Capitol View Category Archive: Mark Dayton

Three fundraising events planned for Obama's MN visit

Posted at 3:42 PM on May 24, 2012 by Catharine Richert (0 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012: Presidential Race, Mark Dayton

With MPR's Tom Scheck contributing.

President Barack Obama will attend three big-ticket fundraising events during his visit to Minnesota next week, according to a campaign official.

Two smaller events at $40,000 and $50,000 a head are planned for Friday, June 1. Obama will also deliver remarks at a luncheon for approximately 100 people who've each paid $5,000 to be there, according to the official.

Gov. Mark Dayton said he will be going to the luncheon, which will be held at The Bachelor Farmer, a Minneapolis restaurant owned by his two sons.

MPR News will post more details as they become available.

Update:

All the events will be held at The Bachelor Farmer, according to a campaign official.

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Rybak hires O'Rourke to be his Chief of Staff

Posted at 9:45 AM on May 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck (0 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has hired League of Minnesota Cities lobbyist Jennifer O'Rourke to be his Chief of Staff. The hire, which was confirmed by Rybak spokesman John Stiles, is expected to be formally announced later today.

O'Rourke will succeed Jeremy Hanson, whom Rybak appointed Director of Community Planning and Economic Development.

O'Rourke has been a familiar face at the Minnesota Capitol as a lobbyist for the League of Minnesota Cities. She worked on several issues that are important to Minneapolis including state aid to cities, economic development and taxes. She also lobbied on gambling, tobacco and liquor issues for the League of Minnesota Cities. O'Rourke has been a lobbyist at the League of Minnesota Cities for roughly 10 years.

While O'Rourke has been nonpartisan during her work as a lobbyist, her family is active in DFL politics. She is married to DFL Party Chair Ken Martin.

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St. Paul wants DEED dough for Saints Ballpark

Posted at 4:52 PM on May 21, 2012 by Tom Scheck (0 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The city of St. Paul is requesting the state allocate $27 million from an economic development fund to build a new minor league baseball stadium in downtown St. Paul.

In a letter to the Commissioner of the Department of Employment and Economic Development, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman said the new St. Paul Saints stadium would bring about 500 full and part-time jobs to the area. He also said the project is ready to begin construction.

"This is truly an investment in the community that will have far-reaching, positive, substantive economic impacts on the state for years to come," Coleman wrote.

Coleman's letter comes at a time when city officials across the state are eyeing a $47.5 million economic development fund that was created in this year's public works bonding bill.

Governor Dayton and GOP legislative leaders said the fund would allow state officials to decide which projects have the best merit. Officials in Mankato and Rochester are also hoping to tap the fund to help renovate convention centers in their cities. Supporters of the Southwest Light Rail proposal are also seeking the funds.

Officials with the Department of Employment and Economic Development say no timeline has been set on when the funds will be awarded. Gov. Dayton told MPR News on Friday that there are "plenty of requests" from officials from both political parties.

Here's Coleman's letter:

Letter From Mayor Coleman to Commissioner Phillips (2)

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Dayton vetoes another GOP tax bill

Posted at 4:24 PM on May 14, 2012 by Tim Pugmire (0 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Governor Mark Dayton has vetoed the scaled down tax bill that Republicans passed in the closing days of the 2012 session.

Dayton quietly announced his decision this afternoon, just a few hours after holding a signing ceremony for the Vikings stadium bill. In a letter to House Speaker Kurt Zellers, Dayton said the package of tax breaks for businesses would cost the state $46 million in this biennium and an additional $73 million in the next biennium.

"It has been my consistent position throughout the session that any new spending increases or tax reductions had to maintain the current budget reserve and avoiding increasing future deficits," Dayton wrote.

The bill included a one-year freeze on business property taxes, an upfront sales tax exemption for equipment purchases and increased tax credits for Angel Investment and research and development.

Republicans said providing a set of tax breaks for business was their top priority. They made the bill smaller and less expensive after Dayton vetoed an earlier version over similar concerns about cost.

UPDATE

The chair of the Senate tax committee, Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen, said the veto was terrible news for the cities and small businesses that would have benefited from the bill.

"I hoped that he would do the right for the state of Minnesota and the best interests of all these Minnesotans that will be affected by this decision," Ortman said. "Small businesses in every town in the state of Minnesota and 39 of those cities that had economic development projects were relying on him to look out for their best interests."

Zellers also responded this evening to Dayton's veto. In a post on his website, the House speaker said Dayton's commissioners suggested elements of the tax bill, "and I accommodated their suggestions in ordering members to change the bill to suit what I thought represented the Administration's wishes. It is disrespectful to then see those very things cited as reasons for Governor Dayton's veto. This disingenuous pocket veto letter erodes my trust and confidence in Governor Dayton and his Administration."

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Another hearing on health commissioner scheduled, canceled

Posted at 11:41 AM on May 10, 2012 by Tim Pugmire (0 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

For the second time in two weeks, Senate Republicans scheduled a confirmation hearing for Minnesota Department of Health Health Commissioner Ed Ehlinger and then abruptly canceled it.

The chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, announced late Wednesday that there would be a hearing at 9:00 this morning. Ehlinger was there, along with DFL members of the committee. GOP members never showed up, and a staffer announced the meeting's cancellation about an hour later.

Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem, R-Rochester, later explained the change of plans.

"It was just a matter of whether or not we wanted to bring up commissioners before we go, and we decided, frankly, not to," Senjem said.

The same committee postponed a confirmation hearing for Ehlinger two weeks ago, following a private meeting between Hann and DFL Gov. Mark Dayton.

Earlier this year, Senate Republicans ousted Ellen Anderson, who was Dayton's choice to lead the Public Utilities Commission. At the time, GOP leaders said they had two other Dayton appointees, Ehlinger and PCA Commissioner Paul Aasen, on their watch list. Aasen recently resigned to take another job.

Sen. Kathy Sheran, DFL-Mankato, was not pleased with today's developments. She accused GOP leaders wasting the time of everyone who showed up for a meeting that never happened.

"I think it's irresponsible, and it's happened many times this session unnecessarily," Sheran said.

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23 House Retirements

Posted at 6:37 AM on May 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Redistricting, State Government

Several members of the Minnesota House gave their farewell speeches earlier this morning. Some of the members served only 1 term. Others served for two decades.

Here's the list (in order of speeches):

Rep. Marion Greene, DFL-Minneapolis
Rep. Bobby Joe Champion, DFL-Minneapolis (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove
Rep. Kate Knuth, DFL-New Brighton
Rep. Mike LeMieur, R-Little Falls
Rep. Denise Dittrich, DFL-Champlin
Rep. Pat Mazorol, R-Bloomington
Rep. Larry Hosch, DFL-St. Joseph
Rep. Connie Doepke, R-Orono (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Bev Scalze, DFL-Little Canada (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Kent Eken, DFL-Twin Valley (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Nora Slawik, DFL-Maplewood
Rep. Ron Shimanski, R-Silver Lake
Rep. Bill Hilty, DFL-Finlayson
Rep. Torrey Westrom, R-Elbow Lake (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville

House members who didn't give retirement speeches but have said they're retiring:

Rep. Kurt Bills, R-Rosemount (running for the U.S. Senate)
Rep. Brandon Peterson, R-Andover (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Keith Downey, R-Edina (running for Minnesota Senate)
Rep. Mark Murdock, R-Perham
Rep. Mark Buesgens, R-Jordan
Rep. Bruce Anderson, R-Buffalo Township (running for Minnesota Senate)

Update: I'm told Rep. Murdock was going to speak but had major shoulder surgery last week. He was in the chamber for the stadium vote but I'm told he was in a lot of pain so left before he could give his retirement speech.

There are also two members who lost endorsement battles who haven't said whether they'll run in a primary

DFL Rep. Tom Tilberry, DFL-Fridley
GOP Rep. Carol McFarlane, R-White Bear Lake

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Vikings stadium bill one step away from Gov. Dayton

Posted at 4:20 AM on May 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck (0 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

The Minnesota Vikings are just a step away from getting a new $975 million stadium in downtown Minneapolis. The Minnesota House of Representatives passed a stadium conference committee report this morning that would finance the new stadium.

The move comes after the Dayton Adminstration and lawmakers from both political parties held a series of closed door meetings to discuss the particulars of the final product. The plan increases the team's contribution to $477 million. The state of Minnesota would spend $348 million on the new stadium. The city of Minneapolis would spend $150 million.

Vikings fans, lobbyists and supportive lawmakers cheered and shook hands after the House passed the measure 71-60. 38 Democrats joined 33 Republicans to vote for the bill. Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, said he's pleased that his seven year effort to get the Vikings stadium is coming to a close.

"We knew this was going to be a real challenge and it was," Lanning said. "But anybody who follows my career knows I have a lot of patience and perserverence."

Several critics of the bill said they were concerned about the use of public money for a profitable franchise. Others worried that the expansion of electronic pull-tabs would not produce the expected revenue to finance the stadium and the team should have kicked in more cash.

"We're growing government here and we're doing it in a very bizarre way," Rep. Doug Wardlow, R-Eagan, said. "We're funding handouts to millionaires and billionaires by taking away from those who can least afford it."

The Senate is expected to take up the conference committee later today. If that body passes the measure, it would head to Governor Dayton for his signature.

Here's the vote breakdown (provided by the Associate Press):

DEMOCRATS VOTING YES

Anzelc (Balsam Twp); Atkins (Inver Grove Heights); Benson, J. (Minnetonka); Brynaert (Mankato); Champion (Minneapolis); Dill (Crane Lake); Dittrich (Champlin); Eken (Twin Valley); Fritz (Faribault); Gauthier (Duluth); Hilstrom (Brooklyn Center); Hortman (Brooklyn Park); Hosch (St. Joseph); Johnson (St. Paul); Kath (Owatonna); Knuth (New Brighton); Lesch (St. Paul); Lillie (North St. Paul); Mahoney (St. Paul); Mariani (St. Paul); Marquart (Dilworth); Melin (Hibbing); Moran (St. Paul); Morrow (St. Peter); Murphy, M. (Hermantown); Nelson (Brooklyn Park); Norton (Rochester); Pelowski (Winona); Persell (Bemidji); Poppe (Austin); Rukavina (Virginia); Simon (St. Louis Park); Slawik (Maplewood); Slocum (Richfield); Thissen (Minneapolis); Tillberry (Fridley); Ward (Brainerd); Winkler (Golden Valley)

DEMOCRATS VOTING NO

Allen (Minneapolis); Carlson (Crystal); Clark (Minneapolis); Davnie (Minneapolis); Falk (Murdock); Greene (Minneapolis); Greiling (Roseville); Hansen (South St. Paul); Hausman (St. Paul); Hilty (Finlayson); Hornstein (Minneapolis); Kahn (Minneapolis); Laine (Columbia Heights); Lenczewski (Bloomington); Liebling (Rochester); Loeffler (Minneapolis); Mullery (Minneapolis); Murphy, E. (St. Paul); Paymar (St. Paul); Scalze (Little Canada); Wagenius (Minneapolis)

DEMOCRATS NOT VOTING

Huntley (Duluth); Peterson (New Hope)

REPUBLICANS VOTING YES

Abeler (Anoka); Anderson, P. (Starbuck); Beard (Shakopee); Cornish (Vernon Center); Davids (Preston); Doepke (Orono); Fabian (Roseau); Garofalo (Farmington); Gottwalt (St. Cloud); Gunther (Fairmont); Hamilton (Mountain Lake); Hoppe (Chaska); Howes (Walker); Kelly (Red Wing); Kiel (Crookston); Kriesel (Cottage Grove); Lanning (Moorhead); LeMieur (Little Falls); McFarlane (White Bear Lake); McNamara (Hastings); Murdock (Ottertail); Murray (Albert Lea); Nornes (Fergus Falls); O'Driscoll (Sartell); Sanders (Blaine); Schomacker (Luverne); Shimanski (Silver Lake); Smith (Mound); Torkelson (Nelson Twp); Urdahl (Grove City); Vogel (Willmar); Westrom (Elbow Lake); Woodard (Belle Plaine)

REPUBLICANS VOTING NO

Anderson, B. (Buffalo Twp); Anderson, D. (Eagan); Anderson, S. (Plymouth); Banaian (St. Cloud); Barrett (Lindstrom); Benson, M. (Rochester); Bills (Rosemount); Buesgens (Savage); Crawford (Mora); Daudt (Crown); Dean (Dellwood); Dettmer (Forest Lake); Downey (Edina); Drazkowski (Mazeppa); Erickson (Princeton); Franson (Alexandria); Gruenhagen (Glencoe); Hackbarth (Cedar); Hancock (Bemidji); Holberg (Lakeville); Kieffer (Woodbury); Kiffmeyer (Big Lake); Leidiger (Mayer); Lohmer (Lake Elmo); Loon (Eden Prairie); Mack (Apple Valley); Mazorol (Bloomington); McDonald (Delano); McElfatrick (Deer River); Myhra (Burnsville); Peppin (Rogers); Petersen (Andover); Quam (Byron); Runbeck (Circle Pines); Scott (Andover); Stensrud (Eden Prairie); Swedzinski (Ghent); Wardlow (Eagan); Zellers (Maple Grove)

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State puts its stadium deal on the table

Posted at 9:27 PM on May 9, 2012 by Tim Nelson (4 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Fifty million. That's the number the state has added onto the contribution it wants from the Vikings for a new stadium in downtown. The state wants the Vikings to spend $477 million - $50 million more than the Vikings commitment to spend $427 million.

A House and Senate conference committee released the number in a joint report, set to be the subject of a commitee hearing tonight. Update: Here's the conference committee report.

You can read the report here.

Senate sponsor Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, has told MPR's Tom Scheck that the team has not agreed to the number. About an hour ago, the Vikings left the Governor's office through a non-public entrance and declined comment.

"They're talking with the owners and were going to proceed ahead with the conference committee," Rosen said. "We're going to meet and go through our agreement and we'll see where the Vikings land."

The original plan, released March 1, had the state building and owning a $975 million, fixed roof stadium in downtown Minneapolis.

The state would have paid $398 million, paid for by taxes on new, expanded gambling including electronic pull tabs and bingo. The city of Minneapolis would have paid $150 million -- borrowed on the city's behalf by the state -- and paid it back with existing hospitality taxes.

The Vikings were to be in for $427 million up front.

Although that was only 44 percent of the construction cost, the team was also to pay $13 million a year in capital reserves and operations.

The conference committee report also gives Vikings owner Zygi Wilf the exclusive rights to a Major League Soccer franchise for five years. The team would play at the new stadium. The Senate stripped out that language last night.

It isn't clear how the night will proceed. Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, said a conference committee on the bill is more likely to meet at 11pm tonight not at its scheduled 9pm. The Conference Committee has to sign off on the bill before it is sent to the House and Senate.

The House had hoped to pass the conference committee tonight. The Senate is expected to pass the conference committee report tomorrow.

Read the committee's tracking sheet.

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Senate passes stadium plan

Posted at 11:56 PM on May 8, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

The Minnesota Senate voted 38-28 in favor of a bill that would finance a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.

The vote came after ten hours of debate that turned personal at times.

The move now means the stadium is one step closer to becoming reality. It passed the House and Senate. The two bodies will now have to reconcile their differences on the bill.

Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, the bill's chief author, said the stadium issue has been a work in progress for 12 years. Rosen said this session's bill is the best plan to date.

"Is there room for improvement? Absolutely there is," Rosen said. "But it has been the product of a bipartisan working group in play for the last 18 months."

But critics complained that the electronic pull-tab plan that finances the state's portion of the stadium will never materialize.

Opponents said the state was falling victim to extortion by professional football, and suggestions the team might leave Minnesota. Others like Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, said the NFL has a messed up economic system, and Minnesota shouldn't be playing along with it. Marty said the public subsidy is too big.

"Even if you feel we have no choice and we've got to play along, I seriously question the wisdom of saying we have to offer the all time, number one, biggest taxpayer subsidy for any professional sports franchise in any sport in history," Marty said.

A joint House/Senate conference committee will now debate the merits of each bill. The House members on the conference committee are Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, Rep. Joe Hoppe, R-Chaska and Rep. Terry Morrow, DFL-Mankato. The Senate members are Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria and Sen. Roger Reinert, DFL-Duluth.

No word on when the conference committee will start working.

Here's how the votes broke down by party (via The Associated Press):

ST. PAUL (AP) _ Votes Tuesday as the Senate, on a 38-28 vote, approved a measure to finance a new Vikings stadium. Voting yes were 22 Democrats and 16 Republicans. Voting no were 8 Democrats and 20 Republicans.

DEMOCRATS VOTING YES
Bakk (Cook); Bonoff (Minnetonka); Cohen (St. Paul); Goodwin (Columbia Heights); Harrington (St. Paul); Higgins (Minneapolis); Kelash (Minneapolis); Koenen (Clara City); Langseth (Glyndon); Latz (St. Louis Park); Metzen (South St. Paul); Pappas (St. Paul); Reinert (Duluth); Rest (New Hope); Saxhaug (Grand Rapids); Sheran (Mankato); Sieben (Newport); Skoe (Clearbrook); Sparks (Austin); Stumpf (Plummer); Tomassoni (Chisholm); Wiger (Maplewood)

DEMOCRATS VOTING NO
Dibble (Minneapolis); Dziedzic (Minneapolis); Eaton (Brooklyn Center); Hayden (Minneapolis); Lourey (Kerrick); Marty (Roseville); McGuire (Falcon Heights); Torres Ray (Minneapolis)

REPUBLICANS VOTING YES
Carlson (Bemidji); Fischbach (Paynesville); Gimse (Willmar); Howe (Red Wing); Ingebrigtsen (Alexandria); Jungbauer (East Bethel); Koch (Buffalo); Magnus (Slayton); Michel (Edina); Miller (Winona); Nelson (Rochester); Nienow (Cambridge); Pederson (St. Cloud); Robling (Jordan); Rosen (Fairmont); Senjem (Rochester)

REPUBLICANS VOTING NO
Benson (Ham Lake); Brown (Becker); Chamberlain (Lino Lakes); Dahms (Redwood Falls); Daley (Eagan); DeKruif (Madison Lake); Gazelka (Brainerd); Gerlach (Apple Valley); Hall (Burnsville); Hann (Eden Prairie); Hoffman (Vergas); Kruse (Brooklyn Park); Lillie (Lake Elmo); Limmer (Maple Grove); Newman (Hutchinson); Ortman (Chanhassen); Parry (Waseca); Thompson (Lakeville); Vandeveer (Forest Lake); Wolf (Spring Lake Park)

REPUBLICANS NOT VOTING
Olson (Minnetrista)

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Dramatic reversals for Vikings stadium bill

Posted at 10:18 PM on May 8, 2012 by Tim Nelson (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

The Minnesota Senate first overturned 18 months of negotiations, then flipped back tonight.

Senators adopted a "user fee" proposal offered by John Howe, R-Red Wing, thanks to a last-minute switch by Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove. The Senate adopted the Howe plan 34-33.

Here was the vote:

Then, minutes later, led by Sen. Jim Metzen, DFL-South St. Paul, the Senate decided to reconsider the measure. After the most impassioned debate of the 9-hour discussion, the Senate returned to the electronic pull tab plan. The Howe plan went down, 30-35, in the reconsideration vote.

Here's the board for that tally:

It may have been the most dramatic 40 minutes of the stadium debate thus far -- only to leave the bill where it started.

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House passes Vikings stadium bill

Posted at 10:24 PM on May 7, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

After eight and a half hours of debate, the Minnesota House passed a bill that would finance a new football stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.

The House passed the measure 73-58. Here's the roll call:

Floor Vote on Stadium in MN House

The debate mostly focused on whether the investment was worth keeping the team in Minnesota.

"The fans want us to do something," Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, said.

Other stadium supporters expressed concern the Vikings could leave Minnesota if a new stadium wasn't built. A few also said the bill will help jump start a struggling construction sector.

"We need to put our state to work," Rep. Kerry Gauthier, DFL-Duluth said. "Today it's about putting food on the table."

But critics say a new stadium won't result in much economic benefit for the state. Rep. King Banaian, R-St. Cloud, also said the NFL monopoly is forcing lawmakers to make bad choices.

"We had patient lobbyists out there for weeks and months," Banaian said. "It was when (NFL Commissioner) Roger Goodell came to town and that's what made it happen for you because they came and said 'Nice team you got here. Shame if something happens to it.'"

Other opponents questioned whether the revenue source, the authorization of electronic pull-tabs, would generate enough money to pay for the new stadium.

The House did lower the state's contribution $105 million from $398 to $293 million.
Several House members say the Vikings can afford to spend more than their $427 million contribution.

Rep. Pat Garofalo laid out the new terms.

"With the changes we're putting into this bill, public support for the project will be reduced from $548 million to $443 million," Garofalo, R-Farmington, said. "Still a very generous support package from the public."

Vikings lobbyist Lester Bagley wouldn't comment as to whether the Vikings would balk at the change in the team's contribution. He said last week that the team would not spend more than $427 million.

Update:
Vikings lobbyist Lester Bagley said he was also pleased that the House passed the bill and was optimistic about their chances in the Senate. Bagle did express concern about the amendment that would require the Vikings to pay $105 million more for the stadium. He said that contribution would have to be lowered if the Senate passes the bill.

"We did negotiate an agreement in good faith that had the team contributing $427 million up front and $13 million a year. That is what was negotiated over a period of months. The amendment that went on that is now the House position in the bill is not workable."

Gov. Dayton said he was pleased that the House passed the bill by a wider margin than he expected. As dozens of Vikings supporters looked on in the governor's reception room, Dayton said he was pleased that 40 Democrats and 33 Republicans voted for it.
"It was a strong bipartisan vote. The voices of the people of Minnesota were heard tonight. Those of you who are here and the thousands all over the state are rejoicing this terrific vote."

The plan would also require the city of Minneapolis to spend $150 million.

The Minnesota Senate has yet to act on the bill. The Senate could take up the bill as early as Tuesday. Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, says she expects the Senate to take up the bill tomorrow morning. The Senate is in session at 9am.

Stadium Vote: Legislators to watch

Posted at 10:30 AM on May 7, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

The Minnesota House is expected to vote on the Vikings stadium bill today. The vote is likely to be close and there's no certainty it will pass.

GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers' announcement last week that he won't support the bill could give political cover to other Republicans who may not want to vote for it.

The public is expected to watch the final vote closely. Rep. Bob Gunther, R-Fairmont, said last week that this is the type of issue that voters will remember in November.

Polls show most people want private funding, not public taxpayer money, to pay for the stadium.

Combine those issues and you have one of the toughest votes that lawmakers will take this session.

Here are the lawmakers I'll be watching as amendments are proposed and the board opens for the final vote.

The Minneapolis Delegation

MPR's Tim Pugmire did a good job of detailing how many members of the Minneapolis delegation don't support the Vikings stadium plan. Watch to see if some people in the delegation start indicating support. It has a stronger shot if a few, like Rep. Bobby Joe Champion, support it.

The St. Paul Delegation

There has been much hand-wringing over the past few weeks that St. Paul is getting skunked on this stadium plan. The concern is that the Target Center renovation will put the Minneapolis arena in direct competition with St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center for concerts and other events.

Watch to see if an amendment forgiving some of St. Paul's loan is adopted. There could also be amendments calling for help to build a new St. Paul Saints ballpark in downtown St. Paul. A spoonful of that sugar can help make the medicine go down for St. Paul members who are reluctant to vote for the bill.

Retirements

Several House members are retiring. That means those lawmakers don't have to worry about incurring the wrath of voters in a primary or the general election. Some may want to take a stand against a stadium. Others may feel more free to vote for it. Others could also vote for it to spare the next person to hold the seat from facing the issue. The stadium faces longer odds if a few of them balk at backing the bill.

The Targets

Both parties are keying in on several lawmakers in November. Watch and see how they vote on amendments. If those individuals vote against amendments supported by the bill's authors and the Vikings, they may be getting feedback that says their constituents don't support the stadium. The opposite may be true if they vote for amendments supported by the Vikings and stadium bill authors.

Here are a few of the lawmakers in this category.

Rep. King Banaian, R-St. Cloud, won a close contest in 2010 (recount close) and was on the fence about the stadium bill in November despite questioning the economics of building a new stadium.

Rep. Rich Murray, R-Albert Lea, passed once on a vote in the House Government Operations Committee (he eventually vote no). It's a signal that he's conflicted on the issue. He barely won in 2010 and is being targeted by Democrats.

Other Republicans being targeted by Democrats include Rep. Bruce Vogel, R-Willmar, Rep. Deb Kiel, R-Crookston, and Rep. Dan Fabian, R-Roseau.

Rep. Kory Kath, DFL-Owatonna, and Rep. Patti Fritz, DFL-Faribault, are GOP targets. Watch to see whether DFL leaders try to protect them from a controversial vote.

Redistricting

There are two House pairings where incumbents from different parties will face each other in November. It's hard to see Rep. Tom Anzelc, DFL-Balsam Township, voting against the bill, because he has strong labor ties. Does his November opponent, Rep. Carolyn McElfatrick, R-Deer River, vote against it to mobilize the GOP base or vote for it to signal support among the more labor friendly district?

Rep. Larry Howes, R-Walker, is a labor-friendly Republican who is also the Capital Investment Committee Chair, so it would be surprising if he votes against the bill. He's been paired with Rep. John Persell, DFL-Bemidji.

Conservatives

Watch to see how many conservative lawmakers join Reps. Drazkowski, Buesgens, Downey and Wardlow in opposing the amendments. It's bad news for the stadium if a significant number of freshman Republicans side with them when they propose controversial amendments.

Those are my thoughts. Who are you watching?

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Dayton vetoes tax bill

Posted at 11:03 AM on May 4, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

DFL Governor Mark Dayton today vetoed a package of tax breaks for businesses that he described as "unbalanced" and "fiscally irresponsible."

Dayton vetoed the omnibus tax bill less than a day after it landed on his desk. He said he wanted to get the bill out of the way so it would not be used as a bargaining chip on other remaining issues, including Monday's House vote on the Vikings stadium bill.

Republicans called the bill their priority for the session. Dayton said he had heard the veto might cost him some stadium votes, but he said that should not be the case.

"I hope that legislators will separate the issues and see that what they're deciding next Monday is whether thousands of Minnesotans will be able to go to work and whether we'll be able to keep the Vikings here at home," Dayton said.

Dayton said he's willing to negotiate an alternative tax bill with Republicans, as long as it doesn't add future debt.

UPDATE

Senate Republicans issued a news release in response to Dayton's action. Majority Leader Dave Senjem, R-Rochester, said the veto was "extremely disappointing."

"It was a political decision, not a decision based upon the future best interests of Minnesota," Senjem said. "This bill was passed with bipartisan votes in both the House and Senate and it addressed concerns raised by the Governor. Sadly, the Governor chose to kill more real jobs than the bonding bill and the stadium bill will contribute to Minnesota's economy."

Dayton's veto threat stalls vote on bonding bill

Posted at 9:40 PM on May 3, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

It appears that legislative leaders have agreed on a $496 million public works bonding bill.

The Minnesota House was scheduled to take the bill up tonight, but sponsors yanked it at the last minute. Rep. Larry Howes, R-Walker, said he pulled the bill after Gov. Dayton threatened to veto it. He said the governor was concerned about the disparity in spending between the University of Minnesota and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities.

"Staff said he'd veto the bill if I didn't make MnSCU and the U of M closer," Howes said. "They said MnSCU could be a little bit larger but it has to be closer than what it is now."

The bill spends $144 million for MnSCU campuses across the state compareed to $54 million for the University. Howes said he expected to scale back funding for flood mitigation and MnSCU to make up the difference.

He insisted the bonding bill will remain at $496 million, a figure the four legislative leaders and Capital Investment experts agreed upon.

The deal comes after DFL House members repeatedly criticized Republicans for putting forward a bill that didn't spend enough and didn't have DFL input.

Rep. Alice Hausman, DFL-St. Paul, said she's pleased with the changes. She said Democrats made the decision to support the bill even if it didn't meet their initial expectations. She said a smaller bill is better than no bill at all.

"To have a year with zero means next year you have a bigger backlog than ever," Hausman said. "We thought this was the last week of session and at this point it became necessary to become a realist."

The bill spends $30 million for flood mitigation, $44 million to renovate the State Capitol, $30 million for local bridge replacement and rehabilitation, $5 million to start work on a new wing to the Sex Offender Treatment Center in St. Peter.

There is no funding for Southwest Light Rail Corridor, a new ballpark for the St. Paul Saints, the St. Cloud Civic Center, the Mayo Civic Center Expansion and the Mankato Civic Center. But the bill includes $55 million for an economic development grant program that could fund some of those projects.

Howes said the program would allow the Department of Employment and Economic Development to spend money on "four star projects" around the state. He warned, however, that the funding couldn't support all of the projects being pushed by regional communities.

"If anybody did 4th grade arithmetic, $55 million would not do all of those wonderful things that some people would like to do," he said.

Howes also said he was disappointed that his plan to spend $221 million to renovate the State Capitol was trimmed back. But he characterized it as a good start.

"We all shoot for the stars and sometimes we land on the moon," Howes said. "It gets the project going."

The House is expected to vote on the bonding bill before the Vikings bill on Monday.
Here's the initial spreadsheet released by House Republicans.

2012BondingBill 4 3 12

GOP asking Vikings to up their stadium contribution by $100M

Posted at 10:20 AM on May 3, 2012 by Tim Nelson
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

A version of the new GOP plan for a Vikings stadium has the team upping its contribution to $525 million dollars.

That's according to a document labeled "DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY" obtained by MPR News:

GOP stadium bond proposal

House Republican caucus spokeswoman Jodi Boyne said leadership provided similar numbers to Gov. Mark Dayton when they met with him yesterday. But she said that the draft version is outdated -- and that the indeterminate contributions in a GOP plan released last night is the actual proposal.

"This is the version that Gov. Dayton asked us not to release, because we hadn't talked to all of our partners yet," Boyne said of the draft proposal. She said House Majority Leader Matt Dean would address the matter more fully today.

Vikings Vice President Lester Bagley has insisted the team's contribution is capped at $427 million, as reflected by the original stadium plan that has been the subject of several committee hearings and is awaiting votes by the House and Senate.

GOP leaders pledge $250 million in state funds for stadium

Posted at 6:33 PM on May 2, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

GOP legislative leaders released part of their stadium proposal today. The plan, which was released by House GOP leadership, calls on the state to borrow $250 million to pay for the state's portion of the stadium to be built on the Metrodome site. The city of Minneapolis would still be obligated to pay $150 million. The Vikings share of the proposal is still yet to be determined. They plan also doesn't highlight how much a roof would cost which GOP leaders say is needed. A spokeswoman for House Republicans say the plan is being formulated and warns some of the details still need to be filled in.

Republican leadership floated the plan yesterday as a better alternative than a plan that the Vikings, Gov. Dayton and a bipartisan group of lawmakers had already agreed on. That plan relied on revenue created from allowing charities to operate electronic pull tab machines in the state's bars and restaurants. GOP leaders say that plan has been criticized over the past several weeks for being unreliable.

The plan also would give the city of Minneapolis "flexibility" in future use of the convention center tax. City officials say the use of that money is critical for the state's plans to redevelop the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis.

GOP leadership and the stadium bill authors met with Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Vikings lobbyists to discuss the proposal. Rybak called the discussions productive.

"At least we're talking," Rybak said to reporters.

Vikings lobbyist Lester Bagley said they're looking seriously at the proposal now that GOP leaders are committed to putting a roof on the stadium. He said, however, the Vikings are sticking with their plan to spend $427 million on the stadium.

That leaves a hole of roughly $150 million on the nearly $1 billion stadium plan that Gov. Dayton supports. Dayton has called on lawmakers to vote on that proposal but said this afternoon he's willing to listen to other ideas.

Here's the plan released by GOP leaders:

2012_05_02_Vikings

Dayton: stadium endgame a "fiasco"

Posted at 11:56 AM on May 2, 2012 by Tim Nelson
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Gov. Mark Dayton blasted legislative Republicans this morning, calling their counter offer to his stadium plan "gamesmanship."

"Republican leaders are playing poker with thousands of Minnesota jobs that are at stake in these outcomes, while they are trying to save their own," Dayton said,

He was joined by fellow Democrats House Minority Leader Paul Thissen and Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk, who called for their bodies to take up the existing Vikings bill for a vote when they convene tomorrow -- one of only a handful of legislative meeting days they have left under state law.

Dayton also said he would be meeting with the GOP leaders at 1 p.m. today to talk over their plan. He said he'd already had a "candid" conversation with House speaker Kurt Zellers.

It might have sounded like this, the case he laid out in his office this morning:

"This is just really fundamentally wrong, and I hope the people of Minnesota will see it for what it is. After eight months of negotiations, bipartisan, two Republican authors of the bill; after four months of a bipartisan legislative working group working together, through thousands of hours of negotiations, we came forward with a proposal. It went through seven legislative committees, went through some changes, but basically the structural integrity of the project remained as it was."

"And as the Senate author said herself, two prerequisites for it were no general fund tax dollars and there would be a roof on it so it could be used year round as a people's stadium. Unbeknownst to the bill's two authors, both Republicans, the Republican leadership yesterday, the day after they were supposed to have adjourned, come forward with this hare-brained scheme, that would basically destroy the project as it was conceived, destroy it as it was funded, and for all practical purposes destroy it for this legislative session."

"The Vikings oppose it, the city of Minneapolis opposes it, I oppose it. And here we are with no time left in the session and they don't even have a firm proposal."

House Majority Leader Matt Dean said the state should only commit to the project from the "turf down," as in infrastructure and utilities only.

Dayton countered the general fund financing in the GOP plan saying Minnesotans don't want it: "Polls show... people don't support it if their tax dollars are going for it. And they support it if they realize their tax dollars are not."

He also dismissed suggestions that the stadium project could be done in phases -- a stadium first and a roof later.

"We have a consultant who has worked on a number of stadiums around the country, and the financing of them," Dayton said. "And he's not aware of any stadium that was "roof ready" that ever had a roof added to it. Why wouldn't you do it all in one piece and get it right? When will the time come to get the public support, political support, legislative support to put another $100 million, $120 million into putting a roof on? And until that happens, you have a stadium sitting empty for 355 days a year."

Republican leaders are scheduled to talk more about their plan after meeting with Dayton. But it may be a difficult conversation with the governor. House GOP spokeswoman Jodi Boyne, speaking after Dayton's press conference, called his remarks "really unfortunate."

GOP releases alternate stadium plan

Posted at 5:15 PM on May 1, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Republican leaders in the Minnesota Legislature say they're moving forward with an alternative stadium plan that borrows state general fund money to pay for the state's portion of a stadium with no roof.

Republicans wouldn't say how much the state would borrow, how the bonds would be financed or what the state would pay for in terms of infrastructure. But Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers said the plan has more support among Republicans than the stadium agreement reached by the Vikings, a bipartisan group of legislators and Governor Dayton.

"This is yet another plan," Zellers said. "As I said all along, before you know what plan hits the floor, it's actually too early to say, but in concept I do think this is a good idea based on how much member support it has."

The plan would also require a super majority to pass because it would be included in a public works bonding bill. Vikings lobbyists say they oppose the idea.

Governor Dayton and DFL legislative leaders also criticized Republicans for not voting on the stadium bill that is already before the House and Senate. Several Democrats said they believed Republicans were trying to "kill the stadium bill" for the year.

"This is some kind of an endgame gimmick," DFL Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk said. "I expect that they probably are going to throw this Hail Mary out there and probably plan to go home. This will be the largest do-nothing Legislature in state history."

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Dayton blasts alternate stadium plan

Posted at 2:37 PM on May 1, 2012 by Mike Mulcahy (2 Comments)
Filed under: Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

From Tim Pugmire and Tim Nelson

Gov. Mark Dayton says he was very disappointed to learn today that secret negotiations were underway between House Republicans and the Minnesota Vikings on an alternative stadium plan.

Dayton said a Vikings official confirmed to him that the new plan would use general obligation bonds for a roof-less stadium. During an afternoon news conference, Dayton said he thought Republicans were trying to score political points rather than resolve the stadium issue.

"The day after the Legislature was supposed to go home, they come out with a brand new financing that totally revamps it, that totally changes it from what it was intended to be, a people's stadium, to something else. It's just really hard to take this seriously."

Dayton again urged the House and Senate to vote soon on the bipartisan stadium bill that has already cleared all committees.

House Speaker Kurt Zellers, walking into a meeting with Senate leaders, said he wasn't familiar with the proposal. He wouldn't speculate about whether it could pass in the House.

"I have no idea," Zellers said. "This is just another idea. It's that time of the session. Things, new ideas pop up. I haven't seen any of the details."

Senate stadium bill sponsor called the plan "a little bit of a surprise." She said it wasn't a viable deal, as far as she was concerned.

"There are some very key parts to this stadium deal. No. 1, it has to have a roof, whether its retractable or its fixed. This is the People's stadium. This should be able to be used by the high school football and soccer leagues, and the St. Thomas baseball team for spring practice. And we should be able to have a Super Bowl and the Final Four, and all those above. This is truly a stadium that has to have a roof. It could be on a little later, as long as its prepared."

MPR News did obtain the outlines of the proposal:

GOP stadium plan

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Dayton talks taxes, pending votes

Posted at 10:56 AM on May 1, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

(MPR Photo/Tim Pugmire)

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton says Republican legislative leaders have not yet responded to the tax bill offer he presented to them yesterday.

