Capitol View: June 29, 2011 Archive

Dayton, GOP leaders talking as shutdown looms

Posted at 9:46 AM on June 29, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders resumed budget negotiations this morning, with a potential state government shutdown less than two days away.

This is the sixth consecutive day of closed-door meetings, but there's still no sign that a deal might be close. Both said agreed last Friday to negotiate without any public comments on the specifics of the talks. Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Bufflo, was sticking to that agreement when she arrived at the governor's office.

"I'm always optimistic," Koch said.

The governor's office is the third venue used for negotiations in recent days.

A state government shutdown will begin Friday unless a budget deal is reached. Gov. Dayton said yesterday that he thought the final breakthroughs must come today. or they won't be successful in avoiding the shutdown. He said the deadline will help produce an agreement if both sides are willing to reach an agreement. Leader Koch said she's telling lawmakers to be ready to return to St. Paul quickly in case a budget deal is reached.

UPDATE
Talks have broken up until 12:30 p.m. GOP leaders left through a back door. Or perhaps they used Immobilo, another Get Smart gadget to go along with their Cone of Silence.

Judge appoints special master, orders core services to continue in shutdown

Posted at 10:19 AM on June 29, 2011 by Elizabeth Dunbar
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Core services of state government should continue in a state government shutdown, Ramsey County Judge Kathleen Gearin ruled Wednesday.

Gearin also appointed retired state Supreme Court Justice Kathleen Blatz as Special Master to hear and make recommendations to the court regarding funding issues.

Gearin said temporary funding to core services should continue until the end of July or until DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and the Legislature agree on a budget.

Here's the order.

'This is going to be a tough shutdown.'

Posted at 4:12 PM on June 29, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

David Lillehaug, an attorney for Governor Dayton says he's pleased Ramsey County Judge Kathleen Gearin appeared to adopt Dayton's recommendations regarding which government services will continue if a shutdown occurs on Friday. But he said it won't be pretty if Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders can't reach an agreement.

"Based on her order, this is going to be a tough shutdown," Lillehaug said. "Anyone who says government doesn't do anything and doesn't do it well, upon reading this order, and if we do reach a shutdown on July 1, they're going to realize they're very very wrong."

Dayton issued this statement:

"While I am still reviewing Chief Judge Gearin's order, it appears that her order arrived at the same middle ground as my Administration, and essentially agreed with my list of critical services that must continue. I prepared that list based on my constitutional responsibility as Governor to protect the lives and safety of the people of Minnesota. I arrived at that list with a heavy heart, knowing full well the important role that government plays in the everyday success of Minnesota's citizens and businesses.

"Let me be clear: I would much prefer to find a fair and balanced budget solution, rather than a government shutdown. I am continuing to work toward a compromise needed to move forward."

Attorney General Lori Swanson released this statement on Gearin's decision:

"I am pleased that the courts granted our petitions with respect to both the judicial and executive branches.

We sought a declaration that the courts make the ultimate determination concerning the constitutional rights of our citizens and the core functions of state government in the event of a shutdown. In both cases, the courts did so.

We look forward to addressing further issues as they arise before Chief Justice Blatz."

GOP legislative leaders have been silent on Gearin's decision. Attorney Fritz Knaak, representing four individual GOP Senators, says his clients may challenge the constitutionality of Gearin's order. He says the state constitution forbids state spending that isn't authorized by the Legislature.

"Certainly in the next few days, if there isn't some kind of solution, I know my clients will certainly be scrutinizing this and make a decision on whether they want this issue fully reviewed."

The Minnesota Supreme Court tossed the initial petition that challenged whether a judge had the right to authorize state spending despite an appropriation. The court didn't rule on the merits of the challenge but said it was the wrong venue.

The Cone of Silence explained?

Posted at 8:27 PM on June 29, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders have been mum about their private negotiations. After nearly every meeting, the two sides decline to discuss specifics saying they want to respect the "Cone of silence" between the two parties. The idea is that negotiators can be more frank about their discussions if they don't discuss the ideas in public.

No one knows why Dayton and legislative leaders came up with that term. Several reporters say GOP Rep. Kurt Zellers first coined the term to the press on Sunday.

Fans of the TV show, Get Smart, may remember that "the cone of silence" was used to keep top secret talks private.

The only problem, as you see in this video, is that those within the "Cone of silence" couldn't hear what the others in the "Cone of silence" were saying.

People's House? Not on July 1

Posted at 9:31 PM on June 29, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota State Capitol will close its doors to the public if a state shutdown occurs.

Minnesota Management and Budget says the State Capitol, the Administration building and the State Office Building will be closed to the public.

Access to all Capitol Complex buildings will be limited to court-approved, critical services employees using their state-issued I.D. badge.

All tunnels throughout the Capitol Complex will be closed with exception of Admin tunnel to Capitol. No state employees providing critical services will have access to any tunnel other than the Admin tunnel.

I.D. badges must be prominently displayed at all times. Building occupants not displaying I.D. badges will be subject to challenge by Capitol Security personnel.

Non-state personnel/general public having business or attending an open meeting in either the Capitol Building or the State Office Building will be screened by uniformed staff for admission at a single ground level entrance at each building:
• Capitol Building - Northwest Entrance adjacent to Parking Lot N
State Office Building - South Entrance opposite the Transportation Building

Capitol Security is also telling Capitol reporters that they need to have their press badges to get into the building to cover budget talks.

'We do not have a deal'

Posted at 10:41 PM on June 29, 2011 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders broke off talks tonight at 9:30. There are no more talks scheduled for tonight and no talks scheduled for tomorrow. The two sides have one more full day to reach a budget deal or state government shuts down.

"We do not have a deal," Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, said.

He said they are close on many areas. He declined to provide specifics.

"We're absolutely committed to getting this finished, to completing our work. We just need a little help from the governor to call us back."

Michel renewed his call for Gov. Dayton to call a special session so lawmakers could at least pass a bill that would keep government running. Dayton, who made no public comments on Wednesday, has said he won't call lawmakers back until they agree to a full budget deal.

Today's budget talks were considered important because Dayton told reporters earlier this week that a deal had to be in place by Wednesday night to avert a shutdown. His spokesman was mum on whether Dayton thought a shutdown was inevitable now that a deal wasn't reached.

"We're continuing to work to avoid that," Dayton spokeswoman Katharine Tinucci said of a looming shutdown.

Dayton and legislative leaders met privately through the day with committee chairs and commissioners who focus on K12 schools and Health and Human Services programs.

The two sides are at odds over the best way to craft a two year budget. Dayton wants to erase a $5 billion budget deficit by raising income taxes on top earners. Republicans say they can erase the deficit through spending cuts. State government shuts down at midnight if the two sides fail to do their work.

GOP leaders say Republicans are preparing to come back to St. Paul on Thursday with hopes that a budget deal can be reached. The move is also a public relations effort to emphasize that the GOP controlled Legislature wants to get back to work.

State government will shut down at midnight Thursday if a budget deal is not reached.