counties the same amount of state aid that they received in 2010. She argues that many cities have already planned to do without a projected increase.

Here's Dayton speech: Listen

Here's a brief Q & A session: Listen

UPDATE

Later in the day, Sen, Dave Thompson, R-Lakeville, stopped by the press corps to respond to some of Dayton's comments: Listen

Comments (2)

Good. For. Him. So proud of my governor right now.

Posted by John | March 24, 2011 3:33 PM

This average person was listening to Kerri's show this morning and I was appalled at how she spent your time working to make the democrat position on the tax cuts appear dishonest and not to be believed, anyone with a half a brain knows that the governor numbers are based on a truer position this state will be in if taxes for richer of this state are increased due whereas the typical and longstanding tactics of the republican party is to move money from the general fund,much needed programs or anywhere that will reduce the income and the quality of life for lower income to the middle income while at the same time increasing the burden of taxes for those same people but this is a more honest position on cuts by the republican part? NO the republican position isn't honest at all unless making it harder on the middle class to the poor by taking from other much needed budgets and programs to get the rich richer and causing the people who run this state to have to cut jobs,cut back services or just have to cut out some services altogether to make up for the money that don't have because people like you keep enforcing this idea that the democrats are frivolous. Look at documented history for the past 50 yrs,look at the numbers for when this country has a democrat as president or have the majority in the house the budget gets balanced and not only that have a surplus but when a republican is president or they have the house majority that's when we find ourselves right where we are now with a big deficit and republicans playing the political game of slamming the democratic party with people like you in the media helping them achieve there purpose deflecting everyone's attention from they terrible & criminal management of our tax dollars in this state and in this country.

It never ceases amaze me how people can't look around them and see what those tax cuts for the rich have already cost the people of this state and country,the taxes the rich had to pay under Clinton were justified and should have never been cut,they weren't suffering with those cuts unless you count having to cut back on the caviar, having to put off buying that new boat,no new cell phone for Johnny or Suzie.

Posted by EBuckner | March 25, 2011 10:50 AM

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