Dayton told reporters today that his proposal includes a tax credit for employers who hire people who are currently out of work or veterans, an upfront rebate for business equipment purchases and additional funding for the state's angel investor program. But Dayton did not include the business property tax reduction that Republicans want. He said the GOP plan would "rob from the financial future of the state."

"In 14 years, it would cost the state $2.3 billion in revenue," Dayton said. "That's just fundamentally unfair to future legislatures and governors, as well as the fact that it's all focused on business property tax relief."

House and Senate Republicans have already agreed on a tax bill that includes the property tax provision for businesses. Lawmakers could vote on that bill any day.

Dayton said he was fine with the Legislature remaining in session as long as necessary to complete work on its three unresolved issues. Lawmakers missed their self-imposed April 30 deadline for adjournment. In addition to the tax bill, they have not yet taken votes on a bonding bill or a Vikings stadium bill. Dayton said he doesn't want the disagreements over taxes to hold up the other two issues.

"The stadium bill deserves an up or down vote," he said. "The bonding bill bill deserves an up or down vote, and if they want to do a tax bill up or down vote, fine. Let's put everyone on the line, have up or down votes on the three remaining measures and then everybody can go home."

Dayton stressed that the bonding bill and stadium bill would result in thousands of needed jobs for construction workers. Republicans want to boost job growth through tax breaks for businesses.

Tails tell the tale in the dispute over the Tax bill

Posted at 11:10 PM on April 30, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The biggest hang up in end of session budget negotiations between Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders is the Tax bill. Republicans have passed a conference committee report that provides a mix of business tax cuts (You can read more about the plan here). Democrats have proposed a counter offer to Republicans that would create $51 million in one-time tax cuts in the current budget cycle.

The debate over taxes highlights a debate over the best way to manage the state's fiscal policy over the short and long-term.

Democrats argue that passing the GOP Tax bill will only cause problems for the state's long-term budget future budget without any guarantee that the plan will create jobs in Minnesota.

"This is really giving hundreds of millions of dollars away to big corporations," DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen said.

Republicans are arguing that their tax bill will end up paying for itself.

Rep. Greg Davids, R-Spring Valley, says the plan would give property tax relief for businesses across Minnesota.

"There's property tax relief in this bill for every business," Davids said. "From 3M to Big Bob's Eatery in Spring Valley."

The only problem is that the GOP plan would create a budget hole of $52 million in the current budget cycle and a $139 million hole in the next budget cycle. Since February, Dayton has said he won't support any tax cuts that aren't offset by another revenue increase. He's worried that the so-called tails from the GOP tax bill will create bigger budget problems in the future.

"I think taking $145 million as the current proposal proposes out of the next biennium and and adding that amount to the projected $1.1 billion deficit is fiscally unsound and unwise," Dayton said.

The problem for Republicans is that they aren't willing to find other revenue to pay for their tax cuts. Dayton has pushed to close so-called tax loopholes on corporations that operate overseas and to create the so-called Amazon tax that requires online retailers that don't have operations in Minnesota to pay sales tax on Minnesota-based purchases. Neither plan gained much traction in the GOP-controlled Legislature.
Instead, Republicans have decided to use the state's budget reserve to pay for the tax breaks in the current budget cycle and hope the state's financial picture improves enough that the tax break to businesses don't add to the projected deficit in the next budget cycle.

The difference in opinion is both financial and political. Republicans have argued that the state's financial picture is improving and point to an increase in tax collections over the past few months. Gov. Dayton has argued that the state's budget is already out of balance and adding another tax break will only exacerbate the problem. Davids, who chairs the House Tax Committee, said he believes his tax bill will encourage businesses to invest more money in their businesses.

"This tax bill will create more jobs than a bonding bill and a Vikings stadium combined," Davids said.

Dayton has argued that passing a public works bonding bill and a Vikings stadium will have a more immediate impact on the state's economy since there is high unemployment in the state's construction sector.

The other major issue of politics.

Republicans are also looking for a victory heading into November. Every member of the Legislature is on the ballot this year and the GOP talking points over the past two years have focused on cutting regulations and taxes. Dayton isn't on the ballot and has less urgency on the issue.

Republicans have yet to respond to the DFL offer. House and Senate officials say they intend to take up the GOP Tax bill on Tuesday.

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Dayton mostly mum on taxes, stadium

Posted at 10:36 AM on April 30, 2012 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton says he's not ready to comment on a package of tax policy changes that Republican lawmakers finalized over the weekend.

Dayton told reporters this morning that he had not yet analyzed the bill, and he expected it to be addressed during an afternoon negotiation session with GOP leaders. The tax bill includes several provisions aimed at helping businesses, including a freeze on the statewide business property tax. Dayton did say that would be a problem.

"Property tax increases have also hit homeowners and farmers and renters and senior citizens, and they're nowhere in the bill as I understand it," Dayton said. "So, I have problems with singling out one group: businesses, even though they certainly have a case to make about property tax increases. But so does everyone else in Minnesota."

Still, Dayton indicated he was willing to try to find some middle ground and compromise on a tax bill. But he stressed that Republican leaders must do the same.

Dayton also had little to say about the Vikings stadium bill, which is awaiting action on the House and Senate floors.

"It's still breathing, and they're still in session," he said. "So anything can happen if we get our minds together and decide we can work this out."

The governor's most specific comments came during an explanation of his weekend veto of legislation to allow the sale and use of more kinds of fireworks in the state.

Dayton said he understands that many people supported the bill, but there were just too many health and public safety officials lined up against it. He said he decided more fireworks would be unwise for Minnesota.

"They may be fun, but they're also dangerous. I don't want somebody's eye put out, somebody's hand blown off. I don't want it on my conscience that I opened that door and resulted in that kind of casualty or even fatalities."

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GOP tax bill bets on sunny days ahead

Posted at 7:41 AM on April 30, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The House and Senate are expected to vote on a tax bill today that would cut business taxes. The measure pays for the cut by relying on money that isn't guaranteed to be there.

The plan agreed on by a House/Senate conference committee freezes the statewide business property tax, creates a tax break for investors in new businesses and provides an upfront sales tax exemption for businesses that buy new capital equipment. It also includes Gov. Dayton's initiative to provide a tax credit to businesses that hire veterans.

"We're hopeful the governor will sign it," Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen said.

That's a big question mark, since Gov. Dayton has repeatedly said that he wants any spending, including tax cuts, to be offset in some way.

In the tax bill, Republicans are betting that the economy will continue to improve, which would mean more tax revenue to the state.

The plan directs Minnesota Management and Budget to book higher than expected tax collections from February and March to pay for the changes. Typically, lawmakers rely on the February revenue forecast as they make tax and spending decisions, not the partial information that comes from monthly tax reports.

Several budget analysts say the April Economic Update, which GOP leaders cite as evidence they can pay for the bill, doesn't provide a full picture of the state's budget because it focuses on tax revenues and not the spending side of the ledger.

The bill would also pit tax cuts for businesses against school funding. That's because current law says any surplus money from the November forecast would be used to pay back a K-12 school payment delay. This bill short-circuits that process by capturing tax revenue that hasn't been recorded in the forecast yet.

"We have the authority in the law to bring that back earlier by statute if the governor signs it," Ortman said.

Another hurdle is convincing Dayton to sign a bill that would create a deficit of $145 million in the next biennium.

Republicans are pinning their hopes that Dayton wants a Vikings stadium bill and is willing to give up on his pledge to not increase the deficit to get it.

GOP legislative leaders have said repeatedly that the Vikings stadium should not be linked to any other issues, but they moved off that talking point on Saturday. They now say their top priority is enacting a tax bill.

The proposal includes several tax cuts that have been pushed by business groups. In addition to the freeze on business property taxes, it extends and expands a tax break for companies that establish data centers in Minnesota. It also includes a tax break for the Mall of America expansion and it exempts the city of Woodbury from getting voter approval to build the Bielenberg Sports Center. A tax break for breweries has also been expanded and extended. That measure came at the request of St. Paul-based Summit Brewing.

Senjem cancels Sunday stadium vote

Posted at 10:35 PM on April 28, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The top Republican in the Minnesota Senate has canceled plans for a rare Sunday floor session to take up the Vikings stadium bill.

Majority leader Dave Senjem said the Sunday session is no longer needed because the attention has now shifted to completing a bonding bill and tax bill before the end of the 2012 session, which could be as soon as Monday.

"The whole focus now is on a tax bill, and we're going to stay on that," Senjem said. "If we can move through that with some success we can start thinking about the stadium. But Right now, our goal is certainly the tax bill, and secondarily if we can make some progress with the governor's office on the bonding bill."

Senjem said he was disappointed that there were no negotiations with DFL Gov. Mark Dayton on Saturday. He said House and Senate negotiators planned to wrap up a tax bill over the weekend, with or without Dayton's input. Senjem said the full Senate could vote on the bill Monday.

Game and fish bill on its way to governor

Posted at 10:14 PM on April 28, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

A game and fish bill that raises new revenue for the Department of Natural Resources is on its way to Governor Mark Dayton, who is expected to sign the measure.

The House and Senate gave final approval to the bill tonight. It includes higher fees for hunting fishing and trapping that many outdoor groups say are needed and long overdue. But several lawmakers objected to the fee increases. Rep. Carly Melin, DFL-Hibbing, said she would have otherwise supported the bill.

"We have $10 million of tax increases on Minnesota's hunters and anglers in this bill," Melin said. "You can call it fees, but it's tax increases on Minnesota's hunters and anglers. And we never got the opportunity to vote on this on th House floor. This is something that came from the Senate."

The bill also establishes a new wolf hunting season in Minnesota. The House passed the measure on a 68 to 62 vote. The Senate vote was 27 to 26 34 to 28.

Despite DFL demands, House GOP won't hold stadium vote Saturday

Posted at 5:01 PM on April 28, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

(Rep. Tony Cornish, R-Good Thunder, speaks with David Gunderson of Brooklyn Park and Ben Theis of Golden Valley. Photo Credit: Tom Scheck)

Governor Dayton and DFL legislative leaders are calling on GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers to bring up the Vikings stadium bill for a vote in the Minnesota House. House Democrats say they intend to meet Zellers' demand to put up half of the votes needed for the bill to pass. Dayton said it's time to vote.

"The people of Minnesota, whether they're for the stadium or against it, deserve an up or down vote," Dayton said. "The Vikings deserve an up or down vote. The NFL deserves an up or down vote and as Commissioner Goodell made clear last week, no action is the same as a no vote."

Zellers has not said when he intends to schedule the vote on the Vikings stadium but his spokeswoman wrote on Twitter that the vote won't be today.

Dayton and legislative leaders were hoping to pass a Vikings stadium bill, a tax bill and a bonding bill before Monday's self-imposed deadline to adjourn.

Tom Bakk, the DFL Senate Minority Leader, wouldn't say how many Democrats will vote for the stadium bill in the Senate. GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem said he hoped to hold the Vikings stadium vote on Sunday.

Dayton's demand came on the same day that the Taxpayers League of Minnesota held an anti-tax rally at the State Capitol.

Phil Krinkie, the president of the Taxpayers League of Minnesota, said those who attended the rally in the rain and cold are sending a signal to the Legislature to keep spending in check and vote against public subsidies for a Vikings stadium and for a public works construction bill.

"I think most of the people out here really believe that the budget is balanced and their life and liberty is more important than another piece of legislation let alone a Vikings stadium or a bonding bill," Krinkie said.

The anti-tax rally wasn't the only event at the State Capitol. A group of Vikings stadium supporters also stood out the House Chambers to urge the House to vote on the bill. Some of the group, clad in Vikings gear that included helmets and swords, cheered when lawmakers said they would vote for the bill. They also chanted "Save our Team" to other members.

Several Republican state legislators attended the event but none of them spoke. Zellers says he hopes to wrap up work on Monday.

Senate targets stadium vote for Sunday

Posted at 11:41 PM on April 27, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

With MPR's Tim Nelson...

The Vikings stadium bill is being targeted for a Sunday vote in the Minnesota Senate.

GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem said that was the plan after the bill was narrowly approved by the Senate Tax Committee. The committee held a nearly six hour hearing on the bill. The hearing was divisive as stadium opponents made every attempt to derail the bill.

The Senate Tax Committee approved the bill by one vote after stadium supporters urged the committee to get the bill to the Senate floor.

Senjem, who voted for the bill in committee, told reporters after the hearing that the Senate will vote on the bill regardless of whether it has enough votes to pass.

"By in large, the idea of a vote on the Minnesota Vikings this year is something we talked about for a long time," Senjem said. "Up or down, whatever people decide in terms of their views, their faith in the bill, their districts, their personal convictions."

The stadium author in the Senate, Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, says she believes it has enough votes to pass.

Stadium opponents will push for changes to how the stadium is funded and aren't willing to sign off on the deal Rosen and Gov. Dayton reached with the Vikings.

Sen. John Marty, DFL-Roseville, said he believes stadium users, not gamblers, diners or drinkers, should pay for the stadium. He backed a measure to pay for the stadium's mortgage with on-site fees.

"To me, that's a lot fairer way to do it," Marty said. "Everybody who 's using the stadium would pay for it."

Marty's effort to amend the bill in the Tax Committee failed. He and several other stadium opponents are expected to work every angle to defeat the bill on Senate floor.

The House is also ready to vote on the bill. GOP House leaders, however, won't say when that vote will be held.

GOP legislative leaders in both chambers say they hope to finish their work by Monday but members of both parties say that's becoming less likely because of the amount of work that's left to do.

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No Friday Night Lights at the Minnesota Legislature

Posted at 8:37 PM on April 27, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

There won't be any breakthrough deals on the main issues being debated between Governor Dayton and legislative leaders. The Minnesota House adjourned this afternoon after doing limited work on the floor. The House is scheduled to come back in session on Saturday at 3p.m.

GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean said legislative leaders are continuing to negotiate with Gov. Dayton on a tax bill and a public works construction bill. He said the focus on negotiations is on getting a deal that Gov. Dayton will sign.

"It's like the last two minutes of a basketball game. It's a lot of starting and stopping and waiting," Dean said.

Legislative leaders have met privately with Gov. Dayton's staff throughout the day. A spokeswoman for Dayton said he did not attend any of those meetings. Dayton is scheduled to do a comedy sketch at MinnPost's fundraising event, known as MinnRoast, tonight.

It appears that we're at the point in the legislative session where legislative leaders are hoping that their opponent is the first to blink. Gov. Dayton and Democrats are pushing for a Vikings stadium and a bonding bill that spends more than $500 million.

Republicans are pushing for a tax bill that cuts business and residential property taxes.

The negotiations come at a time when GOP leaders are inching closer to a self-imposed deadline to adjourn. Dean said they're aiming to complete their work on Monday. But Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, says there isn't enough time to get all of their work done.

"It's pretty clear to me that we're going to be in session next week," Lanning said. "The Monday adjournment is unrealistic because we've got too much unfinished business that's going to take longer than that."

Lanning, co-author of the Vikings stadium bill, said it's clear GOP leaders want to get some sort of agreement on a bonding bill and a tax bill before they start plowing forward with the stadium bill.

"There has to be a resolution in sight," Lanning said. "Not that we have to have something passed but at least an agreement among the three major players here is required before we can keep moving."

And that means DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen has a bigger seat at the table. Republicans in both the House and Senate need DFL votes to pass a bonding bill. The last offer put forward by Democrats spent $686 million. Republicans countered with a $496 million bill that included more projects that could attract DFL votes. A person with knowledge of the GOP offer also said it still includes $77 million for the Capitol restoration but does not include funding for the Southwest Light Rail line or regional civic centers

Thissen said he'd like to see a bonding bill that includes funding for downtown regional centers, the Southwest LRT and more money for higher education. Thissen wouldn't commit to how much he'd like to see spent from the bonding bill.

"It depends on what projects are in there and then the size of the bill depends on what projects fit within it," Thissen said.

The debate over the Tax bill and bonding bill is being held at the same time as the Senate Tax Committee is discussing the Vikings stadium bill. If the committee approves the bill, it would be the last committee stop before the bill is considered by the full Senate.

MMB: State has $1.5 billion left to spend from past bonding bills

Posted at 8:28 PM on April 27, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Minnesota Management and Budget released a report that details how much money has yet to be spent from past bonding bills. The report says $1.5 billion has yet to be spent on projects. The report comes at a time when Gov. Dayton is negotiating the importance of a new bonding bill with legislative leaders.

The report, which was released at the request of MPR News, shows that hundreds of millions of dollars have yet to be spent on projects that are either in progress or haven't started yet.

Republicans in the House and Senate have suggested that they don't need to do a large bonding bill this session because there are plenty of unspent funds from past bonding bills. They started making the claims after Gov. Dayton and other Democrats said a bonding bill was need to boost hiring in the construction sector (MPR wrote about this issue last week).

The bonding bill is one of the key items being negotiated among legislative leadership. House and Senate Democrats have suggested the state spend $686 million on a bonding bill that includes $77 million for the State Capitol renovation. Republicans countered with a $496 milion bill that now includes projects favored by Democrats.

Here's the report from MMB:

Bonds Fund Level Balances 04242012

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Leaders still talking at Capitol

Posted at 12:24 PM on April 27, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

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Republican and DFL legislative leaders held another private meeting this morning to discuss some of the remaining business of the 2012 session, including a bonding bill and some proposed tax policy changes.

The meeting took place in DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's office, but a spokesman said the governor did not attend. Dayton was was represented in the discussion by his key advisors.

The brief meeting did not produce any breakthroughs. House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, said they planned to keep talking, but they did not set a specific time to resume negotiations.

Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem, R-Rochester, described the meeting as "trading volleys."

"We've just got to take a look at what we've got and decide whether or not there's another volley," Senjem said. "So, we'll see."

The House and Senate both have floor sessions scheduled later today. The Senate tax committee is also holding a hearing on the Vikings stadium bill.

Senate panel puts Ehlinger hearing on hold

Posted at 11:26 AM on April 27, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Senate Republicans have postponed a confirmation hearing for Health Commissioner Ed Ehlinger.

The abrupt change in plans came after a private meeting this morning between Gov. Mark Dayton and the chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Priaire.

Dayton then released a statement thanking Hann.

"I am deeply grateful to Senator Hann for his very gracious willingness to postpone Commissioner Ehlinger's confirmation hearing," Dayton said. "It is a responsible and commendable resolution, for which he deserves full credit."

Earlier this year, Senate Republicans ousted Ellen Anderson, who was Dayton's pick to chair the Public Utilities Commission. At the time, GOP leaders said they had two other Dayton appointees, Ehlinger and PCA Commissioner Paul Aasen, on their watch list.

It's unclear if the Senate now plans to take up any confirmations before the anticipated adjournment of the session on Monday.

Hunting and fishing fees to increase under Game and Fish bill

Posted at 2:34 AM on April 27, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the House and Senate have signed off on a Game and Fish bill that would raise fees on hunting and fishing licenses. Rep. Dennis McNamara, R-Hastings, says the joint House/Senate Conference Committee agreed to raise the individual, annual fishing license $5. He said the fees will help the Department of Natural Resources manage hunting and fishing issues in Minnesota.

"It's a good thing to allow the DNR to continue to good stuff around fishing and hunting," McNamara said. "It's been 11 years so they're pretty stretched to their limit right now. They and we need this increase to continue the good things that they do.

The bill also establishes a wolf hunt in Minnesota that allows the Department of Natural Resources to issue 6,000 permits to kill up to 400 wolves a year. The conference committee also declined to make an earlier fishing opener for this year. The House and Senate have to vote on the bill before it heads to Governor Dayton's desk.

House passes bill that changes teacher tenure rules

Posted at 11:42 PM on April 26, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota House passed a bill that would allow local school districts to fire teachers on performance instead of seniority. The House took the action even though Governor Dayton has suggested that he'll veto it. Supporters of the measure say it's needed to ensure the best teachers stay in the classroom.

Rep. Brandon Petersen, R-Andover, said Governor Dayton and others were defending the state's teacher's unions. He suggested they're on the wrong side of public opinion.

"You're standing against an overwhelming tide of change and all you're doing is placing your fingers into the dam," Petersen said. "But it will crack in another place and it will come through because the taxpayers will demand accountability for the largest investment in this country and they're demanding accountability for their kids."

Current law says schools must only consider teacher seniority when making layoffs unless local districts negotiate other policies.

Critics say the performance measurements in the bill are new and too subjective.

Rep. Jim Davnie, R-Minneapolis, said the bill had problems because it focuses solely on teacher performance.

"This bill allows weak administrators with unknown qualifications to keep their jobs and make the decisions as to which teachers get laid off," Davnie said.

The Senate is expected to pass the bill and send it to Governor Dayton. Dayton has suggested that he will veto the bill.

Stadium Stalled as Tax Talks Continue

Posted at 4:18 PM on April 26, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

The chair of the Senate Tax Committee has not scheduled a hearing on the Vikings stadium issue. Sen. Julianne Ortman,R-Chanhassen, said yesterday that she wanted to hold a hearing in her committee on the bill.

Ortman, who said she's not a "big fan of stadiums", hasn't scheduled a hearing on the bill yet. She told reporters that she's unlikely to hold a hearing on the stadium until Republicans reach a deal with Governor Dayton on an overall tax bill.

"I wouldn't call it hostage taking but you know we post hearings when we're ready to have the hearings," Ortman said. "We have staff that are working really hard on putting together an omnibus tax bill and arranging for conference committees and we can only do so much at any time so that's what we're working on right now."

The Senate Tax Committee will be the last stop for the bill before it heads to the Senate floor for a vote. The House is set to vote on the bill, but Republican Speaker Kurt Zellers wouldn't say when the vote will happen.

Update: Ortman scheduled a Friday hearing at 3pm on the stadium bill.

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June primary efforts fizzle

Posted at 8:56 PM on April 24, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Efforts to create an earlier primary in the state Legislature have fizzled tonight after a joint House/Senate conference committee stripped the measure from a broader elections bill.

The bill would have changed the state's political primary from August until June. The six member conference committee stripped the language from the bill after the Senate firmly rejected the plan earlier this week.

It means efforts to schedule an earlier primary are all but done for the year. Rep. Kurt Daudt, R-Crown, says he'll continue to push for an earlier primary.

"I will be an advocate for this issue," Daudt said. "If we don't get it through yet this session and at this point it may not be likely, we'll certainly take it up next session."

Supporters of the June primary say it would have increased voter turnout but critics complain that it would lengthen the campaign season. And since the legislative session runs until late May, critics add some state legislators would have less time to campaign. The primary language was a part of a larger elections bill.

GOP lawmakers blast contract talks

Posted at 1:15 PM on April 24, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republican lawmakers are raising concerns about the slow pace of contract negotiations with state workers, and the potential cost of the delay.

Talks between the Dayton administration and the unions representing public employees began last spring but have not yet produced an agreement. They are now in mediation. Meanwhile, the terms of the old contracts continue. Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, said the delay puts taxpayers at a disadvantage.

"We have these contracts continuing on auto pilot," Drazkowski said. "On auto pilot, progression increases in steps and lanes and addition employer, i.e. taxpayer contributions to health insurance that are un-negotiated, that amount over the biennium to about $140 million."

Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, said he's convinced that both sides are "dragging their feet" to see if a more supportive DFL legislature is elected in November.

Richard Kolodziejski, public affairs director for the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, said Parry is wrong.

"There has never been an intent for us to push this out this long," Kolodziejski said. "We would prefer to have a contract that both our employees that we represent can approve, and that the Legislature can approve."

Kolodziejski said he thinks Republicans are trying to impose themselves into the current negotiations and dictate the results.

Gov. Mark Dayton said negotiators are still trying to resolve some significant differences. He said he wants a contract that gives taxpayers the best value.

The taps will flow at TCF Stadium

Posted at 5:07 PM on April 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The University of Minnesota will soon be allowed to sell alcohol at its football stadium. The Minnesota House passed a liquor bill today by a vote of 115-13 that includes the stadium provision. Governor Dayton's office says he will sign the bill. DFL Representative Joe Atkins of Inver Grove Heights says he's pleased the five year dispute is closer to coming to an end.

"We finally reached a bipartisan stadium deal as far as an agreement goes," Atkins said. "It might not be the stadium that most people are talking about but at least we reached some sort of stadium deal relative to TCF."

The Legislature and the University of Minnesota have been at odds over selling liquor at the football stadium. The compromise will allow the U of M to sell alcohol at the stadium as long as sales are open to the general public.

The provision expires after two years and will have to be renewed by the Legislature. The bill includes a provision requiring at least one Minnesota-brewed beer be sold at the stadium.

Senate rejects June primary bill

Posted at 2:07 PM on April 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota Senate rejected an elections bill today that would have created an earlier primary date in Minnesota.

The Senate voted 35-30 to send the bill back to conference committee for further negotiations. The move doesn't kill the bill for the session, but it sends a signal that the Senate was not in favor of a June primary. Several senators, including Sen. Dick Cohen, DFL-St. Paul and Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, said the June primary would create longer election seasons in Minnesota.

"What I hear when people discuss elections is that people find the length of elections tiresome," Cohen said.

Supporters say a June primary would increase voter turnout. They complained that the current August primary comes at a time when many people are vacationing.

"We all know that there's a tradition of vacationing in August," said Sen. Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka. "A June primary allows more people to participate in the process."

Bonoff also mentioned that the leaders in the DFL and Republican Parties supported the move to an earlier primary.

Today's Senate action comes several weeks after the House voted to move the primary to June. The conference committee will have to meet again to determine whether it should keep the June primary in the bill that includes several other elections issues.

Gov. Mark Dayton said he supports a June primary.

Senate paying attorney up to $300 an hour to deal with Brodkorb scandal

Posted at 4:56 PM on April 20, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republican Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem said today the Senate is paying an outside attorney $200 - $300 an hour to prepare for a lawsuit by a fired Senate staffer.

It's the first glimpse at what the Senate is paying in legal fees in a scandal involving former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch. Senjem and other Senate officials have refused to release details of their agreement with employment law attorney Dayle Nolan. Senjem called the amount of taxpayer dollars being paid to the lawyer "privileged information."

"There's no specific reason," Senjem said. "I'm not sure we've gotten a bill yet to be honest with you. That's perhaps part of it. You can start to count the hours maybe. A couple of hearings here and incidental consultation time with the Senate representatives."

Several Democrats have said the agreement with the attorney should be public. Sen. Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope, says Senjem should disclose how much the Senate is paying Nolan. She said the Senate Secretary should release the Senate's agreement with the lawyer.

"I can't imagine why they wouldn't," Rest said. "It's a simple answer. Does an agreement exist or not? If the secretary signed it then it's a public document."

Minnesota Senate Secretary Cal Ludeman told reporters on Friday that a document exists that contains details of Nolan's hourly rate, but he refused to release it.

Former Senate staffer Michael Brodkorb is preparing to sue the Senate for gender discrimination, defamation and invasion of privacy. He said he was fired because he had an affair with Koch. Senate officials say he was legally dismissed.

Dayton vetoes ban on child care money being spent for union dues

Posted at 3:38 PM on April 20, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton pulled out his veto pen again today, rejecting two Republican-backed bills.

Dayton vetoed one measure to modify child care assistance payments. Supporters of the bill wanted to make sure funds for state subsidized child care programs would not end up up paying the union dues of any child care providers. The bill was inspired by Dayton's failed attempt to allow a unionization vote among some in-home providers. A judge blocked the vote.

"This legislation is completely unnecessary because no union representation of child care providers exists in the State of Minnesota," Dayton wrote. "I will not support such a misguided and unnecessary effort."

Dayton also rejected a bill to prohibit the commissioner of education from enforcing unadopted rules. The governor said the measure tried to strip away powers granted to the executive branch.

UPDATE

Senate Republicans issued a news release on the veto of the child care fuding bill.
Sen.Ted Lillie, R-Lake Elmo, said he was surprised and disappointed by the governor's action.

"Our priority is to act as faithful stewards of taxpayer dollars and also to protect private businesses from government overreach," Lillie said. "With his veto today, the Governor does nothing to prevent unions from capturing tax payer dollars intended for the care of our children,"

Brodkorb denies misconduct during unemployment hearing

Posted at 5:41 PM on April 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

In his application for unemployment benefits former Minnesota Senate staffer Michael Brodkorb said he didn't violate Senate policies or commit misconduct. His application was rejected and he has appealed. An unemployment judge held a two-hour hearing on Brodkorb's appeal this afternoon.

During the hearing, Brodkorb responded "yes" when the judge asked whether he filled out a form that said he "did not violate any internal senate politics or commit employee misconduct."

The hearing didn't discuss Brodkorb's relationship with former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, which Brodkorb says is the reason he was fired from his position. Koch resigned her leadership position on Dec.15. Brodkorb was fired the next day.

The hearing is the latest twist in a brewing legal battle between Brodkorb and the Minnesota Senate. His attorney is preparing to sue the Senate for gender discrimination and argued last Friday that Senate staffers violated his privacy rights after MPR News learned that his unemployment claim was rejected. His attorneys announced in March that they would reveal several female staffers who had affairs with male lawmakers but weren't fired.

During the hearing, Brodkorb's attorney Greg Walsh requested that he be allowed to subpoena several witnesses to discuss the rejected unemployment claim. The list includes Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem, Deputy Senate Majority Leader Julianne Ortman, Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, Senate Secretary Cal Ludeman, Kevin Matzek, Chief of Staff at the Senate, and current Senate staffer Steve Sviggum. Michel became acting Majority Leader after Koch stepped down. Sviggum was hired to replace Brodkorb.

Senate counsel Dayle Nolan immediately objected to the subpoena requests warning that Walsh was going on "a fishing expedition."

Judge Elizabeth Tessmer declined to act on the subpoena requests and told both sides to put their arguments in writing. She said she was going to leave the hearing open to weigh the subpoena requests.

The hearing also revealed that Koch has been communicating with Senate GOP leadership about Brodkorb's dismissal. Matzek confirmed that he, Koch and Senjem discussed on Wednesday a document submitted to the unemployment judge about Brodkorb's application. The documents are not public information, so reporters weren't able to inspect them.

The hearing also confirmed that the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development rejected Brodkorb's unemployment claim. A DEED employee said that the Senate provided no input on Brodkorb's application.

Judge Tessmer said she may hold another hearing. Her ruling is considered private information, so it may not be known how she decides the appeal.

Dayton talking with the NFL about Vikings stadium impasse

Posted at 6:40 PM on April 18, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

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Gov. Dayton is discussing the Vikings stadium situation with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Dayton's spokesman Bob Hume said Dayton called Goodell earlier today to discuss how the stadium issue gets resolved in Minnesota. Hume characterized it as a "sobering conversation."

"The commissioner shares the governor's sense of urgency to have the state act this year," Hume said. "The commissioner reiterated that the failure to do so would have serious consequences for both the Vikings and the NFL in general."

Hume couldn't outline what those "serious consequences" would be. Hume said Dayton, Goodell and Pittsburgh Steelers President Art Rooney (Chair the NFL's stadium committee) will discuss the situation again in the morning.

Dayton and other stadium supporters have said that it will be difficult to revive the stadium bill this session after a committee in the Minnesota House killed the bill earlier this week.

The House Taxes Committee is scheduled to take up a bill on Thursday that was initially aimed at helping finance the stadium. Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove, said he wanted the Tax Committee to act on the charitable gambling portion of the bill. He said, however, that he was open to seeing the Vikings stadium bill language amended on to the bill after the Tax Committee acts on it.

"I want to get it clean out of there (Tax Committee)," Kriesel said. "Down the road, who knows?"

Meanwhile, Rep. Tim Mahoney, DFL-St. Paul, held a news conference calling on the Vikings stadium to be built in Arden Hills.

"As a fan and a taxpayer, I recognize the need to not just find a stadium solution, but to find the right solution. A solution that will benefit Minnesota as a whole," said Rep. Mahoney in a statement. "Given the jobs it will create and the property taxes it would generate, I believe this proposal does just that."

The Vikings and Ramsey County had a deal on a new stadium but it fell apart after the GOP controlled Legislature raised several concerns over the financing plan.

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Dayton raised $82,000 in first quarter

Posted at 4:50 PM on April 13, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton released his fundraising reports for the first quarter of this year. He reports raising $82,591 over the first three months of the year. He spent $63,315 and has $65,781 in the bank.

Dayton raised the bulk of his money in the first quarter from lobbyists and Political Action Committees. His report says he raised $32,540 from PACs, $18,450 from lobbyists and $31,691 from individuals.

Dayton's report also says he spent $14,000 on polling in March, $15,979 on a staff person, nearly $6,000 on printing services and $1,600 on rent at the DFL headquarters.

State law doesn't require campaign finance reports to be released for several months but Dayton has voluntarily released for this quarter. He wants to change state law to require campaigns that raise more than $5,000 to file quarterly reports. He said the measure will create greater transparency at the Minnesota Legislature.

Here's the campaign finance report filed by Dayton's campaign:

Dayton Apr 15 2012 Report

Zellers suggests the House will vote on Vikings stadium plan

Posted at 10:23 PM on April 12, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

In his strongest comments to date, Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers is suggesting the Minnesota House could vote on a Vikings stadium plan before the end of session. Zellers, who has been reluctant to commit to whether the House would vote on such a plan, now says there's a likelihood it can happen. In an interview with MPR News, Zellers said the Vikings stadium bill cleared both the House Commerce Committee and the House Rules Committee in the past few weeks.

"We've said all along that if it continues to move through the process, which last week with some pretty good pace, moving through two committees in one week is a lot better pace than you've seen so far," Zellers said. "We're committed to a fair process, and if it can move along like that and continues to move along like that, I think you'll see a vote this year."

Zellers said the delay in both the House was caused by debate over whether there was a sufficient backup funding plan in place to ensure that no general fund money would go to the stadium. The more than $975 million stadium plan relies on $400 million in state funding, $150 million from the city of Minneapolis and $427 million from the Vikings. The state plan relies on money generated from allowing charities to operate electronic pull-tabs in bars and restaurants. The plan also legalizes sports-themed tip boards which would be used to give charities a tax break.

Several lawmakers, including Zellers, said they were concerned the projected annual revenue estimates from the electronic pull-tabs would never materialize. They wanted a back-up plan to ensure the state's general fund wasn't used to pay for the stadium.

The bill was changed to require other revenue sources "blink on." Those funding sources include a tax on luxury boxes, a sports-themed lottery game, an admissions tax at the stadium and reserve funds from Hennepin county sales taxes used to build Target Field.

The House Government Operations Committee is likely to hold a hearing on the bill next week. The Vikings stadium bill is currently stalled in a Senate committee but GOP leaders are working to get the bill moving.

"It's active," GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem said last week. "We're trying to thread that needle."

Gov. Dayton has been pushing for the House and Senate to vote on the bill before the end of session.

Zellers comments come as the House and Senate are on a 10-day Easter/Passover break. Lawmakers return to St. Paul on Monday with the hopes of wrapping up the session by the end of the month.

It also comes as the state's two largest business groups have ramped up their lobbying for the stadium. Lobbyists for the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and the Minnesota Business Partnership have both confirmed that they are contacting lawmakers on the stadium. Minnesota Business Partnership executive director Charlie Weaver said CEOs of EcoLab, U.S. Bancorp, Wells Fargo and General Mills have all contacted GOP leadership on the issue.

"It's not going away," Weaver said of the stadium debate. "Rep. Zellers is hearing the love of the business community for the stadium on this deal."

Weaver said the stadium also has the strong support of the state's labor unions. He said that should help deliver DFL votes to get the deal done.

House GOP leaders say they want to finish the legislative session on or before April 30 but the constitutional deadline to adjourn May 21.

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Koenen wins special election to replace Kubly

Posted at 9:43 PM on April 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Campaign 2012: Minn. House Races, Campaign 2012: Minn. Senate Races, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Redistricting

State Rep. Lyle Koenen, DFL-Clara City, has won a special election to fill the seat of the late Sen. Gary Kubly. Koenen received 54 percent of the vote. Republican Gregg Kulberg received 40 percent and Independence Party member Leon Greenslit was third with five percent of the vote. The district includes Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Renville, Swift and Yellow Medicine counties.

Gov. Dayton called the special election to fill the vacant seat after Kubly died from ALS in March. Koenen will serve out the remainder of Kubly's term but will also challenge GOP Sen. Joe Gimse in a newly configured Senate district. A court-appointed panel paired Gimse and Kubly when they designed the new political boundaries in February.

Koenen announced he would challenge Gimse after he was paired Rep. Andrew Falk, DFL-Murdock in the new political boundaries.

Update: Gov. Dayton spokeswoman Katharine Tinucci says Dayton will not call a special election to fill Koenen's seat. She said it's not possible to fill the seat this legislative session (based on timing). She said the seat will be filled on the Nov. 6 general election.

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MMB: February and March tax collections $106 million higher than projected

Posted at 5:08 PM on April 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, State Government

Minnesota Management and Budget announced today that Minnesota's net general fund revenues in February and March are $106 million more that finance officials projected. The state agency reports that individual income tax receipts were $60 million more than forecasted in February. Sales taxes were $27 million more. Corporate income taxes were $3 million less than forecast.

Finance officials also say the U.S. is still recovering from the Great Recession but that the "U.S. economy remains fragile." Minnesota's employment has recovered more rapidly than the national average. The state's unemployment rate of 5.7 percent in February is tied with Utah and Virginia for 7th lowest rate in the nation.

State budget officials announced in February that the state had a surplus of $323 million. That surplus comes on top of an $876 million surplus released in December.

Here's the latest Economic update from MMB:

April 2012 Economic Update

Dayton calls Voter ID amendment "A wolf in sheep's clothing"

Posted at 10:08 AM on April 9, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Voter ID Amendment

Governor Dayton has ceremoniously vetoed a proposed constitutional amendment that would require people to present a photo ID to vote. Dayton's veto won't prevent the measure from going to the voters in November but he said he's vetoing the bill because the Legislature sent it to him in bill form.

Dayton says the amendment could disenfranchise thousands of voters, including overseas military members and seniors who are unable to drive. Dayton says ending same-day registration and replacing it with a provisional balloting system could lower the state's nation-leading voter participation.

"This amendment is a proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing," Dayton said. "It goes far beyond its purported intention to require photo identification. Instead it dismantled Minnesota's best in the nation election system.

Republicans argue that the proposal is needed to ensure the integrity of the state's election system. The constitution would be amended if a majority of the ballots cast in November favor of the amendment.

Update:

Here's a statement by GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem on Dayton's veto:

"Governor Dayton's mock veto today of the Voter ID constitutional amendment is completely misleading and intervenes with a constitutional process allowed our citizens. After the historic votes in the House and Senate, Minnesotans will now have the opportunity to weigh in on whether a photo ID should be required in order to vote. The Governor's action today misleads voters by suggesting the Governor has the authority to override the legislature's right to place a question on the ballot. Governor Dayton acted today as an obstruction to the democratic process by undermining this important legislative measure."

Here's Dayton's veto letter:

4.9.12 Voter ID

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Judge tosses Dayton's executive order on child care unionization

Posted at 2:32 PM on April 6, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, State Government

A Ramsey County District Court judge has thrown out Governor Dayton's order that allowed in-home day care providers to vote on whether to unionize.

In his decision, Judge Dale Lindman ruled that Dayton exceeded his authority when he issued an executive order allowing day care providers to decide whether to join a union.

Lindman said Dayton didn't have the power to issue the executive order because the state and the day care providers don't have an employer-employee relationship. He said Dayton's order superseded the legislative process and violated the separation of powers clause in the Minnesota Constitution. The judge ruled that the power to decide whether in-home day care providers can unionize lies with the Legislature.

Conservative groups and day care providers opposed to the unionization effort are cheering the ruling.

"I can't think of a better way to celebrate Easter than knowing that Judge Lindman upheld our rights and freedoms as independent licensed family child care providers," Hollee Saville said in a statement. "I'm jumping up and down right now and am thrilled that the time and efforts that childcare providers have dedicated to this very important cause over the past several years have paid off."

A spokeswoman for Dayton said Dayton is disappointed with the decision. She said they're reviewing the order and aren't sure whether they'll appeal.

Update:

Here's a statement from GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers:

Today's decision from Ramsey County Judge Dale Lindman is a victory for child care providers and small, independent businesses in Minnesota. It affirms what we have told Governor Dayton since he first called for the unconstitutional union election of child care providers: lawmaking is a function solely entrusted to the Minnesota Legislature. Governor Mark Dayton violated the constitutional separation of powers in calling for a union election of child care providers at the bequest of AFSCME and SEIU. I sincerely thank and congratulate the child care providers who bravely stood up to the unconstitutional overreach of Governor Mark Dayton and his union cronies. Their courage and fight will help protect small, independent businesses in Minnesota from the threat of forced, unilateral unionization in the future.

Update:

Here's a statement from Jennifer Munt, a spokesman for AFSCME Council 5, a union that supported Dayton's executive order:

"This ruling is disappointing, but not unexpected. Right-wing legislators and their tea-party allies sued to score political points. Their victory denies child care providers their democratic right to vote.

"A union exists wherever workers pull together with a common purpose. We're united to increase the quality of child care, to improve access for working parents, and to stabilize our profession. No judge or politician can stop that."

Here's the order:

(04!06!12) Findings of Fact Conclusions of Law and Order

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Bonding bill as bargaining chip

Posted at 4:46 PM on April 5, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

State lawmakers are heading home for a week-long break with a bonding bill still unresolved for the 2012 session.

House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, rejects the notion that the bonding bill might be in trouble. He said the delay is the result of a busy schedule of floor votes on other bills. But House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, offered a different explanation. Dean suggested that movement on the bonding bill was contingent on DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's willingness to bargain on other issues.

"I know a lot of our members are very, very interested in having the governor sign some reform bills before we take up the bonding bill," Dean said. "They'd like to see some more work product out of the governor. They want to see some yeses from the governor before taking up that bill. So, there's going to be more of an will be more of an appetite for that when we start to see some yeses from Gov. Dayton."

Republicans are hoping for Dayton's support on several tax proposals, including a phase-out of the statewide business property tax. But Dayton has raised concerns about the fiscal impact of both the House and Senate tax bills.

Dayton vetoes bill that would pay back portion of K12 shift

Posted at 11:47 AM on April 5, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Dayton has vetoed a bill that would have used a portion of the state's budget reserves to start paying back delayed state payments to schools. The Republican controlled Legislature sent Dayton the bill that would have tapped $430 million from the state's budget reserve to pay back a portion of the delay. Republican leaders said they wanted to put a priority on paying back the schools. But Dayton said today using that money could have forced the state to borrow to pay its bills.

"As elected officials we are responsible for the wise financial management of our state," Dayton said. "Our first priority should be assuring state government's financial stability. This bill would significantly increase that risk."

Finance officials said the state is already facing cash flow problems this fall and that taking $430 million from the reserves would have made the problem worse.

Republicans say they're disappointed with Dayton's veto. They said the state managed to pay its bills in the past with a budget reserve that is much smaller than the current one.

Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen, said Dayton's veto signals a deep divide over taxes and spending between the Democratic governor and the Republican-controlled Legislature.

"He's got an approach that is tax and spend and borrow," Ortman said. "In this year, he still wants to raise taxes, he wants to spend more with a supplemental budget and he wants to borrow more with a great, big fat bonding bill and he doesn't want to pay back the borrowing from last year That is a very stark contrast from where we are at now."

Dayton and the Legislature agreed last July to delay more than $2 billion in payments to schools and borrow $700 million in future tobacco payments to balance the budget.

House votes for earlier primary date

Posted at 6:04 PM on April 4, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota House passed legislation today that includes a provision that would shift the August primary to early June. The House approved the change by a 66-65 vote. The measure was amended to a broader elections bill that also passed.

The backers of the June primary say it will increase voter turnout.

"This is good government because it will increase participation in the primary," said Rep. Kurt Daudt, R-Crown. "I think that our August primary is a time when we are on vacations and not really attuned to what's going on with the primary elections."

Several critics said a June primary will force incumbent state lawmakers to focus more on running for re-election instead of doing legislative work. Others complained that it would lengthen the campaign season.

"This will go to perpetual campaigning, ongoing elections and increased costs," said Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul. "Those with means will run for office. Those who don't have the means will struggle."

The Senate would need to go along with the change. Gov. Dayton's spokeswoman, Katharine Tinucci, said Dayton has long supported moving the primary to June. If the proposal is enacted, it would take effect in 2013.

Dayton won't support teacher tenure bill

Posted at 11:42 AM on March 29, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Negotiations on a teacher tenure bill are expected to wrap up later today after a last ditch effort to get DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's support failed.

The Republican co-chairs of the conference committee on the bill met privately with Dayton but were unable to win his support. They say he instead promised a veto. The bill makes sure teacher layoffs are based partially on job performance, not just seniority. Republican Sen. Pam Wolf, R-Spring Lake Park, said the bill enjoys broad support from many education organizations.

"The only ones who opposes this bill is Education Minnesota, the commissioner and the governor," Wolf said. "I've had no other opponents to this bill. As a teacher, it's frustrating that we're going to continue to tell teachers it doesn't matter how good you are in the classroom. It matters when you signed your contract."

Gov. Dayton said he shares Wolf's goal, but he wants more time for a new statewide teacher evaluation system to take shape.

House and Senate GOP agree on deal to start paying back K12 shift

Posted at 10:29 PM on March 28, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

A joint House/Senate Conference Committee has agreed to use $430 million from the state's budget reserves to start paying back a payment delay to K12 schools. A spokesman for the House GOP Caucus said the conference committee wrapped up the report tonight after the House agreed to drop policy provisions in the bill.

"We want to make it as easy as possible for Governor Dayton to sign this bill," Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, said in a statement. "Removing the LIFO (Last In First Out) provisions from the House File and the policy from the Senate File will give him a clean bill to repay the shift that he can sign."

Republicans have been eager to start paying back a school shift plan that was used in July to erase part of the state's $5 billion budget deficit. The state will still owe roughly $2 billion to K12 schools if the plan is enacted into law.

Gov. Dayton and Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter have criticized the plan to tap the budget reserve to start paying back the school shift. Schowalter has said that tapping the budget reserve could lead to cash flow problems for the state in the coming months.

MMB released a cash flow report that showed the state could have difficulty paying its bills in September and October even if Gov. Dayton vetoes the Republican legislation to tap the budget reserves.

The House and Senate would have to each pass the conference committee report before it heads to Gov. Dayton.

Senate passes measure that would allow alcohol sales at TCF Stadium

Posted at 1:18 PM on March 28, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota Senate passed a bill today that would allow the University of Minnesota to sell alcohol at college football games. Right now there is no liquor sold at the stadium and the measure would end a long-running dispute between the University of Minnesota and the State Legislature.

The U of M and the Legislature have been at odds over where and how the U of M could sell alcohol during its games. The university wanted to sell alcohol only in suites but lawmakers complained that anyone over the age of 21 should be allowed to purchase alcohol.

Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, added the amendment to a broader liquor bill. He said the proposal has the support of both sides.

"I would present it as peace in the valley," Michel said.

The proposal requires that the U of M sell the alcohol in a place that is convenient to everyone and that those legal to purchase alcohol have access to the area. Sen. David Tomassoni, DFL-Chisholm, said the measure would ensure that those who legally allowed to drink alcohol can purchase it at the game.

"Part of the problem at TCF Stadium is that maybe when it was built it wasn't set up to be serving alcohol in the way that we would be normally be used to in a football stadium," Tomassoni said. "This compromise allows them to set it up in a way that it will work there."

The measure would also allow alcohol to be sold at Minnesota Vikings games played at TCF stadium.

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Senate GOP spends $561 million on bonding bill that focuses mostly on local projects

Posted at 8:08 AM on March 28, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Senate Republicans have proposed a public works bill that spends $561 million on projects throughout Minnesota. The plan focuses mostly on local projects throughout the state including $39 million for the University of Minnesota. $127 million for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, $30 million for flood mitigation, $25 million for a new building at the Minneapolis Veterans Home and funding for the Hormel Institute, the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester and St. Cloud Civic Center. (Full spreadsheet below)

The Senate also spends dramatically less that House Republicans on renovating the State Capitol. House Republicans are proposing to spend $221 million to renovate the Capitol. The Senate bill spends $25 million.

The House has two bonding bill proposals moving. The $221 million for the State Capitol Renovation and a $280 million borrowing plan for local projects.

The plan is also smaller than Gov. Dayton's plan that borrows $775 million.

Here's a breakdown of the projects in the Senate bill ($561 million total cost. State's general fund obligation is $462m)

University of Minnesota $39,060,000
-$35 million for asset preservation

Minnesota State Colleges and Universities 127,028,000
-$32 million for asset preservation
-$5.9 million for Anoka/Ramsey Community College Coon Rapids
-$13.3 million for workforce program renovation at Minneapolis Technical College
-$26 million for North Hennepin Community College Bioscience and Health Careers Addition
-$13.8 million for lab renovation at Ridgewater College, Willmar

Department of Education 1,000,000
Minnesota State Academies 1,000,000
-Perpich Center for Arts Education 263,000

Natural Resources 56,000,000
-$30 million for flood hazard mitigation
-$6 million to fight invasive species
-$5 million to develop the Lake Vermilion State Park

Pollution Control Agency 5,256,000
Board of Water and Soil Resources 12,000,000
Agriculture 706,000
Rural Finance Authority 33,000,000
Zoological Garden 7,000,000
Administration 35,867,000
-$25 million for State Capitol Renovation
-$5 million for Washburn Center for Children

Amateur Sports 375,000
Military Affairs 25,000,000
-$19.5 million for addition to Camp Ripley
Public Safety 4,037,000
Transportation 43,500,000
-$20m local bridge renovation
-$14.2 million local road improvement grantss

Metropolitan Council 12,850,000
Human Services 2,500,000
Veterans Affairs 29,816,000
-$25.4 million for a Minneapolis Veterans Home building.

Corrections 12,391,000
Employment and Economic Development 77,850,000
-$13.5 million for Hormel Institute
-$10 million for the St. Cloud Civic Center Expansion
-$32 million for Mayo Civic Center Expansion in Rochester

Public Facilities Authority 24,850,000
-$20 million for Wastewater Treatment.

Housing Finance Agency 6,000,000
Minnesota Historical Society 3,250,000

Bond Sale Expenses 560,000

TOTAL $ 561,159,000
Bond Proceeds Fund (General Fund Debt Service) 462,283,000
Bond Proceeds Fund (User Financed Debt Service) 64,676,000
State Transportation Fund Bond Proceeds (General Fund Debt
Service) 34,200,000

Here's the spreadsheet:

Capital Investment

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Dayton rips Republicans over constitutional amendments

Posted at 2:05 PM on March 26, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Marriage Amendment, State Government

Gov. Dayton is criticizing Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature for putting measures on the ballot that they couldn't get signed into law. Speaking at a rally held by the National Association of Social Workers, Minnesota Chapter, Dayton said he doesn't support the Legislature's focus on constitutional amendments.

"This is supposed to be the center of democracy for the state of Minnesota," Dayton said. "That involves the give and take between the legislative branch and the executive branch. It doesn't mean going around a governor because I can't veto a constitutional amendment and putting constitutional amendments on the ballot that the DFLers don't have anything to say about."

He said he was especially concerned about amendments "that would take away people's rights."

Dayton also expressed confidence that Minnesota would be the first state to reject a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

The House and Senate have also each passed a constitutional amendment to require people to present photo identification to vote. A House/Senate conference committee is expected to be appointed to reconcile the differences on the bill. If the House and Senate agree on new language, both chambers would have to vote again on it for it to pass.

Other lawmakers say they'd also like to pass the "right-to-work" constitutional amendment that would make union membership and dues voluntary for all members.

The governor cannot veto constitutional amendments, so the questions would be put on the ballot if the House and Senate pass the legislation.

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Senate set to vote on Voter ID

Posted at 3:24 PM on March 23, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota Senate is expected to vote sometime today on a constitutional amendment that would require people to present photo identification to vote. The measure, which has already passed the House, has drawn significant protest from labor unions, DFL leaning groups and others.

Before the Senate went into session, about 300 people held a silent protest outsie the Senate gallery. Some held signs saying "All of our voices count." Others had $1 bills taped over their mouths to signify that their voices were being drawn out by corporate interests.

Supporters of the amendment argue that requiring photo identification at the polls will ensure that elections are legitimate.

The measure that passed out the Senate Rules Committee is slightly different than the House ballot question. If the Senate passes legislation that is different, a joint House/Senate conference committee would likely have to reconcile the differences.

Gov. Dayton cannot veto a constitutional amendment, so the question will be put on the November ballot if it passes the House and Senate.

The Senate went into session but recessed so the Senate DFL and GOP caucuses can discuss the proposal in private.

Will be updated....

The Senate passed the amendment 36-30. Republican Jeremy Miller of Winona joined every DFLer in voting against the amendment. Every other Republican voted for it.

Funding concerns raised in tax hearing

Posted at 10:45 AM on March 22, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton sent two of his commissioners to a Minnesota Senate hearing today to highlight his concerns with a Republican-backed tax bill.

The Senate GOP measure is aimed at boosting the economy and encouraging job growth through package of tax breaks for businesses, including a phase-out of the state business property tax. But to cover the costs, Republicans would either dip into the state budget reserves or require the administration to cut spending by about $100 million. Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter said the bill would send state finances in the wrong direction.

"We have gotten through a a significant recession," Schowalter said. "We have drawn down our reserves. We have had shifts. We have weakened the financial situation of this state markedly in recent year. The last two forecasts have been positive, and they've helped us restore some of our reserves, and this bill takes us going in the other way."

Schowalter also warned that additional spending reductions would be hard to find. But Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen, the committee chair, told Schowalter to try harder.

"I encourage you to go back to the table, roll up your sleeves, get out your pencils, you and the other commissioners and the other managers, there are many of them, and find some savings," Ortman said. "Because I think it's there. I think every Minnesotan knows it's there, and that we can do more to reduce the size of government to encourage the prosperity of individuals and businesses in the state of Minnesota."

Revenue Commissioner Myron Frans told lawmakers that the governor is also concerned that the proposed tax relief won't actually create any jobs.

Representatives of several business groups testified in support of the bill.

Senate tax bill cuts business property taxes, asks Dayton to make cuts

Posted at 11:15 AM on March 21, 2012 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota Senate want to cut the statewide business property tax and pay for it through unspecified cuts.

"The bill overall reduces the state's tax burden by $102.5 million," said Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen.

Ortman, who chairs the Senate Taxes Committee, said she's leaving the decisions on what programs to cut to Gov. Dayton's administration. Ortman said the $100 million in savings will come from the state's budget reserve if Dayton's Administration doesn't find the savings.

"I think it's easily doable by our commissioners," Ortman said.

The bill's biggest tax cut is to the so-called "marriage penalty." The federal government extended a tax break and the Senate bill would make the state's tax laws conform with that change. The change helps married couples at the cost to the state treasury of $62.4 million in fiscal year 2013.

The statewide business property tax levy would be cut by $31 million and nearly $2 million would be go to homeowners to cushion the impact of property tax increases. .

The bill would actually increase taxes on some cigarettes and on motor vehicle paint.

The proposal does not make a significant dent in the state's budget this year but the cost would increase dramatically in coming years. For example, the business property tax levy would be reduced by $145 million in the next two-year budget cycle.

Several Democrats on the Tax Committee were skeptical of the proposal, especially Sen. Rod Skoe, DFL-Clearbrook

"If we're going to ask the governor and his administration to have savings then I think you have to spell them out and write them down on a piece of paper and put them in the bill," he said.

Skoe said he was dismayed that Senate Republicans were targeting the newly replenished budget reserve.

The Senate Tax bill is dramatically different from its House companion. House Republicans are pushing a bill that cuts the business property tax and property taxes for homeowners, but they pay for the cuts by reducing the tax credit for renters and by increasing taxes on corporations that operate overseas. Ortman said she won't back either of those measures.

Ortman isn't the only lawmaker who is looking at the budget reserve to potentially pay for priorities. Sen. Gen Olson, R-Minnetrista, is proposing to pay back $430 million of the $2.4 billion in delayed payments to K-12 schools that helped balance the state's budget last session.

Republicans in the House have proposed taking $430 million from the reserve to start paying back the school shift.

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Polling the Vikings stadium

Posted at 11:45 AM on March 20, 2012 by Tim Nelson (5 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

One of the people in the stadium meeting held by Gov. Mark Dayton and a trio of Minneapolis City Council members yesterday morning confirms that the meeting had a interesting twist -- a "reveal," as its known in the business.

The union-backed polling shown to the council members showed support for a stadium deal "in the high 60s" in terms of percentages among residents in Ward 1 and Ward 12. Those wards are represented, respectively, by Kevin Reich and Sandy Colvin Roy, on either end of the city's eastern border.

They're two members of the reported "no" bloc that's keeping the city council from signaling its willingness to play along with the stadium deal struck by Mayor R.T. Rybak, the Vikings and the Dayton administration.

Did the numbers make a difference?

Reich wouldn't say one way or another, but he confirmed he saw the poll results and had this observation: "It's my understanding that the numbers were an aggregate of two wards, based on non-random polling. And thus it wasn't possible to break out numbers for a specific ward."

Several union activists approached by MPR News declined to release the numbers or polling data. Colvin Roy didn't respond to a call or e-mail about Monday's meeting.

But she, Reich and the Minneapolis City Council are key players in the fate of the stadium right now. The deal faltered in the Senate's local government committee last week, and still hasn't been sheduled for its first stop in the house, the Commerce Committee chaired by Joe Hoppe, R-Chaska.

Bill sponsor Morrie Lanning, R- Moorhead, sounded a bit weary of the explanation when asked about the prospects there this week. "As I've been saying, it's not going to progress until there's an understanding with the charities and until something happens with the city of Minneapolis."

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Right-to-Work on the ropes

Posted at 9:24 AM on March 20, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, State Government

Supporters of the so-called "right-to-work" constitutional amendment are making a last ditch effort to get the House and Senate to vote on the measure.

Sen. David Thompson, R-Lakeville, was joined by several other House and Senate Republicans at a news conference this morning who want to see the proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot this year.

The proposal would let voters decide whether union membership and the payment of union dues should be voluntary for all workers. Thompson said he's working to convince GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem to hold a hearing on the bill in the Rules Committee.

"What I'm hoping for is that we get the bill vetted in the Rules Committee and sent to the floor," Thompson said.

Thompson said he will not attempt to move the bill from the Rules Committee to the Senate floor. He took the rare step last week of forcing the Senate to vote to yank the bill from the Senate Jobs Committee to the Senate Judiciary Committee. That committee approved it last week. Thompson said he will not force another Senate vote to get the bill to the floor.

Thompson said he asked Senjem to hold a hearing on the bill but didn't receive a commitment. Senjem said late last week that the votes weren't there to pass the amendment in the House or the Senate.

No one at the news conference disputed Senjem's statement, but they said they still want a vote in the House and Senate.

"There's only one way to find out and that's to bring it to the floor," said Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, when asked if they have the votes to pass it.

The measure has not received a hearing in the House.

Union members and their allies have been lobbying fiercely to defeat the measure.

(Photo by MPR's Tim Nelson)

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House Republicans propose $221 million for Capitol renovation

Posted at 8:53 AM on March 20, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota House are proposing to borrow $221 million to restore and renovate the State Capitol building. The bill containing the funding, which will be heard in the House Capital Investment Committee today, aims to restore the Capitol in phases. The measure aims to ensure the structural soundness of the building and doesn't aim to improve equipment or other "furnishings."

The bill also requires that construction work has to be sequenced so the House and Senate chambers continue to operate during budget years.

The measure borrows over the next four years and is separate from a bonding bill in the House. That bill proposes borrowing $280 million that is mostly focused on asset preservation.

Here's the bill.

House GOP focuses on asset preservation in $280m bonding bill plan

Posted at 9:55 PM on March 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, State Government

House Republicans are putting forward a $280 million public works bill that focuses mostly on asset preservation at the state's higher education institutions, correctional facilities and local road and bridge improvement. The proposal is less than half the size of what Gov. Dayton outlined in his bonding bill proposal.

Update: The House GOP is also moving a separate bonding bill that focuses on restoring the Capitol. The plan borrows $220 million. That bill is being heard on Tuesday.

The House GOP proposal, put forward by House Capital Investment Chair Larry Howes of Walker, dedicates $35 million in bonding for asset preservation at the University of Minnesota and $20 million for asset preservation for the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. The plan also dedicates $33 million for Rural Finance Authority grants, $20 million for local bridge replacement and rehab, $10 million for local road improvement.

Dayton has been pushing for $775 million in borrowing to help boost the state's construction sector. Some Republicans have argued that the state shouldn't borrow too much in light of the recent economic downturn but Dayton compared the bonding bill to a family mortgaging a house.

Some big-ticket items have been left out of the House Republican plan. The plan does not include money for the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester, the Mankato Civic Center and upgrades to the Minnesota Security Hospital in St. Peter.

House Republicans also dedicate $1 million in borrowing to the St. Cloud Civic Center (Dayton proposed $10 million), $2 million for the St. Paul Saints ballpark in St. Paul (Dayton proposed $27 million) and $2 million for the State Emergency Operations Center in Arden Hills (Dayton proposed $26 million).

The House Capital Investment Committee will hold its first hearing on the bill on Tuesday Wednesday. It may face stiff DFL opposition considering DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen characterized the proposal on Twitter as the "Tea Party Express strikes again." Democrats have argued for a larger bonding bill. Republicans need to garner 81 votes in the House to get the bonding bill passed since it needs a three-fifths majority to pass each chamber.

Senate Republicans have yet to release their proposal.

Here are some of the highlights of the House GOP plan:

$35 m for HEAPR at the U of M
$20 million for HEAPR at MnSCU
$13.8 million for the Ridgewater College, Willmar- Technical Instruction Lab Renovation
$33 million for Rural Finance Authority Grants
$20 million for local bridge replacement and rehab
$10 million for local road improvement
$10 million in asset preservation at Department of Corrections
$9 million for The Hormel Institute in Austin
$12 million for the St. Paul Children's Museum
$20 million for the Wastewater Infrastructure Funding program
$10 million for foreclosure remediation

Here's the full proposal:

House Bonding Bill March 19

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Dayton lobbies Minneapolis City Council on Vikings stadium

Posted at 2:00 PM on March 19, 2012 by Tim Nelson (5 Comments)
Filed under: Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Gov. Mark Dayton met with three members of the Minneapolis City Council this morning to talk to them about their support for a stadium.

Dayton said Mayor R.T. Rybak, council president Barb Johnson and two other city council members attended. City officials identified them as Sandy Colvin Roy and Kevin Reich, although neither has returned a phone call to their office seeking confirmation.

"There are a couple that are carefully considering their position," Dayton said of council members.

Reich said earlier this month that he believes city's voters need to approve the proposed $975 million stadium plan in a referendum. Rybak, though, said the same day that he didn't consider Reich a "no" vote.

Colvin Roy last month cited similar reasoning in voicing her reluctance to supporting a stadium plan: that 1997 charter amendment that requires a referendum on stadium spending over $10 million.

The two are part of what are reported to be a majority "no" bloc on the council, and part of the reason Rybak has said he hasn't been able to offer tangible proof of the city's support for his stadium plan. And if Reich and Colvin Roy are in fact the swing votes on the plan, Dayton offered little indication that he'd swung them.

"Well, they're open to considering their position," Dayton said. "I don't know that either of them have taken a firm position. I don't know that for a fact one way or the other. But they both indicated they were willing to consider their position."

Dayton touched on another facet of the stadium debate as well: whether the council can vote on a stadium before the Legislature acts.

"I'm not a lawyer. Some say the council can't actually by law vote definitively until after the Legislature enacts the legislation. So I think what the Legislature's looking for is a letter, that's clear that at least a majority of the Minneapolis City Council support the project, and ultimately assuming that the terms stay relatively the same, would support it."

But Dayton also added that he still considers the stadium alive. "I'm still hopeful," he said. "We didn't get any final commitments, but we didn't ask for any final commitments, either."

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Senate Democrats file ethics complaint against Geoff Michel

Posted at 12:45 PM on March 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Democrats in the Minnesota Senate have filed an ethics complaint against Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, for how he handled the affair between former Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and Senate Republican Caucus spokesman Michael Brodkorb.

Michel was first told about the "inappropriate relationship" between Koch and Brodkorb in September and then reported it to Senate human resources . He failed to confront Koch on the matter until late November.

"Upon being made aware of an alleged inappropriate relationship between the Senate Majority Leader and a subordinate senate employee in September, 2011, Senator Michel had an obligation as Deputy Majority Leader to take appropriate action to fully and swiftly address the matter," Sen. Sandy Pappas, DFL-St. Paul, wrote in the complaint.

Pappas also said Michel brought "dishonor and disrepute" to the Senate by not taking action to fully and swiftly address the matter. Pappas said he "betrayed the public's trust by making false and clearly misleading public statements regarding when he became aware" of the relationship.

Michel initially told reporters late last year that he became aware of the relationship in early November but later admitted he found out about the affair on September 21. Koch's former chief of staff, Cullen Sheehan, told Michel about the affair at that time.

Pappas is asking the Senate Ethics Committee to investigate the details of the matter and that the hearings be open to the public.

The complaint comes less than a week after attorneys for Brodkorb announced that they intend to sue the Senate for gender discrimination. They say they will provide examples of female staffers who had affairs with male lawmakers but still kept their jobs.

Will be updated...

Here's the complaint:

Update:

Sen. Michel issued this statement:

"This is about politics and payback and has nothing to do with ethics. The DFL wants a few more headlines. The conflict of interest has been resolved. The workplace environment has improved. And, we did this while protecting whistleblowers and staff. I have asked for an immediate hearing to resolve this matter."

Ethics Complaint 03-19-12

Lobbying expenses top $59 million in 2011

Posted at 12:15 PM on March 19, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board released a report that detailed the spending on lobbying of the Minnesota Legislature and the Dayton Administration in 2011. The Board reports that $59 million was spent to influence the Legislature and the Administration.

Business groups lead the spending. Xcel Energy spent $2.3 million, the most of any organizations. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce spent $2 million, the Minnesota Business Partnership spent $980,000. Minneapolis Radiation Oncology Physicians, a group fighting a moratorium on new radiation treatment centers in Minnesota, spent $900,000. The Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities, which represents mostly rural cities, and the Minnesota AFL-CIO, a coalition of labor unions, spent $820,000 each.

Update: An official with the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities says they made a reporting error to the Campaign Finance Board. They say they will submit an amended report that says the group spent $460,000 on lobbying in 2011.

You can read the full list here.

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House GOP passes school shift bill

Posted at 7:21 PM on March 15, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota House have passed their plan to payback a small portion of the $2.4 billion still owed to public schools by using some of state's rainy day fund.

The bill that passed on a 74 to 59 vote tonight would take $430 million out of budget reserves. Lawmakers delayed payments to schools to erase the last two budget deficits.

Despite a highly partisan floor debate, Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, insisted that the issue not just about politics.

"Instead of Republicans and Democrats pointing fingers at each other blaming each other for increasing debt to schools, we can now work together and argue over who gets credit for paying the money back," Garofalo said. "So, we think this is a good direction, and it points out that Minnesota is going on the right track."

DFL lawmakers tried unsuccessfully to payback the entire amount owed to schools without touching the reserves. Their plan would have ended tax breaks to Minnesota companies operating in other countries. Rep. Frank Hornstein, DFL-Minneapolis, urged lawmakers to put students ahead of corporations.

"We have a fundamental choice of corporate tax loopholes overseas, versus funding our kids and funding our schools," Hornstein said. "So let's make sure we pay back schools from Alexandria to Zumbrota rather than continue corporate loopholes from Andorra to Vanuatu."

Gov. Mark Dayton also has concerns about the GOP bill. He recently said the payback is not fiscally responsible.

Dayton lobbies Legislature as stadium hearing starts

Posted at 2:12 PM on March 14, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Gov. Dayton sent a letter to members of the Senate Local Government and Elections Committee urging them to approve a Vikings stadium bill. The committee is the first stop for the bill and it isn't certain whether the bill will make it through committee. Dayton reminded lawmakers that the financing from the electronic pull-tab is solid despite reports otherwise.

"I believe it is sound, reliable and sufficient to finance the state's share of this project," Dayton wrote. "Anyone who says otherwise is speaking without my authorization and is seriously misrepresenting my position. Futhermore, everyone trying to dismantle this proposal, without offering a better one, is clearly trying to defeat this bill"

Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission Chair Ted Mondale and Vikings lobbyist Lester Bagley urged the committee to pass the bill. He said the Metrodome has outlived its usefulness.

"It's the smallest stadium in the league," Bagley said. "It will no longer sustain an NFL team. We're at the bottom of the NFL in stadium revenues and fan experience."

Several business and labor leaders also signaled their support for the bill.

Mondale told the committee that state's $398 million contribution will be returned by taxes from player salaries, Vikings employees, other teams and sales taxes from the games.

"The state payback in gross dollars over a 33 year period of time would be $450 million more that the state would get back than the state would put in on this particular project."

But several members expressed skepticism about those numbers. Sen. Roger Chamberlain cited studies that said sports stadiums don't generate the expected return on investment.

"I want a stadium, I want you guys to stay here but I think the impact and the return to the state has proven to be zero."

Other critics, including a lobbyist for the Minnesota Family Council, said expanding electronic gambling is bad public policy.

"We're going to build a stadium to a significant degrees on the backs of problem gamblers," Prichard said. "In fact, the state will have a vested interst in having more people become addicted to and spend more money gambling over a 30 year period in order to pay off the bonds."

It isn't certain whether the committee will approve the bill. Bipartisan supporters of the stadium were busy working legislators before the committee started.

Here's Dayton's letter:

3 14 12 GMD Local Gov Elections Commee (2)

Gerlach not running for reelection

Posted at 5:22 PM on March 12, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Sen. Chris Gerlach, R-Apple Valley, announced today that he won't be running for reelection. In a prepared statement, Gerlach cited family considerations as the reason for stepping down.

"While serving in the Legislature is truly an honor and privilege, the family and financial sacrifices are great," he said. "Now is the time to reassess my personal priorities."

Gerlach was criticized late last week for how he handled mailings regarding the so-called "Right-to-Work" amendment. His firm was hired to print mailings that targeted Republican senators onr the issue.

Gerlach's district leans Republican but will be another open seat that Republicans will be forced to defend.

Republicans not running for re-election to the Minnesota Senate:
Chris Gerlach
Gretchen Hoffman (running for Congress)
Doug Magnus
Al DeKruif
Amy Koch
Gen Olson
Geoff Michel

Note: Republican Mike Parry is running for Congress but has not ruled out a run for re-election if he fails to win his party's endorsement.

DFLers not running for re-election to the MN Senate:
Keith Langseth
Linda Higgins

Endorsement contests:

- Republicans Michelle Benson and Michael Jungbauer were paired in the same district and are battling for the Republican endorsement. Both say they would abide by the party endorsement.

- DFLers John Marty and Mary Jo McGuire were paired and are battling for the DFL endorsement. Marty and McGuire say they'll abide by the party's endorsement.

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Dayton puts forward supplemental budget plan

Posted at 11:52 AM on March 12, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton is proposing a revised budget that would give tax breaks to companies that hire veterans and unemployed workers, restore some health care cuts and increase benefits for veterans.

Human Services Commissioner Cindy Jesson says the plan would restore cuts the governor and Legislature made last year to personal care attendants, medical research and emergency medical assistance.

"We chose to propose restoring these things because we see immediate risk of harm very much to people if we don't take these steps."

The governor's spends an extra $60 million, which would be collected by raising taxes on corporations that operate overseas and by requiring online retailers like Amazon to collect and pay state sales taxes on purchases. Republicans in the Legislature have opposed efforts to close what some call a tax loophole for corporations that operate overseas.

Dayton said the current tax break for companies with overseas operations doesn't make sense.

"Why do we want to give incentives to companies, big companies most of them, for putting jobs overseas rather than investing that money in the future of the people of Minnesota?," Dayton said.

Republicans have been reluctant to raise taxes on corporations that operate overseas. They say companies would be less likely to hire workers in Minnesota if the law were changed.

Here are the details put forward by Dayton's office.

Update:

GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem released this statement:

"Governor Dayton's supplemental budget is a surprise and a shock," said Senate Majority Leader Senjem. "We have managed Minnesota's budget well in the past year from a $5 billion budget deficit to over a $1 billion surplus and the first thing the Governor wants to do is raise taxes. Embarrassing!"

The Governor's "jobs" portion of this proposal actually costs $35 million and results in a temporary program. The bottom line is this: the Governor's proposal is a temporary tax credit for a permanent tax increase.

In a letter last year, Joy Lindsay of the Minnesota High Tech Association Board said, "Minnesota's foreign royalty deduction was enacted during the Perpich administration to encourage companies to invest in research and development in Minnesota which creates high-paying, high-tech jobs here." Governor Dayton's proposal would jeopardize thousands of technology workers' jobs, whose average wages are much higher than the state's average.

In addition to the permanent tax increase, the Governor is also recommending fee increases on hunting and fishing licenses.

"What we are doing is working for Minnesota," Senate Majority Leader Senjem concluded. "I can't believe the Governor wants to retreat to raising taxes with the surplus just announced."

Dayton revises electronic pull-tab plan

Posted at 1:46 PM on March 9, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Governor Dayton says he's revising his stadium plan to try to encourage charities to sign on to the use of electronic pull-tabs.

The stadium plan uses revenue from electronic pull-tabs to finance the state's $398 million dollar share of the stadium. Dayton said today that he wants give the state's charities an annual tax break of $10 million because earlier officials with the charitable gambling industry said their costs were so high they were unlikely to use electronic pull-tabs. Dayton said he wanted to respond to their concerns.

"The kind of increase that they're going to have in bottom line profits is very significant," Dayton said. "But one of my axioms in politics is that more is never enough. So you think more satisfies people and you find it just whets their appetite for more."

King Wilson, executive director of Allied Charities of Minnesota, said he was working with the Dayton Administration on the proposal but he had concerns that the tax break wasn't large enough.

"If the number is $10 million, I don't think that gives us the reform and relief we need that will make it work," he said.

Dayton's announcement comes on the same day he's meeting privately with the four legislative leaders to discuss the stadium.

The bill is scheduled to be formally introduced on Monday. Update: You can read the bill here.

Here are some of the documents put forward by Gov. Dayton's office:

3.9.12 Charitable Gambling Proposal

3 9 12 Gaming 2

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Howe backpeddles on voter ID compromise

Posted at 3:45 PM on March 8, 2012 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Two weeks ago, a Republican lawmaker was pushing hard for an alternative to the proposed constitutional amendment that would require people to show a photo ID before they could vote. The alternative would instead protect election integrity through legislative action, by using what are called electronic poll books to ensure only people who are properly registered can vote.

But state Sen. John Howe, R-Red Wing, now appears to be distancing himself from some of his previous comments on the subject. In an earlier interview, Howe said he thought the electronic poll books, an idea also advocated by Secretary of State Mark Ritchie, would be "a big enough step that we don't have to do anything further."

Today, Howe insisted that he's not trying to prevent the constitutional amendment from moving forward.

"I don't want to see this approach as in competition to the photo ID amendment," Howe said. "I think it's complementary."

Howe also stayed away from the news conference that Gov. Mark Dayton held to discuss the same voter verification plan. Dayton was supposed to be joined by a "bipartisan group of legislators," including Howe. But only Democrats attended.
Dayton, who vetoed a Republican-backed voter ID bill last year, said the Howe/Ritchie proposal is an opportunity for bipartisan legislation that he could support.

"What the people of Minnesota want us to do is work constructively together, work across party lines, work in a bipartisan way in their best interest," Dayton said.

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Vikings stadium bill sponsor says expect hearings next week

Posted at 2:49 PM on March 8, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

State Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, said today that she submitted her Vikings stadium bill today and it will be formally introduced in the Minnesota Senate on Monday. Rosen also said she expects committee hearings to begin on the bill next week.

"The hope is to bring it to the floor," Rosen said. "We'll start having hearings next week and get it through the proper process and do the due diligence."

Rosen said she's still confident that the Vikings stadium bill has a chance to pass this session. For example she said it has the support of leaders from both parties. GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem and DFL Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk have signed on as co-authors. Senjem wouldn't say whether the bill had a chance to pass this session, given that most members don't know the full details of the proposal.

"The good thing here is that it's on board and it's in the process," Senjem said. "We're able to now take it and chew in on for a while and find out what it tastes like."

Senate staffers say the bill language should be available late Friday afternoon.

Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, told reporters on Thursday that he hoped to introduce the bill in the Minnesota House on Monday.

Next week is a critical step for the stadium because all bills have to clear at least one policy committee before March 16.

Senate GOP makes a power play on Right-to-Work Amendment

Posted at 2:22 PM on March 8, 2012 by Tom Scheck (10 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota Senate took an unusual step today by moving a bill from one committee to another before the first committee voted on the measure. The bill in question is a proposed constitutional amendment would allow voters to decide whether workers could voluntarily avoid paying union dues.

Sen. Dave Thompson, R- Lakeville, requested that the so-called "right-to-work" bill be moved from the Senate Jobs and Economic Growth Committee to the Senate Judiciary Committee. It's a simple procedural move, but it upends the typical Senate process that allows policy committees to debate and vote on bills that fall within their jurisdiction.

Several union lobbyists said Thompson made the move because there weren't enough votes in the Jobs Committee to approve the bill.

Thompson said he believes the Judiciary Committee was a better place to consider the bill, and that there would be plenty of debate.

"I don't have the least bit of concern that the public won't have an opportunity to learn about this and provide all of the input that they'd like to provide in the judiciary committee," Thompson said. "I feel that the public will in no way be short-changed by going to this committee."

The Senate voted 34-30 in favor of Thompson's request to move the bill. Sen. Joe Gimse, R-Willmar, switched his vote from no to yes to reach 34 votes. Gimse said that he switched his vote to help move the amendment along.

"They needed my vote to see the bill progress on to the Judiciary Committee," Gimse said. "My protest was heard but I want it to go to the Jobs Committee also and follow the legislative procedure."

Gimse said he hopes the bill goes back to the Jobs Committee at some point. Gimse said he wasn't sure how he would vote on the amendment.

Every Democrat and Sen. Jeremy Miller, R-Winona, voted against it.

Sen. Jim Metzen, DFL-South St. Paul, said he was disappointed that Jobs and Economic Growth Chair Geoff Michel was willing to give up control of the bill and worried about the precedent that the vote set.

"Let's find the time and do it the right way," Metzen said. "I think we're going down the wrong path here and if we continue to do this it's a terrible slippery slope."

The state's labor unions have been actively working to defeat the proposed constitutional amendment.

If the House and Senate both pass it, the question would be put to the voters this fall.

UPDATE: The Senate Judiciary Committee will hear the bill on Monday, March 12 at 8am in Room 15 of the State Capitol.

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Dayton says Sviggum embarrassing himself and the U of M

Posted at 10:21 AM on March 8, 2012 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton says former Republican House Speaker Steve Sviggum's dispute with the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents is embarrassing Sviggum and the school.

Sviggum is both a university regent and works as chief spokesman for the Senate Republican Caucus. The board of regents is meeting today <<11 am>> to discuss whether the two jobs are in conflict.

A three member regents panel said last week that Sviggum does have a conflict of interest. Sviggum has rejected that idea, but Dayton says he told him that there is a problem.

"I think he's got to make a decision between one and the other," Dayton said. "I told him I have great respect for his years of service and we always gotten along very well and my advice as a friend is that this was an embarrassment to him and to the university and he needed to resolve it."

Sviggum said he will not step down regardless of any action taken by the board of regents.

Update: Sviggum resigned from the board this morning.

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House GOP plans to tap budget reserve to reduce K12 shift

Posted at 7:48 PM on March 7, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota House are proposing to tap two thirds of the state's budget reserve to pay back a portion of a K12 school shift they used to balance the budget in 2011.

Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, says the measure is part of a K12 bill that will be heard in committee tomorrow. He said paying back schools with $430 million from the state's budget reserve is a better use of the money.

"If you look at accounting principles, it's better to reduce your debt and reduce your liabilities than to have that cash sitting around," Garofalo said.

A nonpartisan budget analyst in the House said the proposal could force the state to enact short-term borrowing to meet cash flow needs. DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen says they're open to the option but would prefer Republicans find a way to pay the entire $2.4 billion shift back.

"This is one way to do it and I think it deserves consideration," Thissen said. "But I also think we ought to be putting a plan in place that is paying back the school shift over time and getting that into law."

Thissen said they're proposing to eliminate a tax break for corporations that operate overseas to pay back the schools over time. Governor Dayton and GOP legislative leaders relied on the accounting trick to erase part of a $5 billion budget deficit.

The K12 school shift is expected to be a major talking point during the 2012 campaign.

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Dayton vetoes gun bill

Posted at 7:37 PM on March 5, 2012 by Tom Scheck (20 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Dayton has vetoed legislation that would have expanded the use of deadly force in Minnesota.

In his veto letter to the Legislature, Governor Dayton said he vetoed the bill because most major law enforcement agencies raised issues about the bill. Dayton said he appreciated the efforts to craft the bill to ease worries by law enforcement but said their concerns "must be honored."

The bill would have given gun owners significantly more latitude to use deadly force for self defense. It would have allowed the use of deadly force with a weapon if people believe they are in imminent danger in a home, hotel room, car, boat or tent. The National Rifle Association issued a statement saying it was disappointed with Dayton's veto.

The GOP-controlled Legislature didn't pass it with enough votes to override Dayton's veto.

Here's Dayton's veto letter:

3.5.12 HF 1467

State Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, R-Vergas, issued this statement. Hoffman, who is also running for Congress, is the chief author of the bill in the Senate:

"I am very disappointed with Governor Dayton's decision today to deny law-abiding citizens their right to defend themselves and their families. While current law enables the aggressor, my bill focused on protecting the victim. Unfortunately, with the Governor's veto, violent criminals will continue to have the advantage over law-abiding citizens," said Senator Hoffman. "I was hopeful, because Governor Dayton made such a strong statement on the campaign trail about Minnesotan's right to bear arms and use them for lawful purposes such as self-defense, that he would follow through with his actions and sign this bill to enhance public safety."

Here's the statement from Chris Cox, executive director of the National Rifle Association:

The National Rifle Association (NRA) is deeply disappointed in Governor Dayton's veto of House File 1467 - an omnibus bill that included a number of key firearms law reforms in Minnesota. This bill passed both chambers of the Minnesota legislature with broad bi-partisan support.

House File 1467 contained vital common-sense reforms that would have enhanced self-defense laws for the law-abiding residents of that state. It would have removed the duty to retreat for crime victims currently mandated under Minnesota state law and precluded victims from facing prosecution for lawfully defending their lives. This bill would have also enhanced self-defense rights by recognizing the Right-to-Carry permits of those visiting and those traveling through Minnesota with valid Right-to-Carry permits from the other 48 states that issue them (Illinois does not issue Right-to-Carry permits of any kind).

Furthermore, House File 1467 would have prohibited gun confiscation in times of declared emergencies. The NRA led the way at the this key change in federal law following Hurricane Katrina, when New Orleans authorities went door-to-door confiscating legally owned firearms and depriving residents of their solitary means of self-defense. It is exceptionally disappointing that Governor Dayton vetoed this provision after having voted in favor of similar legislation while a member of the U.S. Senate.

Moving forward, the NRA remains resolute in bringing rational and reasonable reforms to Minnesota's firearms and self-defense laws.

Here's a statement from Joan Peterson, Protect Minnesota board member and member of the Brady Campaign Board said:

"This bill could give the claim of self-defense to any domestic abuser engaged in a dispute with a partner or spouse. When only two people are involved in a dispute and one of them winds up dead, who is left to disprove the claim of the shooter that s/he was the one threatened? As someone whose sister was shot to death in a domestic case in Minneapolis, I am grateful that Governor Dayton vetoed this bill that could have allowed domestic abusers to get away with murder. "

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Kubly in the hospital

Posted at 9:30 PM on February 29, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

From MPR's Rupa Shenoy and Nancy Lebens

A spokeswoman at Regions Hospital says state Sen. Gary Kubly, DFL-Granite Falls, remains in critical condition after being taken to the St. Paul hospital earlier today.

DFL Senate Caucus spokesman Amos Briggs says Kubly had a medical crisis this morning and is at Regions Hospital. Briggs says Kubly's family is asking for the public's prayers.

Kubly, a retired Lutheran pastor, announced in late January last year he'd been diagnosed with ALS, the degenerative neuromuscular condition also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

Kubly's legislative career started with his election to the House in 1996 and was elected to the Senate in 2002. He has said he doesn't plan to run for re-election in 2012.

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Forecast shows a gain of $323 million for state budget

Posted at 9:08 AM on February 29, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

State Finance officials are expected to announce this morning that the current two-year budget has a $323 million surplus, according to a person who has been briefed on the number.

The forecast comes just three months after State Finance officials announced that the state had an $876 million surplus. By law, that money was used to fill the state budget reserve and the state's cash flow account.

Gov. Dayton and state lawmakers will use the latest forecast to make spending decisions during the current legislative session. But there are already a lot of spending commitments in law. For example, state law says an additional $5 million needs to be placed into the state's budget reserves. The law also requires that the state start paying back a K-12 school shift that was used to erase a $5 billion budget deficit last year.

Several Republicans have said that they want to dedicate the money to start repaying the $2.2 billion school shift. But GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean said there could be pressure from other members to spend the money on other things. He said his caucus will start discussing those ideas in the next week or two.

Update: The forecast is projecting a $1.1 billion deficit for the next two-year budget cycle. That budget will have to be balanced by the next Legislature.

State Finance officials will officially release the report at 11:45 this morning. Gov. Dayton is scheduled to brief reporters at 12:45.

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DFLers push to pay back K12 shift with corporate tax hike

Posted at 11:36 AM on February 27, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Democrats in the Minnesota Legislature say they want to end a tax break for foreign operating corporations to help pay back recent payment delays to K-12 schools.

The Legislature and governor delayed $2.2 billion in payments to schools over the past four years to balance the state's budget. Sen. Katie Sieben, RDFL-Newport, said closing what she calls corporate tax loopholes would generate $450 million a year. She said the plan would pay back the schools within six years.

"The state has given Minnesota kids $2.2 billion in IOUs," Sieben said. "But IOUs can't buy textbooks, construction paper or a chance for children to play in their elementary school band."

Gov. Dayton has suggested using the money from closing tax loopholes to create a new tax credit to encourage businesses to hire. The state's business community has opposed closing the corporate tax break. They argue it helps companies like 3M, Target and Medtronic remain competitive with foreign companies.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Senate is currently considering a bill that would allow performance consideration in teacher layoffs.

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Dayton elected Vice Chair of the Midwest Governors Association

Posted at 4:30 PM on February 26, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton has been elected vice chair of the Midwest Governors Association. The group, which represents nine states in the Midwest, is a "bipartisan organization that brings together the governors of the region to work cooperatively on agriculture, economic development and energy issues of importance to the Midwest.

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, will serve as chair of MGA through February of 2013. Branstad will focus on "promoting a positive Midwestern narrative, increasing domestic energy production and supporting lower energy costs for businesses and families within the region."

"I look forward to assisting Governor Branstad with leading the organization through its 50th anniversary year," Dayton said in a statement. "Working together as a region will help ensure that the Midwest continues to be a national and international leader in innovation."

Dayton's election puts him in line to chair the organization in February, 2013 (when Branstad's term ends). The chairs typically rotate between parties. Former GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty chaired the group in 2007. (Note: Former GOP Gov. Arne Carlson chaired it for two years in the 1990s). Here's the list of past chairs.

New court plan pairs 46 incumbents in the Minnesota Legislature

Posted at 3:08 PM on February 21, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The new redistricting maps put forward by the court pairs 30 members of the Minnesota House and 16 members of the Minnesota Senate.

I'll post analysis later.

Here are the Senate pairings:

Senate Incumbents

Here are the House pairings:

COURT 2012 House Incumbents

Dayton urges Bachmann to get Stillwater Bridge bill passed

Posted at 12:43 PM on February 21, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, State Government, U.S. House, U.S. Senate

Gov. Dayton sent a letter to Republican Congresswoman Michele Bachmann today urging her to get the House to pass the bill authorizing a replacement for the Stillwater Bridge. He warned that failing to get the measure passed would mean the state would have to use the money currently set aside for the bridge for other projects.

"Everyone must understand, however, that if the March 15th deadline cannot be met and the federal and state monies are reallocated to other Minnesota transportation projects, there will no longer be sufficient funding available to undertake the St. Croix Crossing Project in the foreseeable future," the letter reads.

Dayton's letter may be meant to put some political pressure on Bachmann. Dayton, a Democrat, praised DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar for getting the bill passed in the U.S. Senate.

Klobuchar, Bachmann and Dayton are all pushing for a new bridge. Their plan would exempt the state from Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and some critics argue the proposed new bridge is too big and too expensive.

Not all of the members of Congress are backing the legislation. Democrats Betty McCollum and Keith Ellison are opposed to the plan.

Here's Dayton's letter:

20120221103128471

Dayton's State of the State strikes a cooperative tone (with an eye towards November)

Posted at 9:21 PM on February 15, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

With MPR's Rupa Shenoy...

Governor Mark Dayton politely asked legislative leaders to pass his job creation plans. But in his second State of the State speech last night (Audio and written document below) he also told them that the voters would judge in November who has the right approach on the state's finances.

In a speech that was part conciliatory and part confrontational, Dayton outlined his priorities for the legislative session. Dayton called for lawmakers to pass a bonding bill, a new Vikings stadium and a tax credit for businesses that hire new workers.

Dayton said the bonding bill would repair buildings, upgrade classrooms, improve state parks, and finance downtown revitalization projects. He cited a national study that said the bill would create nearly 22-thousand jobs.

The governor also called for passage of a bill to fund a new Vikings stadium.

"Some of you reportedly want to avoid voting on a stadium until after next fall's elections," Dayton said. "That would be terribly unfair to the several thousand unemployed Minnesotans, who could be working on that project this year, and to the Vikings. Pass the Stadium Bill this session. Please."

Dayton also mentioned the November elections several times during his speech. He said voters would decide whether his approach to raise taxes on top earners to fix the state's budget situation or the GOP plan that relied on spending cuts.

Republicans praised Dayton for striking a mostly cooperative tone during the speech. GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers said Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers said he's ready to have that discussion.

"We lived within our means and we didn't raise taxes on business owners," Zellers said. "If that's the choice going into this fall's election, absolutely."

GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem said he expects the legislature to pass a bonding bill but Republican leaders didn't commit to Dayton's other job creation plans.

Listen to Dayton's speech here: Listen

Listen to the news conference from Zellers and Senjem here: Listen

Senjem released a video message that you can watch here.

You can read Dayton's speech here:

2012 State of the State

Sviggum admits violating campaign finance laws

Posted at 4:00 PM on February 14, 2012 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Senate Republican caucus spokesman Steve Sviggum acknowledged today that Republicans should not have used public money to print a pamphlet they distributed at GOP precinct caucuses last week.

The apology came shortly after state DFL Party officials said they would file a campaign finance complaint over the pamphlets because they sent people to the Senate Republican website, which asks for donations to GOP senate campaigns.

Fifteen Republican senators handed out the pamphlets that touted their 2012 legislative agenda, thanked people for attending cacucuses and directed them to website. Sviggum admits he made a mistake.

"I take responsibility for that being there," he said. "It is not a responsibility for any of the senators or any of the staff other than myself."

Sviggum said he'll reimburse the state for the cost of the printing.

The DFL filed its complaint with the Minnesota Campaign Finance Board Office of Administrative Hearings against 12 Republican senators. A spokeswoman said they'll amend the complaint if they find additional violations. DFL Party Chair Ken Martin told reporters that the senators in question and the Senate Republican Caucus should be penalized.

"At the end if the day we feel that they clearly crossed the line here," Martin said. "They didn't just go up to the line, they crossed the line and turned the literature they produced at taxpayer expense into campaign literature."

Yesterday Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem, R-Rochester, said the Republican Senate counsel had seen the pamphlet before it went out and approved it. Senjem said he considered it the same kind of literature senators would send to constituents.

State law prohibits taxpayer money from being used for campaigning.

Here's the complaint filed by the DFL Party:

Complaint Against MNSRC Regarding GOP Senate Update

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Dayton suggests there's always OT for stadium solution

Posted at 5:53 PM on February 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, State Government, Vikings stadium

Gov. Mark Dayton says he'll make a Vikings stadium deal a priority next year if it doesn't pass this session. Dayton says he's still committed to seeking passage this year but in an interview with MPR News he said he's upset that a financing plan isn't in place yet. He said he wants the Legislature to vote on the measure this session but suggested it will be a priority regardless of the outcome.

"If we don't get it this session, I intend to bring it up next session and I'm optimistic we'll get it then," Dayton said. "I tell people that we'll get it this year or we'll get it next year."

The legislation has been stymied by a failure to get a financing plan in place. Minneapolis city officials are squabbling over whether there's enough support for a plan to build the stadium in that city. Ramsey County officials came forward with another plan today that relies on stadium-related taxes and fees. MPR's Tim Nelson covered that story today and you can read it here.

January tax collections below forecast

Posted at 5:48 PM on February 10, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Minnesota Management and Budget says general fund revenues were $107 million below forecast in January. The agency says revenues are $45.5 million less than forecast for the fiscal year that runs from July 1 to June 30. The latest revenue forecast details the state's tax collections for the past month.

The revenues, however, are only a portion of the state's overall financial picture. The unknown piece is how spending is tracking. The December budget forecast said Minnesota had an $876 million surplus for the current two-year budget cycle.

Gov. Dayton and the Republican-controlled Legislature are waiting for the Feb. 29 budget forecast to determine if they'll need to address any budgetary and spending decisions in the current session.

Here's the document from MMB:

January 2012 Revenue Collections Memo (2)

Dayton vetoes tort bills, rips GOP

Posted at 11:53 AM on February 10, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Governor Mark Dayton has vetoed the first bills sent to him this session, and he used the occasion to blast Republican legislative leaders.

Dayton rejected a group of GOP-backed bills that would have changed the rules for civil lawsuits. His veto letters described the bills as "legislative meddling." During a news conference this morning, Dayton said it was difficult to take the bills seriously since Republicans ignored the recommendations of judicial leaders and never contacted him or his staff.

"Thus it is hard for me to believe that this rush it to pass it strategy had any expectation of creating laws. Instead it appears to be just another political by the Republican majorities, as they provide their special interest friends, the rich and the powerfull with more favoritism and favors at the expense of most other Minnesotans."

Dayton also said the GOP claim that the measures would help grow jobs was "laughable." He said the bills would have mostly benefited large insurance companies in other states.

Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem, R-Rochester, said he was disappointed by the vetoes and the governor's comments.

"Get off the rhetoric. It's not productive," Senjem said. "We can do better than this, and we will do better than this. But the name calling is I think is not productive to the effort and is not going to help as we move through this session."

Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers said Dayton owes an apology and an explanation to the Minnesota businesses that asked for the civil lawsuit changes.

One week in, legislators taking a break

Posted at 3:30 PM on January 31, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Lawmakers returned to St. Paul last Tuesday for the start of the 2012 legislative session, and they're already preparing to take some time off to attend precinct caucuses.

Those caucuses are next Tuesday, Feb. 7. But the Minnesota House will begin its break at the end of the day tomorrow. The Senate begins its break after meetings are completed on Thursday. Lawmakers from both chambers return next Wednesday, Feb. 8.

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton took note of the early break Monday during his news conference to react to the Senate's rejection of Ellen Anderson as Public Utilities Commission chair.

"They've only been in session for less than a week, and now they're going to take a week off to go to precinct caucuses," Dayton said. "All you need to do is get in your car and drive to precinct caucuses. So, I don't understand why they need a week."

During a news conference on a separate topic today, a reporter asked House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, about the early break.

"Would it have been our choice to take that extended length of vacation?," Thissen responded. "I don't know, but it is what it is."

House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, said the Legislature has traditionally taken time off for precinct caucuses. Dean didn't seem to think this year's break, or its length, was anything unusual.

"I think it's probably pretty historical," Dean said. "If you look back with other caucuses, I don't know."

The House Rules Committee, which Dean chairs, approved a resolution today to halt per diem payments during the break, as well as during an extended Easter break scheduled for early April. Dean said the action was purely budgetary.

Sunset Commission keeps the lights on

Posted at 4:45 PM on January 27, 2012 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The draft report of the Minnesota Sunset Advisory Commission suggests eliminating just one state government commission, and even that proposal could be pulled back. The group recommends eliminating the Combative Sports Commission and rolling its duties into the Amateur Sports Commission. But several Democrats on the commission objected.

"This proposal was never aired," commission member Matt Entenza said. "We haven't had an opportunity to hear whether this proposal would be a good idea. There are lots of things that are good ideas but there may be all kinds of unintended consequences."

Entenza said he and others also weren't briefed about therecommendations before a meeting Friday . Republicans said part of the problem is that they were bumping up against a tight deadline to submit recommendations to the Legislature.

Other members said it would look bad if the Sunset Commission didn't recommend folding any government units this year.

"If we're a Sunset Advisory Commission, and we come back to the Legislature and say 'keep everything,' and don't do some of the things that seem to be are fairly obvious," said GOP Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer , "it seems like we have missed an opportunity."

The Sunset Commission has been highly touted by Republicans in the Legislature as a way to streamline government services and get rid of programs that don't work. The group's members were appointed by the House, Senate and governor's office. It is supposed to examine every government agency and determine whether it should continue operating.

The commission is scheduled to meet again on Tuesday to finalize the report and determine how it will handle the Combative Sports Commission.

The Sunset Advisory Commission also suggests that the Council on Black Minnesotans be continued for two years and added to the 2014 Sunset Review Schedule. The Office of the Legislative Auditor has also been instructed to review the finances of the council in 2013. The Sunset Commission also recommends that each board and council should "make full use of collaborative administrative support services" and look to combine I-T services.

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Poll: Dayton gets high marks, state lawmakers not so much...

Posted at 4:42 PM on January 27, 2012 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Marriage Amendment, Vikings stadium

The latest Public Policy Polling survey says 53 percent of those polled approve of the job Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton is doing. Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature are faring much worse. 23 percent of those polled view them negatively. The poll says Democrats in the Legislature are winning in a generic ballot against their GOP opponents but the DFL approval numbers aren't much better than Republicans. Just 31 percent of those surveyed have a favorable opinion of Democrats.

The poll also shows that the constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman is close. 48 percent of those surveyed say the support the ban on same-sex marriage. 44 percent are opposed to it.

59 percent of those surveyed also don't support any public money going to a new Vikings stadium but that's only if the team stays in Minnesota. Public opinion appears to shift if public money is the only way it will keep the team in the state. 46 percent of those polled say they'd support public money for a stadium if "that's what it took to keep the Vikings in Minnesota."

Read the full poll here.

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Senate looks to take down Anderson as PUC Commissioner

Posted at 2:07 PM on January 27, 2012 by Tom Scheck (5 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota Senate is expected to reject Gov. Dayton's appointment of Ellen Anderson to chair the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Deputy Senate Majority Leader Julianne Ortman said today the senate will vote on Anderson's confirmation Monday. If the senate rejects her, Anderson is effectively fired from the job. Ortman said Anderson's policies are unfriendly to businesses and ratepayers and are not in line with the views of most Minnesotans.

"She's got a tough record for job providers, job creators, the ratepayers," Ortman said. "Her work has created some controversy. It makes it very difficult to confirm a commissioner who is as controversial as she has been."

Anderson is a former DFL senator from St. Paul who sponsored the state's renewable energy standard. Gov. Dayton said Anderson has been a good chair and done has nothing wrong.

DFL Governor Mark Dayton says Ellen Anderson has been a good chair of the Public Utilities Commission, and he's not happy that Senate Republicans appear ready to fire her.

"People of Minnesota want better than this," Dayton said. "The people of Minnesota -- they want us to work together. They want us to reconcile our differences. They want us to compromise as we'll have to because we're coming from different perspectives. And they want us to get about jobs and other things. They don't want us to be involved in petty revenge for something that happened four years ago."

Anderson would be the first of Gov. Dayton's appointments that would be rejected by the Senate.

Democrats in control of the Minnesota Senate rejected two of former Gov. Tim Pawlenty's commissioners. The Senate rejected Cheri Yecke as Education Commissioner in 2004 and former Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau as Transportation Commissioner in 2008.

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House bonding plan smaller, slower than Dayton's

Posted at 1:28 PM on January 25, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republican legislative leaders say this session's bonding bill won't be as big or as fast moving as DFL Governor Mark Dayton is hoping to see.

Dayton proposed a $775 million bonding bill last week for public works constriction projects throughout the state, and he asked for quick acation. He wants a passed bill on his desk to sign by the end of February, to help get unemployed builders back on the jobs as soon as possible. But Rep. Larry Howes, R-Walker, chair of the House Capital Investment Committee, says he's planning to take more time.

"I don't anticipate a bill being brought out of committee until about March 14," Howes said. "That will give us time to get the February forecast on February 29. We'll get a handle on what our checkbook looks like, what out debt service may or may not be, and then leadership will determine the size of the bill and then we'll go from there."

Howes says he thinks the maxiumum size for a bonding bill this year in the House is about $500 million.

Vikings owners and GOP leaders won't commit support for Metrodome site

Posted at 11:18 PM on January 24, 2012 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Governor Dayton sits down tomorrow with Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf and state lawmakers. The hope is that they craft a financing plan for a new Vikings stadium. Dayton said this week that the only way a stadium plan will pass this session is if the measure rebuilds the stadium on the existing Metrodome site. Vikings owner Mark Wilf, however, wouldn't commit when asked whether he supports plans to build there.

"There's a lot of details to work through and a lot of issues to talk about, " Wilf said. "So rather than to get into any specifics, I'd prefer to just work through and see what the political will of the governor and the Legislature on how this thing moves forward. Our number one objective is to get a stadium solution for our fans and the Vikings that is exciting for not just the Vikings but the community at large."

Wilf made his comments to reporters at the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce's Annual Dinner. He and his brother, Zygi, attended the event which featured Gov. Dayton and the four legislative leaders. Dayton, who said earlier in the day that the Legislature should hold an up-or-down vote on the stadium, spoke little about the stadium at the event.

Lawmakers, however, didn't get off so easily. KSTP's Tom Hauser, who moderated a legislative panel, directly asked GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers, GOP Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem, DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen and DFL Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk whether an up-or-down vote should be held this session. Senjem initially said such a vote should be held but then hedged a bit when asked if it would be held "this session."

"I got 37 members that this thing has to churn through, so I'm not sure how it's going to turn out," Senjem said.

Zellers also didn't commit to holding a vote. He said he believes a similar demand in the 1990s delayed the Twins stadium for several years.

"I don't think it's fair to Mark and Zygi [Wilf] to wait again for nine or ten years," Zellers said. "I don't think they have the patience for this. I know their lobbyists don't but I think it's really important to make sure it's a process that is thorough and if you say yes or no now I don't think that's fair to them."

Thissen said he thinks there should be a vote this year.

"There are going to be Democrats for it and Democrats against it," Thissen said. "Now it's in the hands of the people who hold the gavels which are the Republicans in the Legislature."

Bakk said he'd like to see the Vikings stadium bill pass, but he also criticized the 1,600 business leaders in the room for failing to lobby for the plan.

"The State Chamber has not put their shoulder to the wheel on this," Bakk said. "It's only going to happen this session if the State Chamber stands up and says 'This is important to us.'"

One key sticking point will be whether the stadium financing plan will include money to upgrade the Target Center. Mayor Rybak says the plan is essential to win city support. GOP lawmakers say including the upgrade will cost them votes in the Legislature.

Child care unionization foes file federal lawsuit

Posted at 9:57 AM on January 19, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton, State Government

Minnesota child care providers who oppose a union organization effort are poised to file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court.

A news release today from the Freedom Foundation of Minnesota said the lawsuit will challenge child care unionization on constitutional grounds. It claims a vote would violate the providers' first amendment right of free political expression and association. Gov. Mark Dayton issued an executive order in November calling for a vote among thousands of state subsidized, in-home child care providers to vote on whether they want to join a union. Opponents filed an earlier lawsuit in Ramsey County, and Judge Dale Lindman issued a temporary restraining order that delayed the scheduled vote. That order will be revisited in a hearing Feb. 22.

The news release announcing the separate federal lawsuit quoted Jennifer Parrish, a child care provider from Rochester.

"We wish we didn't have to be in this position to begin with," Parrish said. "But since we were put in this position we do believe that this violates our first amendment rights and we intend to argue that in court."

The National Right to Work Foundation is providing legal assistance to the plaintiffs in the federal case.

Dayton highlights downtowns in $775 million bonding proposal

Posted at 12:14 PM on January 17, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton has unveiled a wish list of public works construction projects that includes regional civic centers, a St. Paul ballpark and some money for southwest corridor light rail line.

The $775 million bonding bill proposal also includes improvements college campus buildings, as well as roads and bridges. Dayton argues that a large bonding bill help get thousands of inactive construction workers back on the job. His estimate is 21,700 jobs. The ballpark and civic center projects have been proposed and rejected before. But during a news conference today, Dayton said he still believes those projects are important.

"I believe in downtowns," Dayton said. "I believe this is one of the essential roles that government plays in assisting the construction of projects that are going to produce an incredible economic return to the state, in the private sector, commercial activity the jobs it provides."

Republican legislative leaders were quick to criticize the Dayton proposal. In a news release, Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem, R-Rochester, said it was fundamental difference in philosophy.

"The purpose and scope of the biennial bonding bill is to repair and build infrastructure, not to serve as stimulus or short-term jobs program," Senjem said. "We must be prudent about placing debt burden upon our children and grandchildren."

House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, accused Dayton of following in the footsteps of Democrats in Washington with a misguided by stimulus package.

"In these economic times, a $775 million bonding bill that makes puts local spending projects on par with core infrastructure is unwise and ill-advised," Zellers said.

Dayton orders transportation finance study

Posted at 2:47 PM on January 12, 2012 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton has directed his transportation commissioner to come up with some new ways to pay for needed improvements in the the state's highway and transit systems.

Dayton announced today that MnDOT chief Tom Sorel will form a special finance advisory group, with a report due to the Legislature in December. During a Capitol news conference, Dayton said too many roads are deteriorated and congested. He also noted that current available transportation revenue is insufficient for the projected needs.

"I'm not interested in nickel and dime modifications to our status quo, because our status quo is getting worse," Dayton said. "I want to see what we can do in a really significant way that's going to change this template from continued deterioration to improvement."

Dayton suggested taking a more aggressive approach to bonding and tapping available federal funds. Sorel said MnDOT is already studying a potential tax on motorists based on the miles they drive.

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Tax credit key to Dayton jobs plan

Posted at 4:59 PM on January 11, 2012 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton says he wants to give Minnesota businesses a $3,000 tax credit every time they hire some who is unemployed.

The proposal credit, which is the centerpiece of Dayton's jobs plan for the 2012 legislative session, would also apply to the hiring of veterans and recent graduates. Dayton says the plan is aimed at getting thousands of Minnesotans back to work. During a Capitol news conference today, Dayton said he also had a plan top pay for the new tax credits.

"We pay for that by closing some of the corporate loopholes to offset the $35 million price," Dyaton said. "It would put over 10,000 Minnesotans back to work, and I think that's a very good deal for Minnesota."

Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers said he supports the governor's goal but not his approach. In a news release, Zellers said Dayton's plan spends money without addressing critical reforms that businesses want, such as reduced regulations and a more competitive tax climate.

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Panel advances plan to fix Capitol

Posted at 12:47 PM on January 11, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton, State Government

An advisory panel sent a report to the state Legislature today calling for a $241 million renovation of the Minnesota Capitol Building.

Members of the capitol preservation commission did not recommend how to pay for the project. The report outlined scenarios using up to three bonding bills to cover the full cost. Republican Senate Majority Leader Dave Senjem raised concerns about the estimated price tag. Senjem said he'd prefer taking an incremental approach to the needed renovations.

"In my view you ought to probably take a look at the outside shell first," Senjem said. "Let's get the thing stabilized, and beyond that let's incrementally look at the systems and find out what the priorities are. Whether it's ventilation, whether it's electric whether it's office space or whatever. Make some assessments of that, or decisions on it, and kind of incrementally move through this."

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton said the bonding proposal he'll unveil next week will not include the Capitol renovation, because that document is already at the printer. But Dayton said he hopes the Legislature considers at least part of the project during the 2012 session.

"We have to act," Dayton said. "I think it's clear that it's a public safety menace for the people who work here and the public that visits here."

Dayton said he would favor funding the renovation through no more than two bonding bills.

Dayton is open to Shakopee stadium pitch

Posted at 12:05 PM on January 11, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Gov. Mark Dayton says he has not seen Shakopee's new proposal for a Vikings stadium, but he's willing to consider it.

Dayton set a deadline for officials in Ramsey County and Minneapolis to present their finalized stadium proposals by Thursday evening. The mayor of Shakopee is now offering another stadium site, which is located near two state highways. Asked today about the late entery in the stadium sweepstakes, Dayton told reporters that he just learned about the Shakopee proposal. But Dayton said he'll consider all options.

"I don't think anything I've said would preclude that," Dyaton said. "Again, this is brand new to me, so I don't know what the -- I haven't looked at it at all. But sure, if they have a serious proposal and they want to submit it by by 5:00 tomorrow, I'd certainly be willing to look at it."

Shakopee officials are expected to outline their stadium plan late today during a Capitol news conference. The Vikings continue to prefer the Ramsey County site in Arden Hills.

Ramsey County ready with stadium proposal

Posted at 9:00 PM on January 5, 2012 by Minnesota Public Radio
Filed under: Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

By Tim Nelson, Minnesota Public Radio

Officials from Ramsey County have responded to Gov. Mark Dayton's deadline for stadium proposals.

The governor sent letters to Minneapolis and Ramsey County Thursday. Both are bidding to host the Minnesota Vikings with a replacement for the Metrodome.

Ramsey county board chairman Rafael Ortega says the county already has a complete package to offer. County officials struck a deal with the team in May to build on the site of the former Twin Cities Army Ammunition plant in Arden Hills.

"We've been at this for a year. We've been vetted by everybody. We have a purchase agreement with the federal government. We have site control," Ortega said. "Our focus has been those 500 acres of polluted land — a great opportunity to finally do something with them. We create jobs and we put 170 acres back on the property tax rolls."

State officials rejected a sales tax proposal to help pay for the project. County officials have offered a 3 percent bar and restaurant tax instead.

Dayton asked local officials to include as much detailed information as possible, including the proposed means to financing a local share of the project. The proposals should include details about the Vikings' proposed share of the stadium financing. Dayton is collaborating with the two key stadium bill architects, Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, and Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont.

Dayton expects that the comparison of proposals will advance the stadium process.

Dayton prepares for bonding bill, speech

Posted at 4:58 PM on January 5, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton announced today the date for the release of his proposed bonding bill and the tentative date for his state of the state speech.

During a news conference, Dayton said he plans to unveil his bonding proposal on Jan. 17, which is a deadline required by statute. Dayton said his proposed list of public works projects is almost complete, and it would total $775 million in borrowing.

"There are just a lot of good projects," Dayton said. "More good projects than there are available resources, but that's not uncommon. I think it's a very strong set of proposals. It will provide several thousand jobs for people around Minnesota and makes some really necessary and important in investments in infrastructure around the state."

Dayton wants to deliver his second state of the state address on Feb. 15, in the House chamber. He's proposing to break from tradition and give the speech at 7:00 p.m., rather than midday. Dayton said the schedule for the speech is still tentative until House leaders agree.

Child care hearing rescheduled

Posted at 4:11 PM on January 5, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton will wait another month to fight a judge's temporary restraining order that delayed his plan for a unionization vote among state-subsidized child care workers.

A hearing was originally scheduled for January 17 to decide whether Ramsey County Judge Dale Lindman's order should be converted into a temporary injunction. Now, a summary judgement hearing is scheduled for February 22.

During an unrelated news conference today, Dayton said that the plaintiffs in the case requested the delay. He said both he and AFSCME, one of the labor unions trying to organize providers, agreed with the request.

The Childcare Freedom Coalition, a group opposing the unionization effort, issued a news release describing the summary judgement hearing as a way to streamline the legal process.

"We won a restraining order and the next step was a temporary injunction, then a permanent injunction," said coalition spokesman Jeff Davis. "By granting our request for summary judgment, the judge is cutting through all of that. The case has already been argued and it's time to put this to bed. This move will save us as well as Minnesota taxpayers needless added time and expense."

Dayton sets deadline for stadium proposals

Posted at 1:04 PM on January 5, 2012 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Gov. Mark Dayton wants to see final Vikings stadium proposals from Ramsey County and the city of Minneapolis.

Dayton sent letters today to county and city officials setting a deadline of 5:00 p.m., Jan. 12. The letters said the two proposals will then be compared side by side.

"It is now time to finalize the proposals of Arden Hills/Ramsey County and the City of Minneapolis, so that the Legislature can compare them, decide between them and act to make one of them a reality," Dayton wrote.

Dayton asked local officials to include as much detailed information as possible, including the proposed means to financing a local share of the project.

UPDATE

Dayton discussed the deadline during an afternoon news conference. He predicted that the comparison of proposals would advance the stadium process.

"I think the facts will speak for themselves in large part," Dayton said. "Some people have already made up there mind, they want this site or they want that site. But I think for general purposes among the Legislature and probably among the general public is what's the off? What the proposal? How good a deal is it? And I think one of them will show probably to be a better option than the other or the others, and that will facilitate everyone's decision."

Dayton said he expects the proposals to also include details about the Vikings' proposed share of the stadium financing. He said he was working in collaboration with the two key stadium bill architects, Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, and Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont.

Will taxpayers pay legal fees in redistricting battle?

Posted at 12:54 PM on December 24, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Redistricting, U.S. House

One interesting part of the legal battle over redrawing the state's political boundaries is who is paying the attorneys in the case. A five judge panel has oral arguments over the proposed maps on Jan. 4. The court appointed panel is likely to determine the makeup of the state's political boundaries for Minnesota's 8 congressional districts and the 201 legislative districts. The state has to redraw the state's political boundaries once every ten years to ensure that each citizen is guaranteed equal representation under the U.S. Constitution and the Constitution of Minnesota.

Attorneys representing the Republicans and the Democrats have been working to influence the court to adopt their proposed set of maps and redistricting criteria. MPR News has already reported that the public may never know who is paying the bulk of the legal fees in the battle. It's also possible that the high-profile attorneys in the case could receive taxpayer money for their efforts.

Arguments are being made before the panel to declare the state's current political boundaries unconstitutional because the boundaries don't provide equal representation under the U.S. Constitution. If the court declares the boundaries unconstitutional, federal law could allow the court to order "a reasonable attorney's fees as part of the costs" under the Civil Rights Act. (Note: It shouldn't come as a surprise that the boundaries don't meet constitutional muster since the entire point of redistricting is resetting the boundaries after the once-a-decade census is taken).

There is some precedent for the court to award fees to attorneys involved in the redistricting battle. In 2002, the redistricting panel at the time ordered the state of Minnesota to pay $368,430 to the four sets of attorneys in the case. The panel relied on the argument that the all of the parties "prevailed" in the case and were awarded the funds. The panel put forward a set of maps that relied on input from all of the parties involved.

One key question for the current five-judge panel is how they will interpret which party prevails in the case. It's unlikely that the panel will adopt a set of maps that are identical to the proposals put forward by the parties. If history is a guide, the court will draw a new set of boundaries that relies on input from all of the parties involved. If that's the case, all of the parties could be eligible for attorneys fees from the state's treasury.

To date, the five-judge panel tasked with drawing the state's political boundaries has been reluctant to address the issue. The court heard arguments on the matter in October but declined to act at the time. Presiding Judge Wilhelmina Wright issued an order Friday saying she will not allow arguments on the constitutionality of the current boundaries at its hearing on Jan. 4.

One group that could prevent taxpayer money from being spent on attorney's fees is Gov. Dayton and the Republican-controlled Legislature. The two sides have until Feb. 21 to agree on a set of maps. If that happens, the court won't have to step in and take over the process. Gov. Dayton and GOP legislators have said, however, that it's unlikely they will reach an agreement.

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Dayton talks Vikings stadium, Koch's conduct and his son's wedding

Posted at 5:26 PM on December 22, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

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Tom Crann, host of MPR's All Things Considered program, interviewed Gov. Dayton about the controversy surrounding Sen. Amy Koch, the prospects for a new Minnesota Vikings stadium and his track record during his first year in office.

Dayton declined to discuss how he thinks the Senate should handle the Koch matter.

"I don't know if that's something I can be commenting on," Dayton said. "It's up to the Senate to resolve this and the Republican caucus to resolve. Their choice of a new leader will say a lot about how they view what's occurred and how they intend to proceed in the future."

Koch issued a statement last night that apologized for having an inappropriate relationship with a male staffer. Senate Republicans are scheduled to meet on Tuesday to elect a new majority leader.

Dayton declined to say whether the next majority leader will have an impact on his push to get a new Vikings stadium built.

"It depends on who the next majority leader is," Dayton said. "Obviously the Senate majority Leader and the Speaker of the House have almost complete control of the agenda of their respective bodies, if one or both of them want to duck the issue and avoid dealing with it until after the next election then they owe that explanation to the people of Minnesota."

Dayton said some of his accomplishments in his first year in office were enacting legislation that spent money on public works projects, saved $500 million in taxpayer money from requiring HMOs to big competitively for people on subsidized health insurance and praised the state's Education Commissioner for winning federal money through a Race to the Top grant.

Dayton says one of his biggest regrets was not getting his income tax hike on top earners enacted into law.

Dayton also told MPR News that his son, Eric, is getting married next week to Cornelia Oehler in San Francisco.

You can listen to the entire interview here: Listen

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Zellers to speak at U of M's Humphrey School

Posted at 3:58 PM on December 22, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers is scheduled to speak at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs on Jan. 19. Zellers will preview the 2012 legislative session which begins on Jan. 24. The event takes place from Noon - 1:15 p.m. at the Cowles Auditorium on the University of Minnesota's campus.

Koch apologizes for her behavior

Posted at 4:35 PM on December 21, 2011 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

GOP Sen. Amy Koch issued a statement today apologizing her behavior. She issued the statement after MPR News contacted her today to comment that her former chief of staff, Cullen Sheehan, said Koch and the unnamed male staffer acknowledged the relationship to him. Read the story here.

Here's Koch's statement:

In a letter dated 12.15.11, I announced that I was resigning as Majority Leader for personal reasons. I have made some mistakes and errors in judgment for which I am deeply sorry by engaging in a relationship with a Senate staffer. While I have not violated any laws or Senate rules, nor misused any state funds or property, I want to express my deep regret and apologies to my constituents, the Republican party, my fellow legislators, friends and most importantly, my family. I regret more than words can express the hurt that I have caused to the people that I love, and to those who have worked and served with me over the past years.

The events of recent days have been very difficult for me and those close to me. It is important that I spend time now focusing on the challenging days ahead as I work through some very personal issues.

###

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Senate GOP to elect Koch replacement on Dec. 27

Posted at 4:00 PM on December 20, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota Senate will hold a private caucus on Tuesday, Dec. 27 to elect a new Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate The group has to get together for the vote since Sen. Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, announced on Thursday that she was resigning from her leadership position. Koch quit one day after four Republican Senators confronted her over an inappropriate relationship that she allegedly had with a male staffer. The staffer has not been released and Koch has not returned calls since the allegations surfaced.

The majority leader is the most powerful member of the Senate and is responsible for appointing committee chairs, organizing floor hearings, setting the Senate budget and assembling staff. Several people, including David Hann of Eden Prairie, Geoff Michel of Edina, Dave Thompson of Lakeville and Bill Ingebrigtsen of Alexandria, have expressed interest in the position.

Meanwhile, a Wednesday hearing scheduled to discuss the Senate budget has been canceled. Senate GOP spokesman Chris Van Guilder says the Rules Committee hearing was canceled to allow the next majority leader to have input. Koch currently chairs the committee and there were some uncertainties as to whether anyone else could call the hearing. Van Guilder says Koch and Interim Senate Majority Leader Geoff Michel decided to cancel the meeting. Michael Jungbauer of East Bethel is also lobbying the public for the job.

"Sen Michel spoke with Sen Koch and they decided together to move the date to allow the newly-elected leader the opportunity for additional input," Van Guilder wrote in an e-mail.

Franken to speak at U of M's Humphrey School

Posted at 12:48 PM on December 17, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, State Government, U.S. House, U.S. Senate

DFL Sen Al Franken will speak before the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs on Jan. 17. Franken will speak about STEM Education, a push to get more kids to learn about Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. He has been working on the federal level to get students more focused on that curriculum.

The event is free and open to the public. Here are the details:

Senator Al Franken
STEM Education: The Key to Minnesota's Economic Success
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012
Noon - 1:15 p.m.
Cowles Auditorium
Humphrey School of Public Affairs
301 19th Ave S., Minneapolis

GOP Senators confronted Koch about alleged inappropriate relationships

Posted at 7:49 PM on December 16, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republican leaders in the Minnesota Senate today said Amy Koch stepped down as Senate Majority Leader yesterday after they confronted her about allegations that she engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a male staffer. Koch abruptly resigned on Thursday, surprising some of her closest colleagues. She said at the time that she felt it was time to resign her position.

Interim Senate Majority Leader Geoff Michel said they confronted Koch after several staffers complained Koch's inappropriate relationship with a male staffer caused them considerable discomfort.

"None of us are perfect," Michel said. "We don't claim to be. We want to be proud of the Minnesota Senate and how it's run. We understand that's a special obligation on those of us to maintain the high standards."

Michel said Koch did not confirm or deny the allegations. She did not return calls to MPR News today.

Michel would not identify the Senate staffer in question except to say it was a man.

Here's the audio from today's news conference that included Senator Michel, GOP Sen. David Senjem, GOP Sen. David Hann and GOP Sen. Chris Gerlach: Listen

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Ramsey County proposes countywide food and beverage tax for Vikings Stadium

Posted at 9:14 PM on December 15, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Ramsey County Commissioners Tony Bennett and Rafael Ortega are proposing a countywide 3 percent sales taxes on food and beverages to pay for a new Vikings stadium in Arden Hills. They say the tax will raise $24 million a year to finance $350 million of the $1.1 billion stadium.

"We continue to believe that the Vikings are a statewide asset and our preference is for a statewide funding solution for the people's stadium," Ortega and Bennett wrote in the letter. "However, because we believe in the viability of the Arden Hills site, we are willing to put forth funding alternatives beyond the earlier sales tax proposals that were removed from consideration by state officials earlier this year."

Ramsey County was pushing for a half cent sales tax increase to pay for the stadium but Republicans in the Legislature insisted that voters approve the measure. Both Bennett and Ortega said there is precedent to allow local governments to increase food and beverage taxes without voter approval.

"As you know, various revenue sources have been authorized in previous legislation for numerous cities and counties in Minnesota. This includes authorizations for special local taxes on food and beverages, liquor, lodging, entertainment and admissions that do not have local referenda requirements by state statutes."

Ramsey County and the Vikings are pushing to build the stadium in Arden Hills. They say it's the best option to give fans a "game day experience." Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has been pushing for the new stadium to be built in Minneapolis. He suggested relying on an expansion of gambling and sales tax money collected for the city's convention center.

Gov. Dayton has said he doesn't have a preferred site location but would like to see the Legislature address the issue this session.

Here's the letter from Bennett and Ortega:

20111215 Lanning-Rosen Letter

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Koch resigns as Senate Majority Leader

Posted at 4:52 PM on December 15, 2011 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch abruptly resigned her position today and announced she won't seek re-election. Koch has been unavailable to comment.

Update:

Koch says there's no hidden agenda behind her decision. She said she decided to step down because it's time to try other things.

"I want to explore some other options. I want to spend a little time with my daughter. I think it's ok to pass off the baton."

Koch, who has considered possible runs for higher office like Congress and Governor in the past, says no such run is in her future. She wouldn't rule out a run for office in the future but said it's not in her immediate plans. She said it's more likely that she'll end up in the private sector than on an election ballot. She said she'll continue to serve out her term but decided to step down because she didn't believe the caucus should be represented by a lame duck Majority Leader.

"I'll continue to support the caucus. I love them all. I'll support the new Majority Leader. I'm excited what I see in 2012. I'll be a part of that but just not in front of the cameras and the microphones maybe..."

Some senators didn't even know the announcement was coming.

"It's a total surprise," Sen. David Hann, R- Eden Prairie, told MPR News.

Gov. Dayton issued this statement:

"I personally regret Senator Koch's decision to step down as Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate and not to seek reelection. I have developed great respect for her during the past year of working together. She has been an excellent leader of her Caucus and, while we often disagree, a strong advocate for her beliefs.

"I wish Senator Koch my very best for her continued success in future endeavors."

GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers issued this statement:

"Senator Koch made history this year, and it was truly an honor and a privilege to work with her during her time as Majority Leader. Her contributions to our state and its future made Minnesota better. Amy is a dear friend and I will truly miss working with her on a daily basis. She's a role model and a natural leader. I wish nothing but the best to Amy and her family."

MNGOP Acting Chair Kelly Fenton issued this statement:

"I want to thank Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch for her service and leadership over the past year as our first female Senate Majority Leader. Senator Koch has helped lead our state during these difficult economic times, and her policies have helped bring about a projected surplus in Minnesota. She has fought hard for Minnesota families and small businesses, and has put our state in a great position as we head into the New Year. Many thanks to Senator Koch for her incredible service and leadership."

DFL Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk issued this statement:

"I was shocked to hear the news of Sen. Koch's decision to step down as Majority Leader of the Minnesota Senate. While we have had many disagreements over policy and politics while serving as leaders of our respective caucuses, Amy always treated our caucus fairly and was extremely forthright and honest in all of our private discussions and negotiations. I have nothing but respect for her as a colleague, and wish her well in her future endeavors."

We're chasing the story but here's her letter:

20111215AmyKochLetter

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Governors urge Congress to act on unemployment benefits

Posted at 1:54 PM on December 15, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton was among 16 Democratic governors who sent a letter to Congressional leaders today seeking swift passage of unemployment compensation benefits. They want a one-year extension of the Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program and full funding of the Extended Benefits Program. Both are set to expire on Dec. 31.

"We are extremely concerned about the potential impact of the expiration of these programs on families and our economic recovery as a whole," the governors wrote. "Unless Congress extends these programs before adjourning for the holidays, nearly 2 million unemployed workers will lose this critical support in January 2012 alone. Now is not the time to turn our backs on hard-working Americans. Individuals who are laid off through no fault of their own rely on these funds to support their families."

The governors also stressed that extending unemployment insurance is critical to speeding up the economic recovery process.

On Midday Dayton talks taxes, stadium and cell phone ban

Posted at 1:28 PM on December 13, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton said on MPR's Midday program today that his biggest regrets of his first year in office are the 20 day state government shutdown in July and his failure to increase income taxes on Minnesota's top earners. Dayton said he would continue to push for his tax increase proposal in 2013 regardless of whether Republicans or Democrats control the Legislature.

He also said he's interested in getting a bonding bill and Vikings stadium plan passed in the upcoming legislative session. He said he would do everything he possibly can to ensure the Vikings stadium issue is resolved next year.

"This one has been festering for so long," Dayton said.

The governor defended his push for a new Vikings stadium saying it would provide jobs for construction workers. He said that he's also considering spending some state money to redevelop the Arden Hills ammunition plant even if a proposed Vikings stadium is built elsewhere.

Vikings owners and Ramsey County are pushing to build the stadium in Arden Hills and say cleaning up the site is one of the benefits of the project. Dayton hasn't taken a position on whether the new stadium should be built in Arden Hills or Minneapolis but said it's worth cleaning up the site so it's available for other uses.

"It's the largest unused plot of land in our entire metropolitan area," Dayton said. "What's standing in the way is an estimated $30 million of cleaning it up, and that's a good thing to do for the residents in the area as well as future development."

Dayton also said he was pleased to see the state is showing a surplus in the current budget cycle. He said the law requires the $871 million surplus to be put into the state's reserves but suggested that he may look at trying to pay back some of the K-12 school funding shift if the February forecast continues to show a surplus of that size or more.

Dayton and lawmakers enacted a budget in July that relied on delayed payments to schools and borrowing against future tobacco payments to erase a $5 billion deficit.

Dayton also said he'd have to study a recommendation by a federal agency that says states should ban drivers from using cell phones except in emergencies. The National Transportation Safety Board made the recommendation today to improve safety. It would apply to both hands-free and hand-held phones and would also ban texting.

Dayton says the measure would improve public safety but said he'd have to determine whether the public would accept the ban and if such a law could be enforced.

"One of my philosophies about government is that we need to set rules or laws that we can enforce," Dayton said. "One of my frustrations with the HOV lanes, for example, is that people ignore it with impunity."

Minnesota law already bans drivers from texting. It also bans permit holders and those who have had their license for less than a year from talking on a cell phone while driving.

Dayton also said he intends to run for re-election, a claim he's made to several news organizations over the past few months. He said he also considers President Obama "a slight favorite" to win re-election next year but said an Obama victory depends on whether the economy continues to improve.

Dayton said he's going to work to get more businesses involved in K-12 schools, a pledge he made in his inaugural address in January. When a caller asked if his push was successful, Dayton responded that his office "dropped the ball" on the initiative. He said he'll continue to make the case for the initiative in the coming months but said he also learned several businesses already work with schools with little fanfare.

You can listen to Dayton's appearance here: Listen

and here: Listen

Dayton rips Parry for fundraising letter, cancels meeting

Posted at 12:03 PM on December 9, 2011 by Tom Scheck (10 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, U.S. House

Gov. Mark Dayton and Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, are having another war of words.

This time, Dayton is taking issue with a fundraising letter that Parry sent out. Parry, who is running for Congress in Minnesota's 1st District, says Dayton was engaged in political payback when he issued an executive order that allowed a vote for some in-home day care providers to join a union.

"It's no secret that the labor unions helped buy the Governor's Office for Mark Dayton," Parry wrote in the fundraising letter. "In the past few months, he began to return the favor, most recently by trying to help unionize some of Minnesota's in-home, private child care providers."

Parry also called the measure a "backdoor-unionization attempt" and worked to tie 1st District DFL Rep. Tim Walz into the issue. Parry said Walz, his possible opponent for Congress, also wants to "expand union control."

Dayton wasn't happy with the fundraising letter.

"Sen. Parry, this email is inaccurate and deeply offensive," Dayton wrote in an e-mail to Parry and Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa. "This is the second time you have falsely accused me in writing of actions which, since untrue, wrongly malign my character and integrity."

Dayton canceled his meeting with Parry and Drazkowski as a result of Parry's fundraising letter and suggested he won't be meeting with Parry in the future.

"I will not meet with you and provide further fodder for your political activities," Dayton wrote. "If you have questions of me, submit them in writing, and I will respond in writing to them."

Parry, who chairs the Senate State Government Innovation and Veterans Budget and Policy Committee, responded to Dayton by saying the two need to work together to put the state on a sustainable fiscal path. He suggested they meet for coffee in the coming weeks to "bury the hatchet."

This isn't the first time Dayton and Parry have clashed. The two had a deep disagreement over the impact of the GOP budget plan on the state's Veterans programs.

I contacted the governor's office to get more details on the letter and this morning's meeting. I'll post an update if/when I get one.

Update: Gov. Dayton sent a follow up letter to Parry defending his executive order. He also said Parry's e-mail "slurs against my ethical conduct and my character." The governor said Parry should provide proof that Dayton is "returning the favor" to labor unions or retract his statements.

Dayton also said he's be willing to host a breakfast with Parry and Drazkowski on Dec. 14 or Dec. 15.

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Office flap could slow Capitol renovation

Posted at 1:42 PM on December 8, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Some state legislators are warning that an anticipated dust-up over office space could derail the latest effort to renovate the Minnesota Capitol building.

Lawmakers are moving closer to approving a major restoration project, which has been estimated to cost more than $200 million. But architects are also looking at whether some Capitol tenants, including the Senate majority, should be permanently moved to other buildings. During a meeting of the capitol preservation commission today, Sen. Dave Senjem, R-Rochester, said it will be hard to convince his colleagues to move their offices.

"It's going to take an awful lot of discussion, and it's going to have to be a good idea," Senjem said. "Because I think generally speaking, the majority party thinks for them at least being here works pretty well. It is a little parochial I will admit, but I think that's just the way it is."

Gov. Mark Dayton, whose office would be relocated at least temporarily, during the renovation, said lawmakers need to set aside their own personal preferences and self-interests for what's in the greater good.

"This is about the people of Minnesota," Dayton said.

Three options for Dayton in unionization case

Posted at 10:02 AM on December 8, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: Mark Dayton

The man who represented DFL Gov. Mark Dayton in a Ramsey County District Court hearing Monday says the governor now has three options in the legal fight over a unionization election for child care providers.

Solicitor General Alan Gilbert sent a letter to Dayton's office yesterday outlining the options, which were discussed the day before in a meeting with the governor and Attorney General Lori Swanson. Judge Dale Lindman issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) Monday to prevent the vote Dayton had called for in an executive order from moving ahead as schedule. Another hearing is set for Jan. 16 Jan. 17, to decide whether the TRO should be converted to a temporary injunction.

Gilbert said Dayton can contest the court injunction at next month's hearing. He said a second option ould be to withdraw the executive order, which would make the litigation moot. Gilbert said the governor's third option is to appeal the TRP to the Minnesota Court of Appeals.

Dayton's press secretary said this week that the governor is waiting to receive a written copy of Lindman's TRO before deciding his next step.

UPDATE
Dayton's office just announced that "the Governor has decided to contest the issuance of the Temporary Injunction," at next month's hearing.

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Lanning urges RamCo to consider hospitality taxes for stadium

Posted at 5:02 PM on December 7, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

One of the chief authors of the Vikings stadium bill says Ramsey County need to come up with other options for how to pay for a new stadium. Ramsey County officials were pushing for a local option sales tax to finance the stadium but lawmakers were cool to the idea because it would have needed voter approval.

Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, says the county should be looking at other options to finance a portion of the roughly $1 billion stadium.

"Ramsey County has made clear that there will be no property tax revenues generated for this," Lanning said. "There will be no local option sales tax available but you've got other taxes, hospitality taxes and other forms of raising revenue, that local units of government can decide to put in place without a referendum requirement."

Lanning has said some form of gambling expansion will also have to be on the table but he doesn't think it will generate enough to finance the stadium. Vikings officials say the Arden Hills site in Ramsey County are their first option.

Lanning says the earliest supporters will release a bill will be January

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Judge halts union vote for child care providers

Posted at 1:32 PM on December 5, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

A Ramsey County judge has blocked a a unionization vote among state-subsidized child care workers that was scheduled to begin this week.

Judge Dale Lindman issued a temporary restraining order today after hearing about three hours testimony. Lindman at least partially agreed with the plaintiffs, who argued that Gov. Mark Dayton exceeded his executive branch authority when he ordered a unionization election. The judge said he too thinks the process should start with the Legislature. Tom Revnew, an attorney for the 11 plaintiffs, said he was pleased with the ruling.

"The vote will not take place, at least as of Dec. 7," Revnew said. "The court will be reevaluating the circustamnces come January, when we're back back at a hearing. But at least temporarily, there will not be a vote."

Another hearing was scheduled for Jan. 16.

Gov. Dayton released a statement saying he respects the court decision, and that he plans to meet with the attorney general to consider the next steps. Dayton stressed that he still believes that "people should have the right to elections to determine their own destinies."

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Republican leaders call for unity after Sutton resignation

Posted at 2:23 PM on December 3, 2011 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, State Government, U.S. House, U.S. Senate

Roughly 350 Republican delegates and staffers are assessing the fallout less than 24 hours after Tony Sutton abruptly resigned as state party chair. Sutton cited personal reasons for his resignation but it came at a time when several activists were upset with how he handled the party's budget. Party officials announced at a meeting in Bloomington Saturday that the party was $581,000 in debt.

"Let's all take a deep breath," state Sen. Dan Hall, R-Burnsville, said during the invocation.

Delegates elected a new deputy chair on Saturday but were also facing a party that lost its chair, deputy chair and executive director over the last two months. The vacancies forced the delegates to even elect two convention chairs to run the meeting.

Delegates worked relatively quickly to elect new leadership. They elected Woodbury resident Kelly Fenton to the position of deputy chair. Fenton defeated four other candidates. She'll serve as acting chair until the same group, party's central committee, elects a new chair.

During a brief victory speech, Fenton alluded to the problems plaguing the party and predicted Republican candidates will do well in the 2012 election.

"We are stronger than any challenges that we will face," Fenton said.

Fenton said she will not be a candidate to replace Sutton but left open the possibility of running for party chair in the future.

Fenton's top priority over the next month will be to ease concerns about the party's financial problems and direction. She got some help from Republican Congressmen John Kline and Erik Paulsen.

"We have precinct caucuses in two months," Kline said. "We have to be organized and ready and moving out because as you may have noticed, the campaigns are underway."

Kline later told reporters that he wasn't deeply concerned about the party's leadership in the upcoming elections. Others said the party's day-to-day activities would run normally over the next month.

The stakes in the upcoming election are huge. President Barack Obama and DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar are both running for re-election. Republicans are waiting to see who wins the GOP nomination for president, and no top flight candidate has stepped forward to challenge Klobuchar.

Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson, who serves as RNC Committeeman, says he thinks President Obama's low approval ratings will help Republicans in 2012. But he said the party needs to raise money for get out the vote operations.

"We can't just stop for a month and then start up again when we have a permanent chair," Johnson said. Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Zellers also said he would be willing to help raise money to get the party out of debt.

Zellers also asked delegates to not to do any "Monday morning quarterbacking" about Sutton's departure.

But there was some disagreement over who is to blame for the party's problems. Michael Brodkorb, who resigned his position as deputy chair in October to work on state Sen. Mike Parry's campaign for Congress in the 1st District, said the party's deficit and problems are a result of Tom Emmer's campaign for governor.

Brodkorb said Emmer ran a poor campaign which hurt the party's ability to raise money.

Brodkorb referred to Emmer as the "Bill Buckner of politics" - a reference to the Red Sox first baseman who made an error that cost his team the 1986 World Series.

"I think Republicans nominated the one candidate who couldn't possibly win in 2010," Brodkorb said.

Brodkorb also said the party had difficulty raising money because many donors weren't happy that he was the nominee. He also said several Republican candidates didn't want to campaign with Emmer because he was "toxic" to their campaigns.

Emmer narrowly lost the gubernatorial election to Democrat Mark Dayton. The close election forced a recount that both Brodkorb and Sutton blame for adding to the party's financial problems.

Emmer was at the State Central Committee earlier in the day but couldn't be reached to comment on Brodkorb's statement. His former campaign manager, David Fitzsimmons, said he was surprised by Brodkorb's criticism.

"I am not going to sit here today and try to decide who is to blame," Fitzsimmons said. "We can all go around and point fingers and do everything else. I'm part of being at this convention today to figure out how to move forward from here."

Delegates decided not to set a date to hold a meeting to elect a new party chair. The party's constitution requires an election to occur within 30 days, but the party's attorney said Fenton would continue to be acting chair if no election is held.

Fenton or the party's executive committee will call the next meeting.

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MN Dept of Ed staff shuffle: Briner now chief of staff, Hovis moving

Posted at 2:42 PM on December 1, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

From MPR's Tom Weber....

In launching its new website Thursday, the Minnesota Department of Education also revealed a move in senior management.

The website's 'executive team' page now lists Charlene Briner as both chief of staff and communications director. She had previously only served as communications director; the chief of staff position did not exist.

Briner confirmed the move Thursday; she also confirmed Keith Hovis - a communications specialist in Gov. Mark Dayton's office - will move to the department in coming weeks in a 'senior communications position.'

Briner has been chief liaison between media and the department since her hiring in 2011. She's also often the point person who accompanies commissioner Brenda Cassellius to public events around the state.

Before 2011, Briner worked as a media specialist in the Minnesota House of Representatives - often working with state Rep. Mindy Greiling, DFL-Roseville, on education matters. Hovis was St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman's press secretary before being hired in the governor's office.

Senate GOP joins lawsuit to stop union vote

Posted at 10:59 AM on December 1, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota Senate have agreed to join a lawsuit challenging Gov. Mark Dayton's recent order for a unionization vote among state-subsidized, in-home child care providers.

Members of the Senate Rules Committee approved a resolution today authorizing an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit filed earlier this week by 11 providers who oppose the union effort. Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, says Dayton over reached with his order and stepped into legislative territory. But Koch says a separate Senate lawsuit to try to stop the vote was not necessary.

"This other group is making those arguments, and so I think there's no reason to do a separate lawsuit or complicate the issue," Koch said. "But we definitely wanted to weigh in as a legislative body. We felt that it was our duty constitutionally to do that if the governor has over reached, and we believe he has, to step in."

Sen. Dick Cohen, DFL-St. Paul, the only Democrat who attended the committee meeting, said the brief was unusual and motivated by politics. A hearing is scheduled Monday morning in Ramsey County District Court.

Dayton rejects GOP call to halt union vote

Posted at 2:13 PM on November 29, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton sent a letter to House Republican leaders today defending his recent executive order for a unionization vote among some child care providers.

Last week, House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, and House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, sent a letter to Dayton asking him to stop next month's vote, which they called "misguided." In his response, Dayton wrote that the leaders' opposition to unionization made it difficult to discuss the executive order. He also said he was "amazed" by the opposition to the vote.

Dayton said the claim by Zellers and Dean that his order will raise the cost of child care is their opinion and not a fact. The governor also said it was appropriate to limit the vote to the roughly 43 hundred in-home providers who participate in a state-subsidized program.

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Unionization foes file lawsuit to block vote

Posted at 1:59 PM on November 28, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

A group of 11 child care providers is filing a lawsuit today to try to stop a unionization vote next month.

The lawsuit claims Gov. Mark Dayton exceeded his authority when he ordered the vote among about 42-hundred state-subsidized child care providers. Two labor unions, SEIU and AFSCME Council 5, have been trying to organize providers throughout the state. But attorney Tom Revnew says the scheduled vote is unfair and unconstitutional, because it will exclude about 60-percent of Minnesota providers. Revnew also contends the vote will have an impact beyond the child care industry.

"If organized labor is allowed to unionize employers against their will through executive orders, and contrary to state and federal law, they will take other industries on one by one," Revnew said.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are backed by a coalition of conservative-leaning groups, including the Minnesota Family Council, Minnesota Free Market Institute and Minnesota Majority.

Brian Elliott, executive director of SEIU-Minnesota State Council, says similar executive orders have already been upheld in more than a dozen other states, and he insists union membership, as well as union dues, will be voluntary.

Eric Lehto, organizing director for AFSCME Council 5, described the lawsuit as "frivolous." He said the challenge is from "cheap-labor conservatives who oppose collective bargaining rights."

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House GOP leaders ask Dayton to halt 'misguided' vote

Posted at 3:16 PM on November 23, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, and House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, sent a letter to Gov. Mark Dayton today asking him to stop next month's unionization vote among state-subsidized child care providers.

They want Dayton to rescind his recent executive order. Many Republicans argue Dayton doesn't have the legal authority to call the election. Zellers and Dean also disagree with Dayton's decision to limit participation to only about 4,000 of 11,000 providers, which they contend is "just as misguided as pursuing an executive order in the first place."

In addition, the GOP leaders wote that they believe the unionization would raise the cost of child care and decrease access to quality programs.

A spokeswoman for Dayton said yesterday that the governor will not rescind or adjust the order.

Dayton wants sugar beet producer, employees to resume talks

Posted at 10:25 AM on November 23, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Amid reports that American Crystal Sugar is beginning to hire replacement workers, Gov. Mark Dayton tried today to convince the company and its locked-out employees to renew negotiations aimed at ending the labor dispute.

Dayton issued the following statement:

"As Thanksgiving approaches, my heart goes out to the 1300 American Crystal Sugar workers in the Red River Valley, who have been locked out by their employer and are struggling to survive. After almost four months, the lockout has devastated families, communities, and the economy in Northwestern Minnesota. It is time for American Crystal's management to reach a fair agreement with its workers, who have contributed so much to the company's current profitability. The absence of meaningful negotiations is greatly disappointing, given the terrible divide this lockout has caused among people, who have lived and worked together. I strongly urge both parties to return to negotiations and find a solution that returns those locked out workers to their jobs and restores stability to the company and the communities in which it operates."

State report says costs of shutdown were minimal

Posted at 12:50 PM on November 22, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

State finance officials say the cost of last summer's 20-day government shutdown was minimal.

"In broad terms, immediate shutdown costs were offset by estimated compensation savings," the report by Minnesota Management and Budget said.

The state agency says the state lost $50 million in things like tax collections and lottery receipts, spent $10 million on shutdown preparations and recovery costs and paid $10 million in unemployment benefits. But MMB Commissioner Jim Schowalter said the state and federal government saved about $65 million by not having to pay the 19,000 employees who were laid off during the shutdown.

"Where there was harm there was significant harm," Schowalter said. "Some places continued unaffected, others didn't continue and were completely shut down. So as a result, when you look at the impact of employees, those who continued to work were not so impacted. those who were laid off had substantial stresses and issues."

Schowalter said one reason the shutdown didn't have a bigger impact is because a judge ruled that about 80 percent of state spending had to continue during the shutdown.

The government shut down after Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and GOP legislative leaders failed to agree on a two-year budget by the end of the last fiscal year. The impasse forced state workers to be laid off, parks to close and many road construction projects to be mothballed.

Gov. Dayton issued this statement on the report:

"I am grateful that the report concludes there was no net cost to Minnesota taxpayers. Unfortunately, it also shows that the worst financial hardship fell upon state employees, who were involuntarily laid off."

Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, says the Senate GOP Caucus will push law changes to prevent any future shutdowns.

"I don't think anybody wants to contemplate additional political game playing around the state budget," Hann said. "We should be able to reach agreement to say that if we have not reached a budget agreement at the end of the time we're required, we should have the existing budget or some percentage of that budget be continued," Hann said.

Hann also said Dayton should get the blame for the shutdown - suggesting it was a political tool to get his tax hike passed into law.

But Eliot Seide, who represents the state employees union American Federation of State County and Municipals Employees Council 5, issued a statement saying the Republican majorities in the Legislature are to blame:

"State employees lost $65 million in wages because a gridlock group of tea party Republicans chose to protect millionaires instead of Minnesotans. They laid off 19,000 workers instead of creating jobs. They ruined family vacations at state parks, delayed road construction and disrupted people's lives in countless ways."

"AFSCME state employees do their part every day to make Minnesota a state that works. That's a stark contrast with the tea party Republicans who created a state that didn't work for 20 days."

Here's the full shutdown report:

Minnesota 2011 Shutdown Executive Summary

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DFL redistricting plan pairs 35 MN House members, 13 MN Senate members

Posted at 8:01 PM on November 18, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Redistricting

DFL legislative plan pairs 35 House members, 13 Senate members

The DFL Party's proposed redistricting plan pairs 35 incumbents and creates 18 open seats in the Minnesota House. It also pairs 13 incumbents and creates three open seats in the Minnesota Senate. Here's the breakdown of the match-ups in the House and the Senate (the information was confirmed by both Republican and DFL sources).

The DFL's proposed maps are below. You can find more info on House members here and Senate members here.

Here are the House match-ups:

3A
Carolyn McElfatrick (GOP)
DFLer Tom Anzelc (DFL)

3B
Larry Howes (GOP)
John Persell (DFL)

8A
Torry Westrom (GOP)
Bud Nornes (GOP)

8B
Paul Anderson (GOP)
Mary Franson (GOP)

11B
Sondra Erickson (GOP)
Roger Crawford (GOP)

16A
Larry Hosch (DFL)
Steve Gottwalt (GOP)

18A
Dean Urdahl (GOP)
Ron Shimanski (GOP)

18B
Glenn Gruenhagen (GOP)
Ernie Leidiger (GOP)

20A
Paul Torkelson (GOP)
Tony Cornish (GOP)

27B
Tim Kelly (GOP)
Steve Drazkowski (GOP)

34A
Kelby Woodard (GOP)
Mark Buesgens (GOP)

39B
Michael Beard (GOP)
Jennifer Loon (GOP)

49A
Branden Peterson (GOP)
Tom Hackbarth (GOP)
Peggy Scott (GOP)

51A
Bob Dettmer (GOP)
Bob Barrett (GOP)

52A
Tim Sanders (GOP)
Linda Runbeck (GOP)

54B
Bev Scalze (DFL)
Carol McFarlane (GOP)

60B (Note - Downey moved into a new home so there's disagreement as to whether he would face Hornstein or DFL Rep. Steve Simon)
Keith Downey (GOP)
Frank Hornstein (DFL) or Simon (DFL)

Here's the breakdown from the Minnesota Senate:

03
John J. Carlson (GOP)
Tom Saxhaug (DFL)

17
Gary Kubly (DFL)
Gary Dahms (GOP)

22
Al DeKruif (GOP)
Mike Parry (GOP)
(Note: Parry is running for Congress in Minnesota's 1st District)

38
David Hann (GOP)
Geoff Michel (GOP)

45
Benjamin Kruse (GOP)
Chris Eaton (DFL)

50
Michelle Benson (GOP)
Roger Chamberlain (GOP)
Michael Jungbauer (GOP)

Here's the statewide map:
Martin Intervenors Legislative_Statewide -2

Here's the Metro map:
Martin Intervenors Legislative_Metro-4

Here's the Minneapolis/St. Paul map:
Martin Intervenors Leg Mpls-StPaul

Dayton: Shutdown report coming next week

Posted at 6:09 AM on November 18, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton says his administration will release a report that details the cost of last summer's three-week state government shutdown that occurred over the summer.

"I believe they're finalizing it right now and I'm told I'm going to get a draft over the weekend and it will come out next week," Dayton told MPR News.

State finance officials have been detailing how much it cost the state of Minnesota to prepare for the shutdown and then close many agencies. Many state agencies were shuttered and thousands of state employees were laid-off after Dayton and the Republican controlled Legislature failed to reach agreement on a budget-balancing plan.

The two sides finalized a budget plan that relied on spending cuts, a plan to delay payments to schools and borrowing against future tobacco payments.

State finance officials announced on Thursday that they sold $757 million of tobacco bonds as a part of the budget solution. The state will end up paying more than $1.2 billion to borrow $640 million.

State finalizes tobacco bond sale

Posted at 2:00 PM on November 17, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Minnesota Finance officials say they have sold $757 million in bonds tied to the state's future tobacco payments. Minnesota Management and Budget says it finalized the bond sale - a move that was needed to help close the state's budget gap. $640 million of the $757 million bond sale will go to fix the state's budget deficit. The remaining $117 million will go into a special account to cover the cost of issuing the bonds and creating a reserve to pay back bondholders. The bonds are backed by future payments from the state's 1998 settlement with tobacco companies. The state will eventually pay bondholders $1.2 billion over the life of the 20 year bonds.

Governor Dayton and the Republican-controlled Legislature used the tobacco bonds to help end a three week government shutdown. Critics of the sale say the one-time money doesn't address structural problems in the state's budget. They say only permanent tax increases and/or spending cuts will do that.

You can read more about the sale here.

Dayton: Special session for Vikings is doubtful

Posted at 1:44 PM on November 15, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton says he thinks it's growing more unlikely that he'll call a special session to address the Vikings stadium issue.

"I'm doubtful that there will be a special session at this point given the pace of progress," Dayton told reporters today.

He said he wants to meet with Sen. Julie Rosen, R-Fairmont, and Rep. Morrie Lanning, R-Moorhead, once they craft their stadium bill. The two lawmakers met last night with other stadium supporters in the Legislature who call themselves the stadium working group to discuss alternatives. Sen. Terri Bonoff, DFL-Minnetonka, says the group is making progress but is still working through details of how the stadium will be financed and where it should be built.

Dayton says he's still pushing for a deadline so lawmakers work with some urgency.

"I don't believe we're going to get to a specific proposal until some kind of deadline is established," Dayton said. "Otherwise it will just drag on."

Meanwhile, architects for three different stadium proposals in Minneapolis will release their proposals tonight at the bi-monthly meeting of the 2020 Partners.

Dayton orders union vote for child care providers

Posted at 1:09 PM on November 15, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (10 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton signed an executive order today authorizing a union vote for thousands of state-susidized, in-home day care providers in Minnesota.

The order directs the State Bureau of Mediation Services to conduct the election, which will be scheduled in December. Membership would be voluntary if providers approved the unionization. During a news conference, Dayton acknowledged his support in general for labor unions. But he stressed his action was only mandating a vote.

"I've heard and met with both proponents and opponents of this measure," Dayton said. "So, it seems to me that given there is that dispute among those child care providers, the fairest way and the American way to resolve that dispute is through an election."

Republicans have been anticipating the action for weeks and questioning Dayton's authority to order such a vote. Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, repeated that charge after Dayton's announcement. Hann, who chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, also threatened a legal fight.

"If you have a governor who's not willing to follow the law, then we have no choice but as a Legislature to go to an appropriate court and say you need to stop the governor from proceeding in this action because he is not warranted by law to do it," Hann said.

MPR's Tom Scheck contributed to this report.

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SCSU Survey: Obama in tight race with Romney but crushes Bachmann

Posted at 11:53 PM on November 10, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Michele Bachmann

The 2011 St. Cloud State University survey finds that President Obama would face the stiffest challenge from former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. 45 percent of those polled say they would back Obama. 39 percent say they would back Romney. 7 percent of those polled said they would support "someone else." 9 percent of those polled are undecided. (Note: the pollster said they included a "someone else category in each question).

In a head to head with former Godfather's Pizza CEO Herman Cain, Obama received 47 percent support. Cain got 36 percent support. 8 percent said they would vote for "someone else." 9 percent said they "didn't know."

The poll also found that GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann isn't getting any home state support. Just 25 percent of those polled support Bachmann in a head to head match-up with Obama. 53 percent of those polled back the president. 16 percent said they support "someone else." Six percent were undecided.

The survey found 41 percent of those polled rate President Obama's job as performance as excellent or pretty good while 59 percent rate it as only fair or poor.

The poll also found that the state is closely divided on a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. It finds that 47 percent of those polled do not support amending the state's constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman. 44 percent support the proposal. 9 percent of those polled either refused to answer or were undecided.

The SCSU researchers also tried to measure how attitudes toward religion might affect answers to the marriage question. The survey found that 57 percent of those who said religion was important in their lives were in favor of the amendment, compared to 29 percent of the group who said religion was not important.

The survey also found that 55 percent think the state is on the wrong track and also found that unemployment and job opportunities are the top issue facing the state. The budget, the economy, education funding, politics/politicians and taxes are also top concerns.

A majority of those polled, or 55 percent, blame this summer's state government shutdown on the Minnesota Legislature. 18 percent blame Governor Dayton. 18 percent say they're both to blame.

The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus five percentage points.

You can read the news release on the poll here.

Here are the poll results released by SCSU Professor Steve Frank:

Fall Findings Sfrank Version 11-10

Ramsey County ready to buy stadium site

Posted at 3:13 PM on November 10, 2011 by Tim Nelson (10 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

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Ramsey County says it has struck a deal with the federal government to purchase the land for an Arden Hills Vikings stadium-- and that it'll be under budget and cleaned up when the deal gets done.

County officials delivered a letter to Gov. Mark Dayton's office this afternoon. It says the county has a formal Offer to Purchase from the General Services Administration for a 430 acre Arden Hills stadium site, and that it's "within the $30 million budgeted for the acquisition and clean up of the property."

The letter doesn't give a firm dollar figure, but says the county will be allowed to deduct the price of cleaning the place up from the purchase price.

There's a second clause as well: the county says it has a fixed price quote from "an experienced local contractor with substantial experience on the TCAAP property" that "caps the demolition, hazardous waste abatement and remediation costs at a dollar amount that is significantly less than the amount of credit available to the County against the GSA's proposed price."

And finally, the letter says that the offer commits the cleanup contractor to have the stadium footprint available within 9 months of signing a contract.

That's in stark contrast to the doubts raised in an October report from the Metropolitan Council that pegged the land acquisition and clean up costs between $23 million and $70 million. The upside of that range was described as a significant risk factor in calculating the cost of the deal.

"We believe the county has now addressed the primary cost concerns raised by your analysis," the letter concludes.

Read it for yourself here:

RAMCO Letter 11-11-10

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Dayton says Hann is blocking funding for health care

Posted at 12:36 PM on November 8, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton says one Republican member of the Minnesota Senate is putting the lives of sick children and the elderly in jeopardy by putting a hold on federal funds directed to the state of Minnesota.

Dayton says Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, requested a review of $25 million in federal health care grants - essentially putting a hold on the funds. Dayton said Hann's action may be unconstitutional.

"That any single legislator could arbitrarily and unilaterally block money that comes from the federal government through a competitive grant process, a lawful process, and be used for the benefit for Minnesotans all over the state," Dayton said. "To have all of that blocked by one member of the Legislature is to me just undemocratic."

Dayton says his administration will try to convince Legislative leaders to approve the funding. If they don't approve, the administration can request a hearing from the Legislative Advisory Commission and can eventually get the money. Dayton says his concern is that the federal government could choose to give the money to another state in the meantime.

Hann is holding a 1 p.m. news conference to react to Dayton's assertion. Hann is defending his decision to raise questions about federal health care grants given to the state. Governor Dayton today criticized Hann for playing politics with money that will help the sick and elderly. Hann, who chairs the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, said the Dayton Administration shouldn't have sole power to determine how to spend federal grants.

"My intent, as I said, was to make sure that we had a chance for the Legislature more than just me to look at this," Hann said. "I don't think I should be the guy that determines whether or not we should spend $60 million or not. I don't think the governor should be either. I think that's something for the public and the Legislature to do in the light of day."

Hann said state commissioners who oversee the grant money assured him that no one would be harmed if the money wasn't released immediately. He says he intends to hold a hearing on the federal funds.

In the meantime, here's his letter:

DHS_Sen Hann Ltr

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Dayton names broadband task force

Posted at 11:21 AM on November 7, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton has named a 15-member task force to look for ways to expand access to broadband Internet across Minnesota.

Dayton's goals for the effort include border-to-border access to high-seed services for homes, schools and businesses. He wants to make Minnesota a top-five state for broadband access by 2015. An initial proposal for addressing the access disparities is due by the end of January. Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman says the expansion is critical to the state's economic recovery and long-term prosperity. Rothman says 3.4 percent of the state still needs broadband infrastructure. He says that's nearly 66,647 homes, mostly in rural areas, without access.

" We need to take a look at what's called the last mile, the middle mile, and how to get the build out to homes in those areas," Rothman said. "Those are the challenges."

Dayton appointed former House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, who directs the Minnesota High Tech Association, to chair the task force. Kelliher was one of Dayton's DFL rivals in the 2010 campaign for governor. Another rival in that campaign, Matt Entenza, was appointed by Dayton last week to serve on a new Sunset Advisory commission.

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Court panel sets redistricting criteria

Posted at 6:11 PM on November 4, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Redistricting

With MPR's Rupa Shenoy...

The five-member panel charged with redrawing the state's political boundaries issued an order today detailing the criteria they will use to draw those maps.

For the first time, the panel said the metropolitan area should be regarded as 11 counties, not seven. As a result more exurban counties could be tied into districts in suburban and urban areas.

That was an approach Republicans favored, said Elizabeth Brama who represents the Republican party on redistricting. She said it's unclear what effect the change will have.

"I don't think it's a question of one party or the other benefiting," Brama said. "I think it's more a question of just fairly representing where the people in the state of Minnesota live and how they organize themselves."

Brama said the council's decision may reflect how people in ex-urban counties formerly considered rural may now see themselves as more urban.

DFL party chair Ken Martin wasn't surprised by those changes.

"I think it's pretty pro forma and certainly establishes a lot of the same principles that were in place ten years ago," Martin said. "Again, without discussing this further with my team and being able to look at it more in detail, I can't comment any more than that. But on the surface I think it's fine. I don't think it give any party an advantage over another."

The court order also suggests that it will consider communities of interest to include "social, geographic, political, cultural, ethnic, economic or other interests." Attorneys for the DFL Party were arguing that those communities of interest are critical to redrawing the lines.

The five-member panel is tasked with creating a set of maps for the state's eight congressional districts and 201 legislative districts if Gov. Dayton and the GOP-controlled Legislature can't agree on a map. Dayton vetoed a GOP plan earlier this year and he suggested it's unlikely an agreement can be reached before the Feb. 21 deadline. The court will take over the process at that time.

You can read the full order here.

Revenue forecast set for Dec. 1

Posted at 11:22 PM on November 3, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Minnesota Management and Budget announced today that Minnesota's next revenue forecast will be released on Dec. 1.

The forecast gauges the state's tax collections and spending obligations. It also gives a good sense on the state's current and future economic conditions.

Gov. Dayton and the GOP controlled Legislature enacted a two-year budget into law in July. The next forecast gives them a blueprint as to how the state's budget stays in balance through the biennium.

No one is expecting good news. State Economist Tom Stinson told MPR News in October that

"It's going to be difficult, maybe even impossible, for us to not have a shortfall in November," Stinson said.

Dayton open to asking tribal leaders to pay for part of Vikings stadium

Posted at 5:41 PM on November 3, 2011 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Governor Dayton says he's open to asking the state's tribal leaders for a contribution to pay for a new Vikings stadium.

Dayton's spokeswoman told MPR News that Dayton's deputy chief of staff met with lobbyists representing the Mille Lacs Band of the Ojibwe and Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community. Those tribes run two of the largest tribal casinos in the state. Dayton told MPR News that he hasn't spoken directly with tribal leaders but he endorsed the idea of asking them to make a contribution to help pay for a stadium.

"That's a possibility," Dayton told MPR News. "And in fact, it was evidently discussed last night at the working group of a number of legislators and they may initiate that. I think it's a good idea but I have not done it myself."

Dayton said lawmakers were also going to approach lobbyists for the tribes to "get an idea of what they would support and what they would oppose and what they would most oppose."

The state's tribes are lobbying against efforts to build a casino in downtown Minneapolis or allowing slot machines at the state's two horse tracks. Those are two of the options being considered as ways to pay for a new Vikings stadium.

John McCarthy with the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association says he doesn't think tribal leaders are open to helping pay for the Vikings. He said many of the state's tribes can't fund all of their needs.

"I don't think they have really seriously thought about it because it's not something that they can do," McCarthy said. "The wherewithal is simply not there. They don't have that kind of revenue to be spending on a Vikings stadium when they don't have enough revenue to provide enough housing, and health care and education and public safety to their own folks on the reservation."

The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community gave $10 million to the University of Minnesota a few years ago to help build the U of M's stadium. McCarthy, however, said there is a difference between that donation and any suggestion to help pay for a new Vikings stadium.

"It's a totally different issue," McCarthy said. "A state university versus independent, very wealthy people in the Vikings. It's like apples and oranges there."

Several Democrats in the Minnesota Legislature are opposed to allowing for slot machines at the state's horse tracks or building a casino in downtown Minneapolis. The state's tribes have given heavily to Democrats in recent years.

Dayton, however, hasn't shied away from suggesting that an expansion of gambling is needed. He said during the 2010 campaign for governor that a state owned and operated casino could help balance the state's budget.

"I think for there to be a government-protected monopoly on that in the metro area is not in the best interest of the people in Minnesota," Dayton said during the TwinWest Chamber of Commerce debate in August of 2010.

"We need the revenues. Competition is good for retailers as my family has learned. They're good for politicians and I think it's good for casino operators as well."

One option that the state's tribes won't lobby against is to allow the state's charities to move from traditional paper pull-tabs to electronic pull-tabs. McCarthy said they don't like the idea but don't consider it "an expansion of gambling."

MPR News took a look at the revenue projections that say electronic pull-tabs could generate as much as $42 million a year and said the estimates are on shaky ground.

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Dayton to meet with legislative leaders

Posted at 12:47 PM on November 2, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Gov. Dayton's spokesman Bob Hume says Dayton will meet with GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers, GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen and GOP Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk at 3 p.m. today. The group will discuss financing options for a new Vikings stadium. They will also discuss Zellers e-mail that said he will not support a special session to address the stadium. Zellers sent the private statement to House Republicans last night. It caught many off guard who are watching stadium talks, since Zellers has not said that publicly.

Dayton trying to meet with Zellers to discuss special session

Posted at 10:58 AM on November 2, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

With MPR's Tim Nelson...

Gov. Dayton hopes to meet with GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers and other legislative leaders to discuss an e-mail Zellers sent to GOP House members yesterday. The e-mail said Zellers does not support a special session to pass a financing plan for a new Vikings stadium. That could scuttle any efforts to get a Vikings stadium bill passed this year, because the Vikings want a deal in place before the team's lease with the Metrodome expires in January. Zellers has not returned repeated calls to comment about his e-mail.

Dayton initially called a news conference for 11 a.m. to discuss the e-mail but canceled it after he spoke privately with Zellers.

Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, and Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, both say they support Zellers decision to oppose a special session.

"I think the speaker reflects the will of the majority of the House of Representatives," Garofalo said. "Clearly any bill's going to require bipartisan support and as of right now, I'm not aware of any House Democrat who has stated his support for a special session."

Meanwhile, Minnesota Vikings officials say they're disappointed by the Zellers e-mail. Vikings vice president Lester Bagley said the team doubts the wisdom of putting off legislative action until next year's short legislative session.

"The strategy of avoiding the stadium issue in Minnesota has not worked," Bagley said. "It only gets more costly, more difficult to resolve, especially if the state allows the lease to expire with no action, Bagley said. "The lease expires in less than 90 days, and at that point we will be the only NFL team without a lease. So we believe this needs to get into focus before the lease expires at the end of the season."

The team has proposed a $1.1 billion dollar stadium in Arden Hills, although that was thrown in doubt yesterday, when Dayton and legislative leaders ruled out a sales tax contribution to the deal by Ramsey County.

Zellers throws a block to special session

Posted at 12:41 AM on November 2, 2011 by Tim Nelson (15 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers says he won't support a special session in November to pass a bill that would finance a new Vikings stadium. The move is a major barrier for stadium backers since Gov. Dayton insists he won't call a special session without prior approval from legislative leaders.

Supporters of a new stadium say they were hoping the Legislature could pass a Vikings stadium bill before the November forecast is released. There have also been concerns that the Vikings' lease with the Metrodome expires before session starts on Jan. 24.

Zellers, from Maple Grove, says he has told Gov. Mark Dayton "repeatedly" that he would not support a special session for a Vikings stadium. That's according to an e-mail Zellers sent to the GOP caucus yesterday.

Here's the full e-mail, which was obtained by MPR News:

Dear GOP Members:

I am writing to provide you with an update regarding the Vikings stadium issue.

This afternoon, Governor Dayton agreed to drop his earlier support to exempt a referendum for both Arden Hills and Minneapolis. As you know, I have been insistent that an imposition of a sales tax must include, at a minimum, a referendum.

Again, I want to be clear about my position regarding a special session for a Vikings stadium. I have repeatedly told Governor Dayton that I will not support a special session for a Vikings stadium. This issue can be addressed during the regular session. I will continue to communicate this message to the governor, legislative leaders, the public and media.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Kurt

Speaker Kurt Zellers
State Representative, District 32B
463 State Office Building
St. Paul, MN 55155

Editor's Note: Prior to this e-mail Zellers has been tepid about the need for a special session for a Vikings stadium but he hasn't come out and said directly that he would not support a special session to solve the stadium issue.

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Dayton and legislative leaders say sales tax increase won't work for stadium

Posted at 2:04 PM on November 1, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Gov. Dayton and the four legislative leaders say there isn't support in the Legislature to exempt Ramsey County or Minneapolis from holding a referendum on a sales tax increase to pay for the Vikings stadium.

Officials on both sides of the river had proposed a sales tax increase to help pay for the new stadium. Ramsey County proposed a half cent sales tax increase to raise $350 million for a $1.1 billion stadium in Arden Hills.

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak said a sales tax increase of 0.35 percent in Minneapolis could help pay for a stadium on one of three sites in his city. Rybak, however, also proposed a downtown casino as a way to raise the city's share of the stadium.

Dayton says he is "now actively assessing and discussing with the team other financing options." He plans to release his own stadium proposal next week and wants to call a special session for the week of Nov. 21.

Here's the statement from Dayton, GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers, GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen and DFL Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk:

Statement on Vikings Stadium talks

Saint Paul--At last Friday's meeting of Legislative Leaders: Senators Amy Koch, Julie Rosen, Terri Bonoff, and Richard Cohen; Speaker Kurt Zellers; Representatives Morrie Lanning, Paul Thissen, and Terry Morrow; with Governor Dayton and Chairman Ted Mondale, the consensus among the legislative leadership was that there was not sufficient support in either body to exempt Ramsey County or the City of Minneapolis from holding a referendum on increasing a local sales tax to finance a Vikings stadium. The participants requested the weekend to assess that conclusion.

Today, Governor Dayton and the Leaders of the Republican and DFL Caucuses in the House and Senate reaffirm that there is not majority support in either body for an exemption from a voter referendum. Without such an exemption, the earliest either Ramsey County or the City of Minneapolis could conduct a referendum would be in conjunction with the November 2012 General Election.

Governor Dayton said, "Last Friday's meeting was very significant in eliminating one proposed source of financing for a People's Stadium in either Ramsey County or Minneapolis, unless the Vikings are willing to endure the time delay and continuing uncertainty in obtaining voters' approval. Given this reality, we are now actively assessing and discussing with the team other financing options."

# # #

Capitol renovation takes on urgent tone

Posted at 1:08 PM on November 1, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

State officials moved a bit closer today to the launch of a major renovation of Minnesota Capitol building.

Gov. Mark Dayton and other members of the Capitol Preservation Commission approved spending up to $150 million $150,000 for pre-design work for the project. The panel also adopted guiding principles for the renovation that focus on architectural integrity, building function and safety. Lawmakers have not yet approved the full project, which is estimated to cost more than $200 million. Dayton says the cost is daunting, but he says the current deterioration of the Capitol is adding urgency to the discussion.

"It will be more expensive to do it five years or 10 years from now," Dayton said. "That's a guarantee. So if we do it, let's do it right and do it in a way that is as much as we can foresee will put it in the kind of condition for the next 100 years that the people of Minnesota for the next 100 years would expect of us."

Legislators have come close to approving Capitol renovations before, but House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, says he now believes there is the political will to follow through with the project.

Here's a May 2011 report that details the problems at the Capitol:

MN Capitol - Facility Condition Executive Summary Report - May 2011[1]

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Urdahl and Ingebrigtsen opposed to Legacy Fund for Vikings stadium

Posted at 12:51 PM on November 1, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Two Republican lawmakers who oversee the state's Legacy Amendment money say they think other funding sources should be considered to finance a new Vikings stadium.

Some GOP lawmakers have suggested using up to $60 million a year from the Arts and Culture portion of the Legacy Fund to pay for a stadium. The money comes from a higher sales tax approved by voters in 2008.

Republican Senator Bill Ingebrigtsen and Republican Representative Dean Urdahl say it's a bad idea to spend the money on a stadium.

"In 2011, I was given the privilege to serve as the chair the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee," Ingebrigtsen said in an op-ed. "I vowed that I would do all I can to uphold the constitution and do what voters intended in 2008 and not raid the Legacy funds to offset our $5 billion deficit. We were able to stay true to the voters' intentions and passed legislation that mirrored their intent. However, the temptation to raid dedicated funds may have returned.

Recently, there have been rumblings in the media that Legacy funds from the arts portion of the amendment may be used to contribute to a new Vikings stadium. As chair of the committee that provides oversight for the Legacy funds, I adamantly oppose this and will vote against any proposal designed to use them."

Urdahl told MPR News that he's encouraging legislative leaders to look at other options.

"In this business you never say never about anything," Urdahl said. "But it should be something that we should put way down on our list. I think there are other better ways to do it."

Urdahl chairs the Legacy Funding Committee in the House. Governor Dayton is planning to release his Vikings stadium plan next week. He hopes to call a special session for the week of November 21st to address the Vikings stadium issue.

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Dayton forms health care task force

Posted at 12:06 PM on October 31, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton issued an executive order today that establishes a new state task force on health care reform.

The 17-member panel will develop recommendations for improving health care delivery and lowering costs. The Democratic governor appointed representatives from the administration business, labor, nonprofit groups and health care organizations. There are four seats designated for the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Department of Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson will chair the Minnesota Health Care Reform Task force. During a conference call with reporters, Jesson said Minnesota is consistently one of the healthiest states but needs to do better.

"We've got serious gaps and disparities between our healthiest and least healthiest Minnesotans, and we need to close them," Jesson said. "The number of uninsured in Minnesota is increasing, which is unacceptable."

The task force will look for ways to address the disparity issue, along with improving access to health care and lowering costs preventative care incentives.

UPDATE
Dayton's executive order also established a separate, 15-member task force to help develop a health insurance exchange, which is a key part of new federal health care law.

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Candidates start lining up to replace Pogemiller

Posted at 10:24 PM on October 30, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Several Democrats have already announced that they intend to run to replace DFL Sen. Larry Pogemiller. The Minneapolis seat is being vacated because Pogemiller has been appointed to run the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.

Peter Wagenius, who works in Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak's office, announced tonight that he's running for the seat. Wagenius is running on a campaign that that the GOP controlled Legislature is doing too much harm to middle income Minnesotans (and cities and counties).

"The people of Senate District 59 want to know that State Government is on their side, that action is being taken to improve the economy for everyone," Wagenius said in a news release. "But instead they see cuts to jobs, schools and services that people depend on. They see a tax system that tilts more and more against the middle class. That's wrong - and we need to stand up and fight. "

Wagenius is no stranger to the Legislature. His mother is DFL Rep. Jean Wagenius, who was first elected in 1986.

Peter Wagenius will be vying for the DFL endorsement with DFL activist Jacob Frey. He announced on Friday that he was running for the seat.

One candidate who is not running for the Minnesota Senate is DFL Rep. Diane Loeffler.

"Seniority is important in the Legislature, Loffer said in a news release. "And walking away from four terms of seniority to the back of the line in a new body would be a restart that has consequences for both me and our area.

So I have decided to stay enthusiastically serving our community and our city in the House of Representatives. While the four year term of the Senate was tempting, running every other year keeps me connected to the people I serve."

Gov. Dayton has announced the special election will be held on January 10, 2012. The special primary, if needed, will take place on December 6, 2011.

Dayton calls special election for Pogemiller's seat

Posted at 9:07 AM on October 29, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton has called a special election for Senate District 59. The seat was vacated today when Dayton appointed Sen. Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, to direct the Minnesota Office of Higher Education.

The special election will be held on January 10, 2012. The special primary, if needed, will take place on December 6, 2011. The special election and a special primary in House District 61B, which was vacated when Rep. Jeff Hayden, DFL-Minneapolis, was elected to the Minnesota Senate, will take place on the days.

Jacob Frey, a DFL activist, has already announced that he intends to run to replace Pogemiller.

Both Senate District 59 and House District 61B are considered DFL strongholds.

Dayton says electronic pull-tabs are on the table

Posted at 9:59 PM on October 28, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Gov. Dayton appeared on TPT's Almanac tonight and said there seems to be consensus growing around allowing bars and restaurants to move from paper pull-tab tickets to electronic pull-tabs.

"Electronic pull tabs has real possibility," Dayton said on Almanac. "Again, I can't speak for 201 legislators who will have to make this decision, but that one seems to have better possibility than anything else that has been proposed so far."

Dayton was careful to note that no head count has been done on members of the Legislature. Dayton met privately with legislative leaders today for two and a half hours.

Supporters of electronic pull-tabs argue that the measure would increase the level of charitable gambling in Minnesota. An analysis of charitable gambling says the activity has been on the decline in recent years. Nonpartisan researchers say they expect the level of charitable gambling to increase if bars and restaurants can move from a paper pull-tab game to electronic pull-tabs.

House researcher Pat McCormack said an analysis of the change could generate up to $42 million a year. He said estimates depend on the tax break given to the charities. Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove, is the chief author of the bill. His proposal was to make the proposal revenue neutral (charities would receive increased revenue in the form of a tax break) but the size of the tax break can be adjusted to bring in more revenue.

Supporters of the measure say electronic pull-tabs can also thread the needle of winning legislative support from both parties. The state's tribal casinos are neutral on the issue of electronic pull-tabs. The powerful lobbying group has lined up against efforts to put slot machines at the state's two horse tracks and a new casino in downtown Minneapolis.

Dayton says he intends to release his proposal to finance a new Vikings stadium in the week of Nov. 7. He wants to call a special session for the week of Nov. 21.

Here's a revenue analysis of Kriesel's bill (remember it's based on being revenue neutral).

Here's the bill summary.
Here's the fiscal note.

Legislature to hold hearings on parole of convicted killers

Posted at 2:41 PM on October 28, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

with Rupa Shenoy

Republican legislative leaders sent a letter to Gov. Dayton asking his administration for more information on the paroles of two convicted murderers. GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers and GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch wrote in the letter that they have concerns that Timothy Eling and John Scruggs were paroled. They characterized Correction Commissioner Tom Roy's decision as "unprecedented."

"Commissioner Roy has released two convicted killers who were sentenced to life for their heinous and egregious crimes. This includes Timothy Eling, who was serving a life sentence for the 1982 killing of Oakdale police officer Richard Walton, and John Scruggs, a Minneapolis gang leader who ordered the execution of a teenage girl believed to be a police informant.

We believe Commissioner Roy's decisions to release convicted killers serving life sentences deserve further transparency and review. To that end, we have asked Senator Warren Limmer, Chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Representative Tony Cornish, Chair of the House Public Safety Crime Prevention Committee, to hold legislative hearings on this matter."

The Star Tribune first reported Eling's parole. The paper says Eling must serve roughly four more years at the Stillwater prison for a separate 1996 sentence for drug smuggling while in prison. The paper said it's also the fourth time in nine months that Roy has paroled a convicted murderer who was serving a life sentence.

A spokeswoman for the Senate Republican Caucus says no hearing date has been set.

Gov. Dayton's spokeswoman Katharine Tinucci said Commissioner Roy will appear at the hearing. She also said the law is clear on the issue.

"Personally, Gov. Dayton believes that anyone who kills a law enforcement officer should serve life in prison," Tinucci said. "However that was not the law when Mr. Eling was sentenced. The Legislature in their wisdom left that decision to grant parole or not to the commissioner, who is a career professional, not for the politicians to decide."

Dennis Flaherty, executive director of the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association, says commissioner Roy should have been guided by the 1993 law.

"It obviously was the will of the state legislature to create in Minnesota a very harsh penalty. They wanted people convicted of murdering cops to serve the rest of their lives in prison," Flaherty said.

As for John Scruggs, convicted of ordering the murder of a possible police informant, records obtained under the Data Practices law show former Corrections Commissioner Joan Fabian placed Scruggs on a path to parole.

An email from a department of corrections spokesperson said Roy saw no reason to reverse Fabian's decision.

Here's the letter from Koch and Zellers:

20111027KochZellerstoDayton

Here's the Scruggs parole letter:
02 26 10 Scruggs Ltr

Here's the Eling parole letter:

09-19-11 Eling ltr

Dayton on stadium: "No breakthrough moment"

Posted at 12:05 PM on October 28, 2011 by Tim Nelson (7 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

With Tom Scheck...

Legislative leaders stretched an hour long meeting about a stadium into more than two hours of discussion the Vikings fate this morning.

Gov. Dayton says there was no "breakthrough moment" in his behind closed door meetings with legislative leaders. Dayton, who briefed reporters along side of House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, said they talked a variety of financing options but declined to identify them. He also didn't specify whether the stadium should be built in Minneapolis of Arden Hills.

"We're looking at the various options, and discussing the tradeoffs that are involved, and also identifying the additional pieces of information that we need before we can make a decision, Dayton said. "You can't ask people to make a decision when they don't have all the facts. We've definitely clarified some of the remaining pieces of information, and and tasked members of our staffs to develop that information. There's no breakthrough moment to discuss, because we haven't reached that point."

Dayton says he'll release a stadium plan the week of Nov. 7 and hopes to call a special session for the week of Nov. 21. GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch said the decision on a special session is left to Dayton.

"I wouldn't say that we're ready for that at this point," Koch said. "But that's the governor's call and we're going to continue discussions and keep working."

The Minnesota Vikings say they want to build the stadium in Arden Hills - that plan includes a half cent sales tax increase in Ramsey County. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak is pushing to build the stadium in downtown Minneapolis.

Dayton and GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers were also careful to note that they are neutral on whether to use Legacy Amendment money to finance the stadium. GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch told MPR News on Thursday that she's open to using Legacy funds to pay for the stadium.

Zellers declined to say whether the talks got them any closer to a final deal. Instead, he said there were plenty of things to discuss like the three new proposed sites in Minneapolis.

"This is a complicated process that is going to take a creative solution," Zellers said. "That takes time."

Dayton said he'll meet again with legislative leaders next week.

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Dayton to appoint Pogemiller to run Office of Higher Education

Posted at 11:00 PM on October 27, 2011 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Three people with knowledge of the hire say Dayton is appointing Sen. Larry Pogemiller to run the Minnesota Office of Higher Education. The people asked not to be identified because they didn't want to step on Dayton's announcement. Dayton's spokesman, Bob Hume, wouldn't confirm the hire but said they will have an announcement on that position Friday morning.

Pogemiller has served in the Minnesota Legislature since 1980. He has held several key positions of power in the Senate including Majority Leader, Education Committee Chair and Tax Committee Chair. He could not be reached for comment about the appointment.

Pogemiller will replace Sheila Wright who resigned her position in September. The office provides students with financial aid programs and information to help them gain access to a post-secondary education.

Pogemiller's appointment means Senate Democrats have lost three long time members in the last six months. Sen. Linda Berglin retired in August to take a job with Hennepin County. Sen. Linda Scheid died in June after battling ovarian cancer for several years.

Dayton will have to call a special election to fill Pogemiller's seat.

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Racino supporters ramp up efforts to get slots at horse tracks

Posted at 10:39 PM on October 27, 2011 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Several supporters of allowing the state's two horse tracks to operate slot machines are pushing to be included in the Vikings stadium discussion. Sen. Al DeKruif, R-Madison Lake, says he and other supporters of the so-called Racino bill believe the measure will pay for part of a new Vikings stadium and pay back some of the K12 school payment delay used to balance the state's budget.

"There's a lot of work going on behind the scenes," DeKruif said. "I do think there is enough money to do both, pay back the school shift and make the payments on the bonds."

Racino is one of several measures being floated to pay for a new Vikings stadium. Governor Dayton says he's listening to all ideas before he releases his plan the week of Nov. 7. DeKruif said he believes allowing slot machines at the state's horse tracks is less controversial because gambling already occurs there.

"Gambling in Minnesota - like it or not - is here to stay," DeKruif said. "It's a choice tax. It's an avenue to give the economy a shot in the arm through the construction trades, the horse industry which is a large part of our economy."

Several of DeKruif's colleagues lined up in opposition to any expansion of gambling to pay for a Vikings stadium. They argued that allowing even more gambling in Minnesota will increase addiction to gambling and crime caused by problem gamblers. They also argued it will make the state more inclined to rely on gambling expansion in the future.

"It's a tax on either the desperate or the mathematically impaired," Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, said. "And to make the state of Minnesota act like a bookie or a pit boss is simply not the role of government."

Dayton and legislative leaders will meet tomorrow morning to discuss the stadium issue.

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AFL-CIO backs Block E

Posted at 4:52 PM on October 27, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

The AFL-CIO, a coalition of more than 1,000 labor unions, has come out in favor of building a casino in downtown Minneapolis. The labor federation, which is also backing a Vikings stadium, sent out a news release earlier today saying the so-called Block E casino will benefit the state. The casino has been mentioned as a way to finance the Vikings stadium. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has suggested tapping money from the casino to pay for a new Vikings stadium in Minneapolis.

Union support could help convince skeptical Democrats to vote for the expansion of gambling. Several have said they will oppose any expansion of gambling in Minnesota.

Here's the AFL-CIO's statement:

"We need to do everything we can to get more Minnesotans back to work and our economy moving again," said Shar Knutson, President of the Minnesota AFL-CIO. "The renovation and operation of a casino at Block E will create a significant number of family-sustaining jobs many Minnesotans so desperately need."

The Minnesota AFL-CIO currently supports constructing a new stadium to ensure the Vikings stay in Minnesota. The labor federation has not endorsed any specific site.

"Given the number of funding options being debated, the Block E casino option is a way to both fund the project and create jobs," added Knutson. "Working people are watching and waiting for legislators to take action on this great way to create jobs."

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Historical Society lobbies against using Legacy Funds for stadium

Posted at 10:08 PM on October 26, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

The Minnesota Historical Society is urging their supporters to contact Gov. Dayton and the Legislature and ask them to not use Legacy funds to pay for a new Vikings stadium. The action comes less than a week after MPR News reported that some Republicans in the Legislature are looking to tap part of the Arts and Heritage portion of the Legacy Amendment to pay for the stadium.

Gov. Dayton hasn't completely ruled out using the funds to help pay for a portion of the state's contribution to the $1.1 billion stadium.

The threat of tapping up to $60 million a year for the Vikings Stadium has prompted concern from the Historical Society. The group, which receives funds from the Legacy Amendment, sent out an e-mail to supporters today urging them to take action on the issue:

While this concept is contrary to both the intent of the voters and the language of the constitutional amendment, it seems to be getting some consideration and should be taken seriously.

Please take a few moments to call the Governor as well as your legislator at their office, home, or both to express your opposition to using Legacy funds for a Vikings stadium. If you are not able to talk to your legislators directly and need to leave a phone message, please also send them an email to express your opinion. Make sure to mention that you are a constituent.

Voters amended the Minnesota Constitution in 2008 to increase the state's sales tax by 3/8ths of a percent and dedicate the money to the outdoors, clean water, parks and trails, arts and cultural activities.

Several members of the Legislature have objected to the idea. Sen. Dick Cohen, DFL-St. Paul, says he'll sue to prevent any attempt to use the funds for a Vikings stadium. DFL Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk of Cook also said the measure has little support in his caucus.

"It would be very difficult to find Democratic votes for that," Bakk told MPR News. "Less than ten. Maybe less than five."

Minnesota Public Radio is one of hundreds of groups that receive money from the Legacy Amendment.

Dayton and lawmakers are looking to put together a package that could finance a stadium for the Vikings. Dayton says he'll release his plan the week of Nov. 7.

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Legislators and religious groups to come out against gambling

Posted at 5:24 PM on October 26, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

A bipartisan group of legislators will join with religious leaders and a group that organizes against gambling to speak out tomorrow against any efforts to expand gambling to pay for a new Vikings stadium. Sen. David Hann and Rep. Ann Lenczewski will join members of the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition and Minnesotans Against Gambling Expansion. The group will make their announcement at a Thursday morning news conference but sent out a news release on Wednesday.

"We're glad these lawmakers are joining with us and speaking out," said Rev. Doug Mitchell, chair of the JRLC Board and a minister at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis. "Increasing state dependence on gambling would exact a toll on those who can least afford it. Studies show that the social costs are just too high. As a minister to a downtown congregation I am particularly concerned about the impact that a casino would have on our neighborhood and community."

The JRLC is an interfaith coalition representing the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the Minnesota Council on Churches, Islamic Center of Minnesota and the Jewish Community Relations council of Minnesota and the Dakotas.

Both Hann and Lenczewski have been long-time critics of any expansion of gambling. Lencewski has worked to defeat any proposals that would put a casino at the Mall of America. Hann has also long opposed any expansion of gambling. He authored a bill in 2005 to abolish the lottery.

Several groups are lobbying for a casino in downtown Minneapolis or for the expansion of slot machines at the state's two horse tracks to help pay for a Vikings stadium.

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Davids: Tax Committee won't back tax hike for Vikings Stadium

Posted at 2:53 PM on October 26, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston, waded into the Vikings stadium debate today by saying he doubts the House Taxes Committee will vote for any stadium proposal that includes a tax hike to pay for the stadium.

"The Minnesota Vikings are obviously an important asset to the state, but many in Houston and Fillmore counties have told me that they don't want any statewide tax raised to help build a new facility," Davids wrote in an e-mail to supporters."If the governor chooses to call a special session, it's going to be interesting to watch the process move forward."

Davids is chair of the House Taxes Committee which will almost certainly have to hold a hearing on any Vikings stadium bill.

Gov. Dayton says he intends to release his stadium plan during the week of Nov. 7. Ramsey County is proposing a half cent sales tax increase to pay for $350 million of an Arden Hills facility. The Vikings are proposing to spend more than $400 million on the facility. Under that plan the state would have to come up with $300 million.

Several ways to finance the state's portion of the new stadium have surfaced in recent weeks. The ideas include an expansion of gambling, the use of Legacy Amendment money, a ticket tax or a fee on sports memorabilia. Davids suggested Dayton shouldn't bother proposing a tax hike.

"I look forward to working with the governor on this issue and promise to give any stadium proposal a fair hearing," Davids said. "But knowing the makeup of the Taxes committee, I can almost assure him that if the stadium plan contains new taxes, it will face an uphill battle for approval."

Republicans in the House and Senate have not released a stadium plan. Dayton says he wants to call a special session for the week of Nov. 21 to resolve the issue.

Parties make their case to court on Redistricting

Posted at 1:48 PM on October 26, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Redistricting

A five-judge panel that's likely to end up drawing the state's political boundaries heard arguments Wednesday about the best way to do it.

Attorneys for the political parties made their case to the panel Wednesday. Republicans say the court should make population changes its top priority. Democrats argued the court should give communities of interest -- like minority populations -- equal weight.

Attorney Eric Magnuson, who is representing the Republican Party, said DFL attorneys are going too far with their recommendation.

"What he's really proposing is that you have subjective and kind of nebulous criteria so that they can maybe fashion things a little bit more the way they want them," Magnuson said. "In our view, maybe those are arguments you can make to the Legislature but when you're arguing to the court, you have to follow the constitution and the statute."

But Marc Elias, an attorney representing Democrats, said the court needs to also consider communities. He said drawing the lines on population alone hurts certain communities such as minorities.

"It's not enough to stop there because if life were that simple we wouldn't be here," Elias said. "If it was just a mechanical process of taking these higher level criteria and applying them mechanically then indeed we wouldn't need hearings."

The parties have to submit their proposed maps to the court by November 18th. The court will take over the process if Governor Dayton and the GOP-controlled Legislature can't reach an agreement on the new congressional and legislative districts by February 21st.

A reporter asked Dayton to give odds on whether he can reach agreement with the Legislature on a map before the deadline.

"Somewhere between the Vikings winning the division and the Vikings winning the Super Bowl," Dayton said. "But there's always hope."

You can listen to the full redistricting hearing here: Listen

Pool Photo provided by the Star Tribune's Glen Stubbe.

Dayton on Midday

Posted at 8:45 AM on October 26, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton will be on MPR's Midday today at 11am. Dayton is expected to discuss yesterday's jobs summit, his plans for the upcoming session and why he thinks a Vikings stadium bill needs to be completed in a special legislative session.

You can tune in on the radio or listen to the program live here.

Builder on stadium: Git 'er done

Posted at 7:30 AM on October 26, 2011 by Tim Nelson
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Mortenson Construction sent a letter to the Metropolitan Council and the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission saying, in effect, "Yes, we can."

That's in response to a report earlier this month from the two agencies calling a proposed 2015 completion date for the Arden Hills plan proposed by Ramsey County and the Vikings "aggressive" and "unrealistic." Along with a letter, the company released a proposed construction schedule.

It has a proposed start on Nov. 28, 2012, and finish date of Aug. 27, 2015.

See it for yourself below. Note that footnote: "Legislative Approval 11/30/11".

Vikings Stadium Schedule

Here's the letter that company vice president John Wood sent along with the schedule:

Mortenson Construction letter

The newest member of the Minnesota Senate

Posted at 6:24 PM on October 25, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Democrat Jeff Hayden of Minneapolis was sworn in today as the newest member of the Minnesota Senate. Hayden, who won a special election last week, was sworn in by Hennepin County District Court Judge Tanya Bransford in the State Capitol Senate Chamber.

Hayden is replacing Linda Berglin who retired in August. He says his main focus will be on jobs and economy.

"We're working very hard in distressed neighborhoods to get people trained and to work," Hayden said.

Hayden said he wants to make sure that if a new Vikings stadium or a new casino is built that people from the urban core are hired for those jobs. He said, however, that it would be hard for him to support a new Vikings stadium.

"My district has consistently said they don't want public money for stadiums," Hayden said. "They said they want public funding for infrastructure projects like schools and roads and light rail."

Hayden is no stranger to the Minnesota Legislature. He served in the Minnesota House from 2008 until today. Gov. Dayton has called a special election to replace Hayden for for January 10. A primary, if needed, will take place on December 6.

Hayden won't hold the title of newest member of the Minnesota Senate for long.

Democrat Chris Eaton will be sworn in on Friday. She won a special election for a seat that includes Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center. That seat was vacated when Linda Scheid died in June.

Photo credit: David Oakes, Senate Media Services

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Koch hits Vikings tailgate

Posted at 9:46 AM on October 24, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

From MPR's Tim Nelson...

With the Vikings stadium debate still unresolved at the Capitol, it looks like fans of the team took the opportunity to do a little tailgate lobbying this weekend in Minneapolis.

That's 'Save the Vikes' founder Cory Merrifield at bottom right, with GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch sporting a natty Vikings scarf.

No word on whether they won any points with Koch on behalf of the team.

It looks like the meeting today between Koch, her legislative colleagues and Gov. Mark Dayton, floated by the governor last week isn't happening. Word.is it may happen Friday.

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Dayton riles up union members at Education Minnesota conference

Posted at 10:46 PM on October 20, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

From MPR's Tom Weber...

Gov. Dayton brought public school teachers to their feet in an almost campaign-style speech on Thursday, at the annual Education Minnesota Professional Conference at RiverCentre in St. Paul. Listen

The governor told the gathered teachers that he fought for union rights and other education reforms during this spring's session, and compared the results with those of Minnesota's neighbor. "If you want to see what might have been in Minnesota, just look east to Wisconsin," Dayton said, referring to Gov. Scott Walker's attempts to curb collective bargaining rights and other union laws this spring.

"The attempts to... scapegoat dedicated public school teachers like yourselves for the failings of legislative funding and executive leadership is not going to happen, not while I'm governor of this state," he said, to a gathering applause. He added he also would never allow the elimination of collective bargaining rights, making Minnesota a 'right to work,' or allow attempts to "destroy" public pensions.

Dayton called deep budget cuts to the University of Minnesota and MnSCU system "terribly misguided, terribly stupid, terribly short-sighted decisions" that could have been worse if union members like those gathered "hadn't stood strong with me in saying 'no' to that kind of idiocy."

Education Minnesota president Tom Dooher later noted that Dayton was the first sitting governor to appear at the annual conference since Education Minnesota was created in the 1997 merger of the Minnesota Education Association (MEA) and the Minnesota Federation of Teachers (MFT). The teachers' union endorsed Dayton's bid for governor in 2010, but only after the group's initial endorsee, then-House speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher, lost the DFL primary to Dayton.

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MN Teacher of the Year scores lunch with Dayton

Posted at 1:46 PM on October 20, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

From MPR's Tom Weber....

Katy Smith, the Winona educator who was named 2011 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, asked Gov. Mark Dayton to lunch on Thursday - in front of thousands of teachers. Dayton immediately accepted.

Dayton was late to arrive at the Education Minnesota Professional Conference (often called "MEA") in St. Paul this afternoon. Smith originally joked she should get his speaking time, but when she learned he had arrived, Smith excitedly welcomed Dayton to stage. After beckoning him to stand next to her at the podium, Smith noted she had prepared two speeches: One to give to the teachers, the other she would give if the governor was the only person in attendance.

"I just want to give you my back-up speech that if I had 45 minutes, I would have delivered to you," Smith told the governor. "It's full of accolades for you, from teachers, but it also invites you to have lunch with me so that you and I could talk about early childhood programming."

That sparked a loud applause, after which Dayton appeared to have no choice. "I'm delighted to accept," he said, joking he should hire her as his legislative liaison because she would surely put the Legislature on the spot.

Education Minnesota president Tom Dooher later noted that Dayton was the first sitting governor to appear at the annual conference since Education Minnesota was formed from in the 1997 merger of the Minnesota Education Association (MEA) and the Minnesota Federation of Teachers (MFT). Smith, who teaches at Goodview School in the Winona district, is the first pre-kindergarten teacher to win Teacher of the Year in the award's 47 year history.

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Zellers says referendum and economy are issues with stadium vote

Posted at 9:34 AM on October 20, 2011 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers sent an e-mail to Republican House members this week to update them on the Vikings Stadium issue. Zellers wrote in the e-mail that both he and GOP Senate Majority Amy Koch expressed concern to Gov. Dayton that a Vikings stadium bill could be passed by the Legislature. He said the weak economy and the Vikings opposition to allowing Ramsey County residents vote on a half cent countywide sales tax will make it difficult to pass the Legislature.

Zellers isn't the only Republican who isn't embracing a special session for a stadium. GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean and Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, told MPR News that a special session should wait.

Gov. Dayton said he wants to call a special session for the week of Thanksgiving. He said he'll present his preferred Vikings stadium plan in the second week of November. Dayton (and others) have argued that not acting on the stadium means the Vikings could leave Minnesota when their Metrodome lease is up in January.

Here's the e-mail from Zellers to GOP House members:

As you may know, Governor Dayton requested a meeting yesterday with legislative leaders to discuss the Vikings stadium situation. I attended the meeting, along with Rep. Morrie Lanning, and I am writing to provide you with an update.

The meeting lasted for over one hour and there was discussion about potential support for a Vikings stadium bill and Special Session. Sen. Koch and I made it clear that it would be difficult to support a bill given the status of the economy in addition to the insistence of the Vikings that the local financing plan must include a half-cent sales tax increase - without a referendum - in Ramsey County.

During the meeting, Governor Dayton unveiled his idea of calling a Special Session right before Thanksgiving, which was not well received by the group. Unfortunately, despite the tepid response, Governor Dayton decided to give the media this timeline even without the support of the four caucuses.

In the meantime, please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

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Dayton, NFL trade polite nods

Posted at 5:42 PM on October 18, 2011 by Tim Nelson
Filed under: Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

The big meeting between the NFL and MBD took only about a half hour today at the Capitol, and it seems to have made about as much progress as the last seven months have. The topline: no breakthroughs on stadium deals.

The league's executive vice president Eric Grubman (who, if memory recalls correctly, made his last public comments in Minnesota in the chilly and deflated Metrodome) did the talking for the NFL. He was joined by another veep, Neil Glat.

Gov. Mark Dayton spoke for a few minutes immediately following the talks. He didn't add much, although he did up his deadline ante:he said if a deal didn't get done this fall, it could be three years before a deal gets done.

"It's just too easy and too petty to play the blame game," Dayton said. "And If people want to get this done, now is the opportunity to do so. If they want to play political games, and try to score poltical points for 2012 or 2014, I think the people of Minnesota deserve better than that."

Here's what the governor had to say: Listen

Grubman didn't have much to say about the standoff here in Minnesota, other than to say that the league feared a stalemate for the Vikings, and that the other owners wouldn't tolerate that for long. For those of you following along at home, he used the word STALEMATE, which is precisely the term cited in NFL regulations as a factor in relocation of NFL teams.

"I think its very obvious the NFL wants to be in Los Angeles," Grubman said. "We now have two sites. We believe both those sites could be financed. One of those sites has landmark legislation that streamlines the process. I don't know if its shovel ready, but its close... So the missing element is now a franchise. In my memory, this has been the first time all the elements besides a franchise has been assembled."

If you want to hear everything he had to say, click here: Listen

Dayton's stadium presser

Posted at 6:06 AM on October 18, 2011 by Tim Nelson
Filed under: Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Gov. Mark Dayton will be on Morning Edition with Cathy Wurzer this morning, following a meeting on the Vikings stadium in his office yesterday.

Senate Republican Majority Leader Amy Koch and House Speaker Kurt Zellers were there, as was DFL Minority Leader Tom Bakk. House Minority Leader Paul Thissen was out of town, but the caucus was represented by Deputy Minority Leader Deb Hilstrom and Minority Whip Terry Morrow. Also on hand were Metropolitan Council chair Susan Haigh and Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission chair Ted Mondale.

Here's the crux of what Dayton said about the November 23rd deadline he gave the Legislature"

"My view of the situation is that there are all of these ideas and proposals and people for and people again, and its become a circular process where, without a deadline, and without without legislators knowing that they have to vote on a date certain on a stadium plan, that we won't have a plan. Conversely, it's not appropriate or fair to ask them to vote on a plan without them knowing what it is. So, to try to force these questions to resolution, so that there is a definitive proposal, one that is supported by the Vikings, by the state, myself included, and by the local partner, this process, I believe, is the way to do so."

You can listen to the full audio 21 min. of Dayton's press conferencehere.

No birds for Dayton at Pheasant Opener

Posted at 4:12 PM on October 15, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton's spokeswoman Katharine Tinucci said Dayton came up empty at the governor's pheasant opener. Tinucci said Dayton didn't get any birds today during his hunt in Montevideo. Two of Dayton's hunting partners, however, took two rooster pheasants. GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers shot one bird. Local land owner Paul Johannes took the other.

Dayton announced during his campaign for governor that he would hold an annual governor's pheasant opener if he was elected. This is the first such event in Minnesota.

Note: Photo of Dayton and Zellers supplied by Gov. Dayton's office.

Emmer to speak at Ron Paul event

Posted at 6:01 PM on October 13, 2011 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: Campaign 2012, Mark Dayton, Michele Bachmann, Redistricting, U.S. House

Tom Emmer, the GOP nominee for governor in 2010, is scheduled to emcee an event for Texas Congressman Ron Paul in November. Paul is scheduled to speak at the St. Cloud Civic Center on Nov. 5. A news release from Paul's campaign for president said Emmer and fellow KTLK radio host Bob Davis will emcee the event. Paul is scheduled to give a speech and will participate in what the campaign is saying will be the "celebratory launch" of his Minnesota state operations.

Emmer couldn't be reached to comment on whether his appearance should be considered an endorsement. He's considered a possible candidate for Congress in Minnesota's 6th Congressional District if GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann either wins the GOP nomination for president or decides against making another run for Congress. Bachmann campaigned heavily for Emmer in 2010. He lost his bid for governor to Democrat Mark Dayton.

The shape of Minnesota's 6th Congressional District has yet to be determined. Gov. Dayton and the Legislature are required to come up with a plan to redraw the state's political boundaries. A court appointed panel will draw the lines if the two sides can't reach agreement by Feb. 21.

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Democrats lead in MN Senate Special Election money race

Posted at 11:18 AM on October 13, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Democrats are leading their opponents in collecting cash in the two special elections scheduled to be held next Tuesday.

Governor Dayton has called special elections in Senate District 61 (Minneapolis) and Senate District 46 (Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center) for Oct. 18.

DFL Rep. Jeff Hayden reports raising $39,534 for the race to replace DFL Sen. Linda Berglin. Berglin resigned her seat in August to take a job with Hennepin County. Republican Bruce Lundeen reports raising $2690. Green Party candidate Farheen Hakeem reports raising $10,969.

In SD, 46, Democrat Chris Eaton reports raising $33,557. Republican Cory Jensen raised $17,801. I-P candidate Tom Reynolds reports raising $2,486. That seat was vacated when DFL Sen. Linda Scheid died in June.

Prettner Solon headed to China

Posted at 3:14 PM on October 11, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

MN Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon is headed to China. Gov. Dayton's office announced today that Solon will join lieutenant governors from Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Iowa and Nebraska on an economic development mission to China. The National Lieutenant Governors Association will host the mission. It runs from Oct. 14 through Oct. 20. Solon will travel to Ghangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing.

Gov. Dayton's spokesman, Bob Hume,says the Chinese People's Friendship Association with Foreign Countries and the China-U.S. Exhange Foundation will pay for most of the trip. He said the state will pay roughly $800 in incidentals for Solon and an aide to make the trip.

The mission comes less than a month after Gov. Dayton traveled to Japan and South Korea to promote Minnesota's business interests to those countries.

MN House Redistricting Chair: There's still time to pass a map

Posted at 3:03 PM on October 6, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Redistricting

Rep. Sarah Anderson, R-Plymouth, is making another round of calls to her DFL counterparts in the hope of getting ideas on how the state's legislative and congressional boundaries should be drawn. Anderson, who chairs the House Redistricting Committee, sent letters to the 62 Democrats in the Minnesota House asking for advice on the maps.

Gov. Dayton vetoed the GOP redistricting plan in May. Since then, most observers predicted that a court appointed panel will have to draw the maps. But Anderson says she's still hoping the Legislature can pass a map that Dayton can sign.

"It may not be an entirely a new map, it may be adjustments to the map we have currently," Anderson said. "I'm just looking to try to come up with a plan that everybody can get behind."

Anderson admits that there may not be more that she can do to get a new set of maps signed into law but said she wants to "try everything" before the deadline to enact a new set of maps passes.

Democrats have criticized the way Republicans designed the maps and released them to the public. They say the public had no time to view and comment on the proposed maps before they started moving through the committee process. Democrats say public hearings should have been held. Anderson and others argue that the committee held 13 public hearings in several parts of the state before Republicans designed the maps.

Anderson and others also say it's Democrats who have not released a plan for the public to view. DFL Party Chair Ken Martin said they will release a map after the five-member judicial panel finishes taking public testimony.

Meanwhile, the court has issued another set of deadlines regarding redistricting. The court will hear oral arguments on Oct. 26 on what criteria should used to design the maps. The parties have to submit their motions to adopt redistricting plans by Nov. 19. Oral arguments on the plans will be on Jan. 4.

Gov. Dayton and the Legislature have until Feb. 21 to enact a new set of maps into law. The court will take over the process and draw the lines if no agreement is reached by then.

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Dayton still considering union vote for child care workers

Posted at 10:30 PM on October 5, 2011 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton says he hasn't made a decision on whether he'll issue an executive order that would allow for in-home child care providers to vote on whether to join a union. Dayton says he hasn't been focused on the issue since he's been on his Trade Mission to Korea and attended the Democratic Governor's Association meetings in North Carolina. He said he'll talk with staff about the issue in the coming days.

"I'll be sitting down over the next couple of days to be brought up to speed on where things stand," Dayton told MPR News. "I wouldn't anticipate anything imminently. Probably next week or the week after. We'll have to see."

Dayton is considering issuing an executive order that would allow the 11,000 in-home child care workers to vote on whether to join a union. SEIU and AFSCME are encouraging Dayton to issue the executive order. Several Republican legislators and a few in-home child care owners have criticized the idea. One lawmaker said he would sue Dayton if he issued an executive order allowing for the vote.

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Dayton jobs summit taking shape

Posted at 2:29 PM on October 4, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton will host a daylong jobs summit, Oct. 25, at the Crowne Plaza Riverfront Hotel in St. Paul.

Dayton is expected to outline his priorities, strategies and initiatives for business development and job growth statewide. He'll talk specifically about his recent statewide jobs tour, which included 12 regional meetings.

Other speakers include University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler and author Michael Mandelbaum.

Dayton's senior advisor for job creation, Kathy Tunheim, today sent out the following invitation:

Greetings,

As many of you may know, I have had the privilege of working closely with Governor Mark Dayton as his Senior Advisor for Job Creation. I have seen firsthand the commitment he has to putting Minnesotans back to work.

Over the past several weeks, Governor Dayton has toured the state listening to Minnesotans who are concerned about our state's economy. The people of Minnesota are passionate about getting the economy moving again and our Governor has been listening.

The Governor wants to continue that conversation at the first annual Governor's Jobs Summit on October 25th and I would love for you to be a part of it. We will be joined by many of the folks who have made our conversations around the state so valuable, in addition to many leading experts and thinkers. Michael Mandelbaum, co-author of the new book That Used To Be Us: How America Fell Behind in the World It Invented and How We Can Come Back, will be delivering the keynote address. We will also have the privilege of hearing from new University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler and of course, Governor Mark Dayton.

As the Governor's statewide economic development tour winds down in the coming weeks, the ideas and participants from those events will be used to finalize the breakout sessions for this event. I can tell you that ideas on how to increase access to capital, elevate Minnesota in the global economy and strengthen our workforce will be front and center in these conversations.

Your ideas to get our economy going and put Minnesotans back to work will be critical in this discussion. I hope you will consider joining me at the Governor's Jobs Summit on October 25th, to share your ideas for getting our state back to work.

For more information about the Governor's Job Summit, click here.

Kathy Tunheim

Vikings coach: Berrian called Kriesel to apologize for his remarks

Posted at 4:51 PM on October 3, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said during his Monday news conference that wide receiver Bernard Berrian called Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove, to apologize. Berrian and Kriesel got in a Twitter spat on Sunday over whether Berrian was open during yesterday's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

"Anytime u wanna watch the film with me. Not just one game but all of them," Berrian wrote to Kriesel. "and if not sit down n shut up!!" Berrian wrote in another tweet.

Kriesel is a Vikings fan and co-author to a bill that would provide public financing for a new Vikings Stadium. Frazier said he expects Berrian to "handle things the right way."

Here's the q and a from Frazier's news conference that focused on Berrian:

Q: Bernard Berrian came out on Twitter last night and got into some sparring matches with fans and implied that he hadn't gotten the ball as much as he wants in four years. Have you talked to him about that? Do you discourage forms of communication like that via social media?

A: Yeah, I have talked to Bernard and we do, as a matter of fact, Bob (Hagan) and some of our PR people actually talk with our team prior to at least when we come to training camp just about social media and what our relationship should be with social media. It's something that we've talked about, something we'll continue to deal with and talk about and Bernard kind of knows where we stand on that issue and we'll move on from there.

Q: One of the things that Bernard sent to the state lawmaker was telling him to "sit down and shut up." He happens to be the co-sponsor of the stadium bill, your reaction to that?

A: I do know that Bernard called to apologize for the exchange and that was encouraging. We want to make sure that our focus is on football and trying to win football games. I think going forward he'll handle things the right way.

Q: Do you worry that an 0-4 start will affect the momentum for a stadium?

A: I would hope not. We need a stadium, there's no doubt about that. There's no question about it. I hope that our fans and constituents across the state understand the importance of it. We're going to do all we can, we are doing all we can to get our season turned around. Whether we are 15 and whatever or 0-4 at this point, hopefully it doesn't interfere with the fact that we need a new stadium.

You can read Frazier's full news conference here.

Viking tells stadium co-author to "Sit down n shut up" on Twitter

Posted at 8:49 PM on October 2, 2011 by Tom Scheck (11 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

The big talk at the State Capitol this year is whether or not Governor Dayton will call lawmakers back for a special session to address a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings.

Things aren't going too well on the public relations front for the Vikings. The team is winless after four games. The Ramsey County Charter Commission also got an earful from angry constituents who urged the commission to approve a move that would require voter approval of a countywide sales tax that would pay for the stadium (a move that some lawmakers say would sink the Vikings chances). There are also reports that the Vikings could pull up stakes and move the team to Los Angeles.

Vikings Wide Receiver Bernard Berrian isn't helping the team's efforts.

Berrian criticized Rep. John Kriesel, R-Cottage Grove, on Twitter for questioning Berrian's characterization of today's game.

"If you want to follow a hilarious twitter account, try @B_Twice (Bernard Berrian) who says that he's open a lot and should get the ball more," Kriesel wrote on Twitter.

Berrian quickly took issue with Kriesel.

"Anytime u wanna watch the film with me. Not just one game but all of them," Berrian wrote to Kriesel. "and if not sit down n shut up!!" Berrian wrote in another tweet.

Kriesel, who lost both of his legs while serving in Iraq, is one of a handful of state lawmakers who have publicly advocated for a new stadium for the Vikings. He is also a co-author to the Vikings stadium bill. The Vikings have also posted an interview with Kriesel discussing the stadium efforts on the team's homepage.

Kriesel, who is active on Twitter, took the exchange in stride. In one tweet, he said he was amused by the criticism and said he deserved it for ripping him. In another, Kriesel, a vocal fan of the Vikings, may have also questioned Berrian's playmaking ability.

"I don't expect Berrian to care if I'm a stadium supporter or not. He won't be in the NFL when the stadium opens," Kriesel wrote.

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Dayton wraps up trade trip

Posted at 1:55 PM on September 30, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton

On the final day of a trade mission to South Korea, Gov. Mark Dayton hosted a wreath-laying ceremony at the Korea War Memorial.

The governor's office provided photos of today's event, which honored Minnesota fallen soldiers. Dayton also hosted a lunch with Minnesota troops stationed in Seoul and toured the Korean Demilitarized Zone. In the evening, he hosted a farewell reception for members of the Minnesota delegation for a farewell reception.

Dayton is traveling with a 24-member delegation, representing agriculture, business and higher education. They are scheduled to return to Minnesota on Saturday.

Dayton's new dog: Itasca

Posted at 12:23 PM on September 26, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton announced on his Facebook page today that the name of his new puppy is Itasca. Dayton announced on Thursday that he was starting a "Guess the name of the dog" contest on his Facebook page. He's expected to get another puppy to join Dayton's other dogs: Mingo and Mesabi.

Dayton announced on his Facebook page that Emily Flesch won the contest.

"Flesch is the winner of Mingo's "Guess My New Brother's Name" contest. He is Itasca. Emily was the first responder!," Dayton wrote. "Congratulations, Emily. I look forward to dinner with you and your friends at The Bachelor Farmer."

Flesch and a few friends will now have dinner with Dayton. Dayton said he's willing to pick up the tab at the Minneapolis restaurant that is owned by his two sons.

For the election geeks out there, Dayton won Itasca County with 52 percent of the vote in the 2010 race for governor.

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Wright resigns Higher Ed post just nine months after taking the job

Posted at 4:01 PM on September 23, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton's office announced today that Sheila Wright has resigned her position as Director of the Office of Higher Education. Dayton's spokesman, Bob Hume, released a statement saying Wright's last day is today:

"I wanted to let you know that earlier this week Dr. Sheila Wright resigned her position as Director of the Office of Higher Education, effective today. As Dr. Wright returns to private life, we wish her well and thank her for her service to the State of Minnesota. We have asked current research director Susan Von Mosch to step in as interim director while we search for a new director for the Office of Higher Education."

Hume would not offer further explanation when asked directly if Gov. Dayton asked Wright to resign. Wright could not be reached for comment.

Dayton first appointed Wright to the position in January. The news release announcing her appointment said her term runs until January 5, 2015. The Senate Higher Education Committee confirmed Wright on a unanimous voice vote in February. Senate GOP spokesman Michael Brodkorb says the full Senate did not act on her confirmation.

State credit rating takes another hit

Posted at 3:20 PM on September 23, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, State Government

State finance officials announced today that Standard and Poor's rating agency has downgraded Minnesota's bond rating from AAA to AA+.

Two other rating agencies took similar action earlier this year. Fitch lowered its rating to AA+ in July, and Moodys rated the state as Aa1. In a news release, Minnesota Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter said the downgrade was a direct result of the recently passed state budget.

"The budget was substantially balanced using one-time measures and does not lead to a long-term financial solution," Schowalter said. "The rating agency also cited diminished reserves, further payment delays, and the reliance on tobacco bonds for their decision."

MMB said the last time the state was downgraded from AAA it took fifteen years to regain the highest rating. The lower rating will be a factor next week when the state sells bonds.

Democrats were quick to react and point fingers. Gov. Mark Dayton issued the following statement:

"The downgrading of Minnesota's credit rating is very disappointing but not surprising, given the fiscal irresponsibility of the legislature's Republican majority. Standard and Poor's specifically cited the use of one time measures, which would not have been necessary had my proposed budget been adopted."

House Minority Leader Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, also issued a statement:

"Every day that passes, the consequences of the Republicans' beg, borrow, and steal budget solution become more glaring. Our kids started the school year in debt, with nearly half of their schools asking taxpayers to fill their budget gaps. Now the Republican-forced loans that schools, cities, and counties are seeking will come at a higher cost.

We have warned Republicans for years that their insistence on borrowing would have consequences for our state, but they refused to listen. With property tax bills rising, schools falling deeper into debt, and our state's credit rating declining, we are all paying for the Republican majority's refusal to listen to Minnesotans and solve our chronic budget problems in a balanced and responsible way."

UPDATE

Republicans weighed in too. House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, said the downgrade is probably more of a statement of where the national economy is than where Minnesota is. In an interview, Zellers also said the new rating is a reminder that state spending needs to match state revenues.

"We need to match our spending with the revenue that;s coming," Zellers said." We're not going to do that if we either do short-term borrowing. One-time borrowing or especially is we pass a massive tax increase that will never show up. The dollars that we pass will never show up."

GOP threatens lawsuit if Dayton acts on unionizing in-home day care providers

Posted at 11:28 PM on September 22, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota Legislature say they will consider taking legal action if Governor Dayton moves forward with an executive order that would authorize in-home day care providers to vote on forming a union. Committees in the Minnesota Senate held a hearing tonight to discuss the issue and whether Dayton has the authority to take the action. An attorney for the Senate told the committee that she doesn't believe the governor can authorize a vote. Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, said he would consider a lawsuit if Dayton took the step anyway.

"If a governor who's empowered to uphold the constitution and act lawfully under Minnesota law and I think we would have to hold him accountable..."

Dayton said he hasn't decided whether he'll issue the executive order. Several providers say they want a union to give them a voice when it comes to government regulations and on lobbying for increased subsidized day care rates at the State Legislature. Other providers say they don't need union help.

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Dayton has another puppy on the way

Posted at 4:11 PM on September 22, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton announced today that he will soon be the owner of a third dog.

Dayton told reporters that he's getting a black, male German Shepherd puppy in mid-October. The yet-to-be-named dog was born Aug. 16 in Pine City.

Dayton already has two German Shepherds, but he explained that Mesabi is getting old and cannot match the playful energy of Wanamingo (aka Mingo), who moved into the governor's residence as a puppy earlier this year after the death of another dog named Dakota.

"When Mesabi and Dakota were brother and sister, they were together all of their lives," Dayton said. They just could play with each other, relate with each other, go out and chase each other around and the like. That's just not available to Mingo. She has all this energy, and she needs a brother."

Dayton said a contest will begin Monday on Mingo's Facebook page to guess the name of the new dog.

Education Commissioner to join Obama at White House Friday

Posted at 2:02 PM on September 21, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, U.S. House, U.S. Senate

From MPR's Tom Weber...

When President Obama delivers remarks at the White House Friday morning about the federal No Child Left Behind law, Minnesota's Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius will be in attendance.

The president plans to speak about "the need to provide states with relief from key provisions of No Child Left Behind," according to the U.S. Department of Education. His comments will raise the profile of last month's announcement by Education Secretary Arne Duncan that he would grant waivers to states seeking to drop some of the law's provisions.

Cassellius submitted Minnesota's waiver request just days after that announcement.

Other education chiefs from around the country also will be in attendance for Obama's remarks, according to an advisory from the state education department.

Dayton says Legislature is wasting time and money

Posted at 2:12 PM on September 20, 2011 by Tom Scheck (8 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton says he's none too pleased that Republicans in the House and Senate plan to hold hearings to discuss whether Dayton has the legal authority to allow people working for in-home daycare providers to join unions.

Dayton has said he's considering an executive order that would allow for those employees to vote on union membership, but he said he hasn't made a final decision. Dayton said lawmakers' decision to hold hearings before he takes any action is a "political ploy" and a waste of taxpayer money.

"Why don't they start by reforming themselves and recognize that they're a part-time Legislature that has been in session overtime all the way until the latter part of July?" Dayton said. "I'm well aware of the legal parameters that are available, but that doesn't dictate policy. But I have a general counsel. I have the Attorney General. I don't need a legislative show to trot this out, but that's their prerogative and I think they need to hold themselves accountable as they want to hold the executive branch and stop fooling around."

Dayton didn't just criticize lawmakers for holding a hearing on the child care issue. He also ripped House Republicans for holding a news conference a few weeks ago to announce their efforts to reform state government. And he mocked committee chairs for holding hearings across the state on job creation - just weeks after the Legislature left St. Paul following the three week government shutdown.

"They had six months and they did very little on job creation," Dayton said. "And I'm taking the initiative now, and we're proactively engaged in it as we will be for the next three and a half years. So you missed your chance back then folks when taxpayers were paying for your salaries and your per diems."

Dayton has held what he called job summits in places like Fergus Falls, Faribault, International Falls and the Iron Range.

Update:

Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers defended the hearings and their work:

"We are, true, a part-time Legislature meaning we don't meet and we're not in session every month or every week," Zellers said. "But we are full-time legislators. Our constittuent service work doesn't end when the session ends."

Zellers said the Legislature wants hearings on the child care issue because lawmakers and their constituents have questions about the legality of a union.

GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch says she doesn't understand why Dayton is criticizing their efforts to discuss jobs and the economy with Minnesotans.

"We welcome the governor's ideas and I would hope that he would be open and welcome to our ideas.," Koch said. "Having the executive branch and the legislative branch going out and listening to the people of Minnesota about the number one issue (jobs) and then coming back in January in session and passing some great legislation that helps clear the way for more job creation in the state. That's only a good thing."

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House and Senate to focus on unionization of child care

Posted at 11:24 AM on September 20, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Two Committees in the Minnesota Senate will hold a joint hearing to discuss the unionization of private day care facilities. The hearings come after Gov. Dayton said he was interested in allowing workers in private, home-based child care facilities to vote on whether to form a union. The proposal prompted an outcry from Republican legislative leaders and other groups. Dayton has not issued an executive order and hasn't definitively said whether he will.

House and Senate Republican both question whether Dayton has the legal authority to take such an action.

The Senate hearing is scheduled for 6pm in Room 15 of the State Capitol on Thursday.

The House Commerce Committee and the Health and Human Services Reform Committtee will hold a joint hearing at 7pm on Thursday.

Update:

An earlier version of this blog post said the House and Senate would both hold hearings on Thursday. House Republican spokeswoman Jodi Boyne says the House hearing has been postponed:

"Out of respect for the citizens and organizations interested in participating in the hearings on unionizing private, in-home child care providers, the Minnesota House has postponed its September 22 joint informational hearing."

Online learning is booming but students lag in results

Posted at 1:50 PM on September 19, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

From MPR's Tom Weber...

A new audit suggests the state's Education Department retool its process for approving and renewing online schools. According to the Legislative Auditor's report, the department doesn't have adequate staff to oversee the booming enrollment for online courses. The report finds that full-time online students made less progress on standardized state math tests than students in traditional schools. It also found that drop-out rates for the full-time online students have increased. In a written response, the state education commissioner said the suggested changes could compromise education quality.

You can read the full report here.

Dayton calls for budget responsibility

Posted at 4:50 PM on September 14, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (4 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton appears to be growing tired of Republicans who blame him for unpopular pieces of the budget deal that ended the state government shutdown.

Dayton took some verbal swipes at his GOP critics today during a speech before the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce. He said the elimination of the market value homestead tax credit, for example, was something he did not agree with as a matter of policy, but he agreed to it in order to reach a budget compromise. Dayton said the GOP leadership insisted on the elimination.

"If you're grown up and you're responsible, you make decisions and you take the responsibility for the consequences of them, good or bad," Dayton said. "I have no respect for somebody who insists on having it their way, and then when it goes awry tries to blame me or anyone else. That's unacceptable."

After the speech, Dayton told reporters that he asked his revenue commissioner, Myron Frans, to look into the homestead credit issue and see what options are available for a remedy.

UPDATE

Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, issued a written statement in response to Dayton's comments. Here it is:

"This year, the Republican-led Legislature passed a complete, reform-minded, balanced budget which didn't raise taxes on Minnesotans and job providers. The largest general fund budget in state history wasn't enough for Governor Dayton. He vetoed our budget and forced the longest government shutdown in recent U.S. history because of an insatiable desire to raise taxes and spend more."

"During Governor Dayton's shutdown, over 22,000 state workers were laid-off, construction projects were unnecessarily halted, and private sector spending was dramatically reduced because Governor Dayton wanted to raise taxes, grow government and spend more without regard for the fiscal realities facing Minnesota. Governor Dayton lecturing about budget responsibility is like Bernie Madoff lecturing about Wall Street reform."

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Dayton leaning toward in-home child care union vote

Posted at 3:49 PM on September 14, 2011 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton says he's still thinking about issuing an executive order that would allow in-home child care workers to vote on whether they should form a union. Dayton told reporters today that he is thinking about "leaning toward giving the people of Minnesota in that affected industry the chance to decide."

Dayton said he was unwilling to issue a decree that would automatically enroll in-home child care providers into a union. Instead, he said he was leaning towards authorizing a process that would allow the workers to decide the issue.

"I'm talking to all of the parties, including both sides that are for it and against it," Dayton said. "We've talked about having an election that would be conducted by the Bureau of Mediation Services so it would be done fairly and responsibly and in a way that allows all of the people affected by that decision to have a say in it. I'm not going to dictate the outcome of that to child care providers and employees all over the state. If it does proceed, they will be the ones to determine that outcome."

Dayton made his comments after reports surfaced that he was thinking about issuing an executive order to allow in-home child care workers to unionize.

GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Majority Leader Matt Dean also jumped into the fray today. They sent a letter to Gov. Dayton telling him that they don't think he has the authority to do it.

"Private, self-employed home-based child care providers are independent contractors, not public employees nor employers of any single employer. You lack the authority since an executive order purporting to unionize these small businesses would inherently entail lawmaking. Under Article III of our state's constitution, lawmaking is a funtion solely entrusted to the Legislature. And while the Legislature can relinquish a limited delegation of this lawmaking authority to you, no such delegation has occurred."

"Nor is that likely occur in the foreseeable future." [sic]

The letter didn't address whether Zellers or Dean believed Dayton could call an election on the matter. But their spokeswoman said they doubt whether Dayton could even take that step.

Dayton's spokesman said the governor isn't fazed by the letter.

Here's the letter from Zellers and Dean:

091411-housegopltr-chilcareunions

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MN House makes committee changes

Posted at 4:54 PM on September 9, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

GOP leaders have made some changes to Minnesota House committees. The Judiciary Policy and Finance Committee will become a budget division that reports to the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Committee. Speaker Kurt Zellers wrote to staff that Judiciary Chair Rep. Steve Smith of Mound will no longer chair the committee due to "personal reasons." GOP Rep. Ron Shimanski of Silver Lake will chair the new division. Smith is the longest serving Republican in the MN House.

The House GOP is also adding a new subcommittee. The Energy Subcommittee will be chaired by GOP Rep. Tom Hackbarth of Cedar. Zellers said the new subcommittee will "provide opportunity for greater input and transparency of this important legislative issue." The new subcommittee will be added to the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee.

The move comes just nine months after Zellers suspended Hackbarth's role as chair of the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee. The suspension came after St. Paul police confiscated a loaded handgun from Hackbarth after he was spotted with the weapon holstered to his hip in the parking lot of the Planned Parenthood clinic in St. Paul. (UPDATE: Hackbarth called to say that he voluntarily gave his gun to police after they requested it but it was returned to him within 24 hours). Hackbarth later resigned his position as chair.

Here's the announcement from Zellers:

The Judiciary Policy and Finance Committee will become a division of the Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Finance Committee. This revised committee structure parallels the Judiciary and Public Safety Division in the Minnesota Senate, allowing for a more efficient and streamlined process. Due to personal reasons, Representative Steve Smith will no longer serve as chair of Judiciary Policy and Finance. Representative Ron Shimanski, current vice chair of the Judiciary Policy and Finance, will serve as the Division Chair.

An Energy Subcommittee will be added to the Environment, Energy and Natural Resources (EENR) Policy and Finance Committee. This new subcommittee will provide opportunity for greater input and transparency on this important legislative issue. The Energy Subcommittee will be chaired by Representative Tom Hackbarth. Subcommittee members include: Representatives Torkelson, Quam, Beard, McNamara, Knuth, Falk and Hilty.

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Redistricting panel schedules public hearings

Posted at 3:33 PM on September 9, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Redistricting, U.S. House

The State of Minnesota's Special Redistricting panel has scheduled eight public hearings across Minnesota to discuss the redistricting process. The hearings, which start on October 5, will be held in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Cloquet, Bemidji, Moorhead, St. Cloud and Mankato.

The judicial panel scheduled the hearings to gather input on the best way to draw the state's new political boundaries. The court will take over the process in February if Gov. Dayton and the GOP controlled Legislature fail to enact a set of maps into law.

The stakes are huge for politicians and political parties. The new lines will determine the state's eight congressional districts and 201 legislative districts. The U.S. Census Bureau released its 2010 Census data in March. The political boundaries have to be redrawn to ensure equal population in each legislative and congressional district.

One interesting note is that Rochester and other southeastern Minnesota cities are not included on the list.

You can read the order and find out where the hearings will be held here.

Dayton to address suburban business group

Posted at 9:20 AM on September 8, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton is scheduled to speak next week to members of the Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce.

The luncheon is Wednesday, September 14, at Olympic Hills Golf Club. A news release from the chamber said attendees will have a chance to ask questions and "hear the latest updates on the budget, setting priorities and other hot topics in Minnesota."

The cost of the event is $35 for members and $60 for non-members.

Zellers to staff MN House State Fair booth on Wednesday

Posted at 3:13 PM on August 30, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers will staff the Minnesota House of Representatives State Fair Booth on Wednesday. It will be the first time Zellers will appear at the House of Representatives booth at this year's State Fair.

Zellers, GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and DFL Gov. Mark Dayton are responsible for a state budget that erased a $5 billion projected budget deficit. The plan relies on a mix of spending cuts, one-time money and a payment delay to K12 schools. They passed the budget deal after the state government was shut down for three weeks.

A spokesman for Koch says Koch will appear at the Senate's State Fair booth on Thursday but didn't give a specific time. I'll update the blog if/when a time is set.

You can see the full House schedule here.

You can see the full Senate schedule here.

Dayton rips GOP amendment plan

Posted at 6:00 PM on August 29, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton is blasting a proposed constitutional amendment that would require a super majority vote for future tax increases.

House Republicans say the amendment will be a key piece of their agenda for the 2012 session. During an appearance today at the State Fair, Dayton called the proposal the "millionaires tax protection amendment." The DFL governor said it would be impossible to ever pass his proposed income tax increase on top earners.

"To say that people in the future don't have the right to make their own decisions on a majority basis to me is just selfish and short sighted," dayton said. "And it's going to have the practical effect of keeping our taxes unfair and unequal and allowing the richest Minnesotans to avoid paying their fair share, and I'm dead opposed to that."

Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa , the chief sponsor of the proposed amendment, said the threshold would force the Legislature to focus on redesigning government rather than on raising taxes.

Dayton ready to help Minneapolis

Posted at 4:07 PM on August 29, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton says he'd be willing to use the State Patrol to help quell recent violence in North Minneapolis, if city leaders make such a request.

Dayton says he'd be glad to provide the help, but so far he hasn't been asked. Gov. Tim Pawlenty authorized the State Patrol to help Minneapolis in 2006 after a rash of violent crimes. Gov. Arne Carlson took similar action a decade earlier. Dayton says he feels terrible about a string of recent shootings that killed several young men.

"The violence is horrible and just crazy, absolutely beyond belief that innocent children, not even teenagers, or just teenagers are getting gunned down by other teenagers most likely," Dayton said. "It's just a very, very horrible situations, and if there's anything I can do I'll certainly do so."

Dayton says he's still trying to help North Minneapolis through economic development efforts and job creation. He held a community meeting there earlier this year.

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Fair goers talk shutdown and stadium with Dayton

Posted at 5:52 PM on August 25, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton spent the first day of the State Fair talking with constituents, eating a chocolate malt and taking the political temperature of Fair goers.

"I got to see real Minnesotans," Dayton told reporters. "We're all Minnesotans out here at the Fair."

Today was Dayton's first visit to the State Fair as governor. Most people just wanted to shake Dayton's hand. A few asked for pictures. There were several who thanked him for his stance on the state government shutdown.

"I want to thank you for being the adult in the room," Ray Hess told Dayton. "You had a long, hard Spring this year."

State government shut down for three weeks after Dayton and GOP legislative leaders failed to reach a budget deal. The two sides disagreed over the best way to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Dayton eventually dropped his proposal to raise taxes in order to end the shutdown. Dayton, however, is criticizing his GOP counterparts for refusing to look at new tax revenue to erase part of the deficit.

Hess, who said he's a Democrat, said he wished more Democrats and Republicans would learn how to cooperate in the Legislature. He wasn't the only one. Several thanked Dayton for "ending the shutdown." Others praised Dayton for protecting services for the disabled, K12 schools and state subsidized health insurance.

Dayton said he expected to get both positive and negative feedback at the State Fair. He also used a line that may become a key talking point as the 2012 elections approach.

"In 36 years of this line of work, I've never dealt with people who thought compromise is a weakness and intransigence is a virtue," Dayton said to one state worker.

Other fair goers lobbied Dayton on the new Vikings stadium. Several told Dayton that it was important to keep the Vikings in Minnesota.

"In order to be a first class state like we are, we need to have all of the major sports here," Cliff Berg said. Berg encouraged Dayton to cut a deal with the Vikings to get the stadium built. The Vikings and Ramsey County have reached a deal to build a new stadium in Arden Hills but Dayton and state lawmakers are waiting for the financing plan to come together. Dayton told reporters he's waiting until he gets a review from the Met Council and the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission to see if the plan is viable.

"We need the financing to be agreed upon and I insist that the state's part of it be assured in terms of the revenue stream that's not there yet," Dayton said. "There's a lot more planning to do to make it a true people's stadium and if it comes together and is timely and we think there's support in the Legislature. But I can't ask anybody to support it until we know what it is, including myself."

But Jan Nye of Minneapolis says she told Dayton that she didn't want any public money going to the stadium.

"It's a private business and I don't think we should be paying for billionaire's stadiums any more. We can't really afford it," she said.

Those collecting unscientific ballots at the House and Senate booths said turnout was brisk. They said a few people asked questions about the shutdown but those staffing the booths say there wasn't much criticism directed at lawmakers.

"I think they're being polite," Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, said. "They didn't come to the Fair to argue."

Hansen was the only lawmaker manning either booth at 1pm (Note, you can see which lawmakers will be at the booths here and here).

It's difficult to gauge at the State Fair whether public frustration is being directed at one political party. Part of that may be because those who oppose a politician's views are less likely to seek him out.

But it was clear that few people took the time to criticize Dayton during the time reporters were tracking him. One person yelled "Thanks for the shutdown" as he hustled past Dayton. In fact, Dayton got the most grief was when he appeared live on WCCO-TV.

"I thought you were on a jobs tour," KTLK radio host Bob Davis shouted into his microphone (The KTLK booth is within earshot of WCCO-TV's booth).

"Where are the jobs, governor?" Davis continued.

As Davis criticized Dayton his co-host, Tom Emmer laughed (Side Note: KTLK is selling T-shirts that say "Don't Blame Me, I vote for Emmer"). Dayton defeated Emmer, a Republican, in the 2010 election.

WCCO staff apologized to Dayton after the broadcast saying they were shocked by Davis' actions. Dayton joked that he thought the shouting was from WCCO political reporter Pat Kessler.

"It's Déjà Vu all over again," Dayton said when he was told Emmer was sitting in the KTLK booth.

Dayton said he expects to spend a few more days at the Fair.

State gets new poet laureate

Posted at 2:35 PM on August 23, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton, State Government

Gov. Mark Dayton has selected an English professor at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter to serve as the state's new poet laureate.

Joyce Sutphen of Chaska is the second person to hold that official position, which the Legislature created in 2007. She replaces Robert Bly, who then-Gov. Tim Pawlenty appointed. During a State Capitol news conference today, Sutphen said many people contribute to the state of poetry in Minnesota.

"A plethora of publishers, large and small, that provide us with beautiful books and journals," Sutphen said. "The people who organize readings, who work in the schools, who put poems into the parks, into galleries, and on sidewalks and in film and on the radio. And all those who take time to read and write poetry."

As poet laureate, Sutphen will serve as the state's primary spokesperson, supporter and promoter of poetry. She'll work with the Minnesota Humanities Center to organize a poetry event in the coming months.

Poll: Majority of Minnesotans Not Happy with Budget Deal

Posted at 12:02 AM on August 18, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

A new poll, commissioned by the Bush Foundation, found that two thirds of those surveyed are not happy with the budget agreement that ended a 21 day state government shutdown. The poll also found that a majority of those polled think the state is headed in the wrong direction.

Governor Dayton and the GOP-controlled Legislature shut down state government for three weeks because they were at odds over the best way to balance the state's two year budget. The two sides agreed to cut spending, borrow against future tobacco payments and delay payments to K12 schools to erase the deficit. The poll found that a majority of Minnesotans weren't happy with that deal.

"The poll made it very clear that people were unhappy about any sort of shift or borrowing against the future," The Bush Foundation's C. Scott Cooper said. "People much preferred to deal with the problem now, face it head on and tackle it."

Cooper, with the Bush Foundation, says the polling is consistent with the results the group gathered from a number of focus groups conducted by the Bush Foundation on the state budget. He said they held town hall meetings in Grand Rapids, Rochester and Bloomington to gauge how the state's budget problems should be addressed.

The poll also found that 54 percent of those surveyed think a mix of spending cuts and revenue increases are needed if the state faces another deficit. At the same time, 80 percent of those polled think making government services more efficient should be "the most central piece" or "a major part" of the solution.

The findings are consistent with other polling that shows the public wants to see lawmakers rein in government spending but balk when the focus of those cuts turns to popular and expensive programs. Cooper said the results from the focus groups were more nuanced. For example, he said some were willing to make sacrifices in order to see things get better.

"People want the reform and they're willing to pay the price in the short-term if they think we can get the reforms in the long-term," Cooper said.

The most striking result from the poll is the dissatisfaction that the general public has about their quality of life. 40 percent of those polled said they believed the quality of their lives was getting worse. Nicole Martin Rogers, a researcher with polling group Wilder Research, said that was a 17 percentage point increase from a similar poll done in December.

Both Governor Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are working to show that they understand the frustration. Dayton is scheduled to launch a statewide jobs tour to discuss ways to improve the state's economy. Republicans in the Minnesota House are scheduled to hold a news conference on Thursday morning to discuss what they have characterized as "the start of the "Reform 2.0" agenda for the 2012 legislative session."
The two sides disagree on the best way to tackle some of the key issues facing the state.

Dayton has been pushing for a mix of spending cuts and income tax increases on Minnesota's top earners to solve the state's budget problems over the long-term. Republicans have rejected tax hikes of any kind and say the focus needs to be on cutting government spending.

The poll was conducted between August 1 and August 4. It has a margin of error of plus or minus four percentage points.

Here's the poll.

Here's the report from The Bush Foundation.

Dayton to kick off jobs tour in Fergus Falls

Posted at 4:21 PM on August 16, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton will kick of a statewide jobs tour in Fergus Falls on Friday. The Fergus Falls Journal first reported that Dayton will visit the city on Friday to learn more about a local economic development tool. Dayton's spokeswoman, Katharine Tinucci, confirmed the event.

"This will be the first of a number of job events across the state that Gov. Dayton will do in the coming weeks," Tinucci said.

Tinucci said there will be a different focus on each region. She said the governor's office will release more information about the tour in the future.

GOP blasts health exchange moves

Posted at 11:24 AM on August 16, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (4 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Some Republican legislators are claiming that Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton is exceeding his authority by setting up a state health insurance exchange without their input.

Minnesota received a $4.2 million federal grant last week to help establish the exchange, which is a key piece of the federal health care law. GOP lawmakers fundamentally oppose the law. Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, the chair of the Senate health and human services committee, said today that the administration is wrong to move forward on its own.

"We believe that they do not have the authority, and we are going to pursue every means available to us as a Legislature to prevent that from occuring," Hann said. "They should not be taking Minnesota down the path to enacting this law in the way that they're doing it without the counsel of the Legislature, without the input of the stakeholders in the health care community."

Health insurance exchanges will allow consumers shop for coverage and compare available plans beginning in 2014. State Commerce Commissioner Michael Rothman said last week the grant will be used in part to set up an advisory task force and choose a chief financial officer.

UPDATE

Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman issued the following statement in response to the GOP news conference:

The Administration is focused on using this grant to thoughtfully and effectively prepare the infrastructure necessary for a Minnesota-made exchange built by Minnesotans, for Minnesotans. We are focused on ensuring that exchange meets the unique needs of Minnesota's consumers, businesses, and economy while driving market competition and reducing health care costs for Minnesotans. In preparing for an exchange, we will actively seek constructive public input from all parties. We need all hands on deck - consumers, employers, legislators, insurers, agents, navigators, and health care providers - to help design an exchange that supports Minnesota's unique health care system and demonstrates again why Minnesota leads the nation in health care innovation. It is urgent for Minnesota to act to design and develop an exchange. Our window of opportunity to craft and implement a Minnesota-made solution is right now. States have only until January 1, 2013 to create the infrastructure for their own exchanges, which would be available to consumers in 2014. A request for use of exchange establishment grant funds was included and authorized as part of Governor Dayton's biennial budget request to the 2011 Minnesota Legislature for the Department of Commerce.

The Administration informed lawmakers of the grant Minnesota received last week. We are committed to a constructive, collaborative process with all stakeholders to design and develop an exchange that best serves Minnesotans. We are always open to discussions with the legislature and stakeholders.

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MN Pension fund manager says fund is fine

Posted at 12:36 PM on August 9, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The head of the one of the state's pension funds says the funds are positioned to ride out the market downturn. Laurie Hacking, executive director of the Minnesota Teacher Retirement Fund, says the recent turmoil in the stock market is a concern but she said the state's pension fund managers are investing over the long term. She said retirees and state employees shouldn't be worried about the market fluctuation.

"We accumulate money and invest over the years well before we have to pay an individual's benefits," Jacking said. "We have lots of time to have good returns on those investments. Yes, we're going to have some down years and we plan for that but we know that eventually that the markets will get back on their feet."

Hacking said the return on investment in the state's pension fund has a good track record. She said it averaged a 10 percent return over the last 30 years.

Out of the state fiscal frying pan but into the fire?

Posted at 5:55 PM on August 8, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders may be breathing a sigh of relief that a historic $5 billion projected budget deficit is behind them. The only problem is that they may be facing another budget shortfall when the 2012 legislative session starts in January. Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter said the dramatic stock sell off in the past week, concerns over an economic slowdown and high unemployment could all mean fewer tax dollars flowing into the state's treasury.

"Balancing the budget once, unfortunately, doesn't guarantee that it will be balanced for the entire biennium," Schowalter told MPR News. "When big things like this happen, it will have ripple effects throughout our economy and that will affect our revenues and our spending."

Dayton and GOP legislative leaders ended a three-week state government shutdown by borrowing against future tobacco payments, delaying payments to K12 schools and cutting spending. The plan was heavily criticized because it didn't address the state's long-term structural deficit through permanent spending cuts, tax increases or a mixture of both. Schowalter said Dayton and the GOP-controlled Legislature may be forced to make another set of tough decisions if the state faces another budget deficit when the next revenue forecast is issued near the end of the year.

"Right now, we have a lot of uncertainty whether we're going to have a double dip recession and that means for the state of Minnesota and organizations generally, more uncertainty and more questions. We're going to have to act quickly and responsibly and make sure we keep our financial affairs in really good order."

Minnesota is scheduled to borrow $700 million to help balance the current budget. That money is leveraged by future payments from tobacco companies that the state receives from a settlement of a suit over smoking costs. The state is also scheduled to borrow $500 million to fund public works projects. Schowalter said S and P's decision to downgrade U.S. debt comes on top of two negative reports about Minnesota's credit rating. Schowalter said the state would likely be forced to pay more for that borrowing.

Dayton wants out of No Child Left Behind

Posted at 2:14 PM on August 8, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, U.S. House, U.S. Senate

Gov. Dayton is taking swift action today to opt out of the federal No Child Left Behind standards. Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced that the federal government will start granting waiver to states that want to opt out of the No Child Left Behind law that was passed in 2001. Dayton issues a statement today saying he would do just that.

"Any education reform in Minnesota must begin and end with what is best for our children. The decade old federal law, known as No Child Left Behind, has failed to meet that standard. When it was enacted in 2001, nine of the ten members of the Minnesota Congressional delegation, including all three Republicans and myself, voted against it. Unfortunately, we were right. NCLB has imposed rigid testing requirements, many of which have harmed, not improved, the quality of students' learning experiences. It has labeled many schools wrongly, by applying invalid statistical measures.

"We can and must do better for our children. That is why today I have approved Minnesota Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius' request to apply for the recently announced federal waiver, exempting schools temporarily from the flawed testing requirements and punitive sanctions of the current No Child Left Behind law.

"Such a waiver would allow Minnesota educators to focus on what is working in their schools. It would provide school boards, administrators, teachers, and parents with the flexibility they need to implement the reforms the Legislature and I enacted in the recent session."

As noted in the statement, Dayton voted against the No Child Left Behind Law in 2001. The only member of the delegation to vote for the bill was DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar. DFL Rep. Bill Luther abstained from voting.

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Dayton seeks Met Council help on stadium issues

Posted at 3:05 PM on August 5, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton, Vikings stadium

Gov. Mark Dayton sent a letter this week to Metropolitan Council Chair Susan Haigh requesting her agency's help in evaluating the proposed Minnesota Vikings stadium site in Arden Hills.

The governor's office released the letter today. Dayton said that he now wants to sharpen the focus on the proposal and address remaining issues.

"I would like to ascertain the potential risk, if any, of the proposal and suggest ways to mitigate or eliminate any exposure to the public, Dayton wrote. "At a minimum, an analysis of potential risks should include, but not be limited to, an examination of the requirements of an Environmental Impact Statement and Alternative Urban Areawide Review, remediation needs, transportation needs, costs and cot-overrun exposures, scheduling issues, funding projections, and permitting permitting and approval issues."

Dayton has said he would be open to calling a special session to address a Vikings stadium bill. The governor hs not set any specific timetable, but in the letter he wrote that "time is of the essence."

Prettner Solon wins national leadership post

Posted at 3:38 PM on August 2, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon has been named to the executive committee of the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA).

A news release today from Gov. Mark Dayton's office said Prettner Solon will serve as the at-large member from the Midwest.

"It is an honor to be named to a leadership position," Prettner Solon said. "The challenges facing Minnesota are also facing state governments across the country. I am confident that the ideas shared and partnerships forged between us will result in real, tangible benefits to the people we serve."

NLGA Chair Nebraska Lt. Gov. Rick Sheehy, the NLGA chair, said Prettner Solon will work with her peers across the nation to find and foster multi-state and regional solutions to problems.

Moody's lowers state outlook to negative

Posted at 3:13 PM on August 1, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Another national rating agency is taking a dim view of Minnesota's financial picture.

Moody's Investors Service announced today that it has lowered the outlook for the state from "stable" to "negative." However, Minnesota's credit ratings remained the same. In a news release, Moody's said the outlook revision reflects "political intractability" and the "reliance on one-time measures" to balance the state budget.

Minnesota Management & Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter confirmed the revision in a separate news release.

"This is a reminder that having a strong, balanced economy is not enough to keep high credit ratings. Sooner or later, we need to fix the state's budget so that it does not rely on one-time solutions," Schowalter wrote. "That continuing problem is particularly unfortunate because it obscures Minnesota's many strengths, including its general economy, strong forecasting process, and conservative debt management practices. But until a structural budget balance is achieved, we cannot assume that Minnesota's financial condition is well above average."

MMB noted that Minnesota still has its AAA rating from Standards and Poors. A third agency, Fitch, downgraded Minnesota from AAA to AA+ in early July.

Group plans to submit 'Citizen Redistricting plan'

Posted at 10:00 AM on July 29, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Mark Dayton, Redistricting, U.S. House, U.S. Senate

The League of Women Voters, the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and other groups will hold a series of public meetings in hopes of drawing a new Minnesota political map. The first citizen meeting will be held Saturday afternoon at Minnesota Council of Nonprofits' offices at 1pm at 2314 University Avenue in St. Paul. Other meetings will be held across the state in coming weeks.

Input from the meetings will be used to propose several maps in September, says Laura Fredrick Wang, with the League of Woman Voters.

"These maps really define political power for the next ten years," Wang said. "The people who can tell you best what their community looks like, where people work in their community, where they go to school, where they live in their community and how they relate to each other are the people who live there. And if you don't get out and talk to those people and get a really broad range of input, it's really hard to capture a community."

Wang says the groups hope to submit one proposal to the state courts in October. A court-appointed panel will also hold hearings in October to get input on redistricting. The courts will draw the maps in late February if Gov. Dayton and the GOP-controlled Legislature can't agree on a map.

The political boundaries for Congress and the Legislature have to redrawn every ten years after the U.S. Census Bureau releases population data. So, the stakes for the new maps are huge because they will be a factor in determining the political makeup of the Minnesota Legislature and the state's congressional delegation for a decade.

Gov. Dayton vetoed a GOP redistricting plan in May because he said Republicans didn't gather enough citizen input about the proposal. He and the Democrats have not submitted a proposal of their own.
(Read more about the state's redistricting battle here)

The League of Women Voters' Yang says she hopes her plan will present the courts with a broader plan.

The commission, dubbed "Draw the Line Minnesota," will be represented by members who hold a wide range of political views.

The panel includes:

Bruce Corrie; Concordia University's Dean of College of Business and Organizational Leadership

Matthew Lewis, spokesman for the Independence Party of Minnesota

Anne Mason; a former spokeswoman for Republican Congressman Mark Kennedy and political director to GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen's Congressional campaign in 2008.

Kent Kaiser; a professor at Northwestern College who also served as spokesman when Republican Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer held office.

Elda Macias; a marketing director for Ameriprise Financial and former member of the DFL Latino Caucus

Dayton raised $80k since start of the year.

Posted at 5:22 PM on July 28, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Dayton has raised $80,321 since he took office in January. His campaign spent $55,187 between January 1 and July 1, mostly on things like legal fees, payroll for campaign staff and a contribution to the DFL Party. The campaign reports having $54,504 in the bank.

Dayton vowed to voluntarily disclose his fundraising activity on a quarterly basis even though he's not required to do so by law. He's been pushing for increased disclosure of campaign fundraising for politicians, political committees and political parties. He said the current disclosure dates don't give the public a good idea of how political money is spent when the Legislature is in session. His proposal didn't make any progress in the Republican controlled Legislature.

Here's the full report.

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Eaton running for Scheid seat

Posted at 1:26 PM on July 27, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Chris Eaton, a longtime DFL and union activist, says she's running for the vacant Minnesota Senate seat in District 46 in Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center. Eaton, who is currently director of health services for Mental Health Resources Inc. in St. Paul, is a registered nurse who belongs to the Minnesota Nurses Association. She says she was also a member of AFSCME for two decades. Eaton says she's been active in DFL politics since George McGovern ran for president in 1972 and served on the DFL State Central Committee.

"I've been one of the worker bees so I know a lot of people," Eaton said. "I have never taken a public role before."

Eaton is running to replace DFL Sen. Linda Scheid, who died in June from ovarian cancer. Eaton says she decided to run for Scheid's seat after talking with Scheid two days before Scheid's death. She says she also consulted other Democrats about her decision to run. Eaton says Scheid and her family encouraged her to run after DFL Rep. Deb Hilstrom, who represents part of the district, declined to make the switch from the House to the Senate.

"She was very excited that I was running," Eaton said of Scheid.

Eaton enters the race with a lot of endorsements. Hilstom and DFL Rep. Mike Nelson - who also represents part of the district - are backing her. She also has the DFL Party's endorsement and is backed by WomenWinning, the Teamsters and the Minnesota Nurses Association. She is also married to Brooklyn Center Mayor Tim Willson.

Eaton says her top concerns are the economy, health care and the state budget. She says she's also concerned about the level of gridlock at the State Capitol. She said she would support tax increases to help fix the state's long-term budget problems.

"We clearly need to raise revenue and I would start with Gov. Dayton's plan," Eaton said. "We put a small percentage tax on stadiums. I would certainly think we could do it to make sure our schools are running and our health care was funded and our roads are being repaired."

Eaton is ramping up her campaign in a shortened campaign cycle. Gov. Dayton has called a general election for October 18. A primary, if necessary, will be held on September 13. Candidates can file for the elections between July 27 and August 3. The district is represented by Democrats but there's no guarantee that Eaton will win in October.

"We have never won a special election in this district," Eaton said referring to races that included Darlene Luther, Mike Nelson and Linda Scheid. All three lost special elections but later won in general elections. "I'm going to start a new trend."

Tom Reynolds is running as a member of the Independence Party. No Republican candidate has formed a campaign committee for the race.

Dayton calls Special Elections for open MN Senate seats

Posted at 12:57 PM on July 26, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Mark Dayton has called special elections for two open Minnesota Senate seats.

Dayton called special elections for the senate seats in Brooklyn Park and Minneapolis. The general election will be held on October 18. The party primaries, if needed, are scheduled for September 13.

The seat in Brooklyn Park was vacated when DFL Senator Linda Scheid passed away in June after a long battle with ovarian cancer.

The Minneapolis seat will be vacated on August 15. DFL Senator Linda Berglin announced earlier this week that she's retiring from the Minnesota Senate on August 15th to take a job with Hennepin County. She is the longest serving woman senator in state history.

Both Senate Districts have been held by Democrats for decades. Republicans currently hold a seven seat majority in the Minnesota Senate.

Candidates can start filing for the elections between July 27 and August 3.

Hayden running for Berglin's seat

Posted at 1:46 PM on July 25, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Rep. Jeff Hayden is wasting no time. He announced he was running for DFL Sen. Linda Berglin's Senate seat just three hours after Berglin officially announced that she was retiring on August 15th.

Hayden, who was elected to the House in 2008, says he hopes to continue Berglin's legacy.

"Over the last few years I have been honored to work with Senator Berglin to combat the home foreclosure crisis, create new jobs, and expand access to quality, affordable health care access," Hayden said in a news release. "We have made great strides, but huge challenges remain," said Hayden. "I am excited to announce my candidacy today to run for the State Senate so we can continue fighting for a better Minnesota."

Hayden is the first of what could be many Democrats to announce a run for the seat. Senate District 61 is considered a DFL stronghold. Governor Dayton has not declared when he will call a special election for Berglin's seat.

You can read the full release from Hayden here.

Berglin retiring from Minnesota Senate

Posted at 1:04 PM on July 25, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

State Senator Linda Berglin, who served in the Minnesota Legislature for nearly 40 years, has announced she's retiring from the Senate next month. The Minneapolis Democrat has been influential in setting health care policy. She helped create MinneaotaCare, a state subsidized health insurance program for low and middle income Minnesotans.

Berglin said the fact that Democrats no longer hold the majority was a factor in her decision, as were a decade of budget cuts to Health and Human Services programs.

"During the last six months, I felt that my talents and skills have been underutilized in the Minnesota Senate," Berglin said in a prepared statement. "As I see so much of what I have worked on over the years being chipped away or repealed entirely, I worry that our state is moving away from the community spirit that has made us such a great place."

Berglin was a member of the "Gang of 7" lawmakers who helped craft the MinnesotaCare program in the early 1990s. It was created to help contain rising health care costs and flourished when Minnesota's economy was prosperous in the late 1990s.

"I would say the creation of MinnesotaCare would have to be landmark," Berglin said when asked what she considered her top achievement. "There are many other states in the nation that are envious of us because we have that legislation.

Berglin said her biggest disappointment was chairing the Senate Health and Human Services Finance Committee during eight years of budget deficits. She was forced to protect proposed cuts to MinnesotaCare and other social service programs from 2003-2011. Governor Pawlenty pushed for those cuts during his eight years in office. Republicans, who took control of the Minnesota Senate in 2010 election, also worked to cut funding for those services in the 2011 legislative session.

Berglin said losing her chair of the powerful Health and Human Services Finance Committee is one of the reasons she's decided to leave the Legislature. She also noted disappointment that the health care provider tax, which is used to finance the MinnesotaCare program, will be repealed by 2019.

Sen. Larry Pogemiller, DFL-Minneapolis, said Berglin was one of the most outstanding legislators over the past fifty years. He said she worked to protect the poorest people in the state.

"When she approaches the Pearly Gates, that's going to be a quick entry because she protected the most in need in our society," Pogemiller said.

Berglin was first elected to the Minnesota House in 1972. She moved to the Minnesota Senate in 1981. The Minnesota Legislative Library says Berglin is the longest serving female in the Minnesota Senate and is tied with Rep. Phyllis Kahn, DFL-Minneapolis for serving in the Legislature longer than any other woman. Both were sworn into office in 1973.

"I'm so glad that there are more now," Berglin said when told that she served in the Senate longer than any other woman.

Gov. Dayton issued this statement thanking Berglin for her service:

"Senator Berglin has been one of the great leaders of the Minnesota Legislature for the last 39 years. I join with her many friends and admirers in thanking her for her dedicated service and her lasting contributions for the betterment of our state."

Berglin is taking a position as Public Policy Manager with Hennepin County with a focus on health care. Her retirement will be effective on August 15th.

Dayton will have to call a special election to fill her seat. His spokeswoman, Katharine Tinucci, says Dayton has not made a decision on when the special election will be called. Her district is considered a DFL stronghold.

Dayton also needs to call a special election for Senate District 46. That seat was vacated when Sen. Linda Scheid, DFL-Brooklyn Park, died in June.

You can listen to Berglin's news conference here: Listen

The Minnesota Legislative Reference Library also compiled this web page documenting Berglin's career.

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Dayton aide headed to DC

Posted at 2:16 PM on July 20, 2011 by Mike Mulcahy
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Andrea Mokros, Gov. Dayton's Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Outreach,
says now that there's finally a budget deal she is leaving the governor's office.

Mokros said next week she will begin the transition to a new job at the White House as Director of Scheduling and Advance for the First Lady

"It's been a tremendous honor to work for Gov. Dayton, and to be a part of the first DFL Administration in a generation," Mokros said.

Her previous jobs include running her own company, Deputy Chief of Staff to U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and as Communications Director to Senate Majority Leader John Hottinger.

Dayton signs budget bills; state employees recalled tomorrow

Posted at 12:31 PM on July 20, 2011 by Mike Mulcahy
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton has signed budget bills ending the state government shutdown.

Dayton's signatures came after a special legislative session that ended early this morning. The governor said he doesn't like the way the new budget will be financed. It does not include the upper income tax increase he championed. But, Dayton said it ends the shutdown and puts state employees back to work:

"By statute, the actual flow of dollars does not begin until tomorrow morning, but the actual mechanisms of the agency heads and those who are already in the office to get things now back in gear, get the computer systems up and running and the like are underway," Dayton said.

State employees will be recalled beginning at 6 a.m. tomorrow. All state employees are being told to report to work at their normally scheduled time. When government shut down July 1st, 22,000 state workers were laid off and state parks and rest stops were closed.

Budget (and shutdown) now in Dayton's hands

Posted at 5:16 AM on July 20, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton is expected to hold a signing ceremony this morning. He will sign the 12 budget and spending bills at the event, putting an end to a state government shutdown that is in its 20th day. Dayton will take the action after the Minnesota Legislature worked into the early morning hours to pass the bills. Dayton called a special session on Tuesday afternoon for them to start their work.

Democrats in both the House and Senate criticized the methods used to balance the state's budget. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders relied on a mix of spending cuts, an extended payment delay to K12 schools and borrowing against future tobacco payments to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Rep. Jim Davnie, DFL-Minneapolis, said he wasn't happy the state was borrowing money to fix the state's budget deficit.

"This budget, this tax bill, mocks Minnesota," Davnie said. "It takes us to places we've never gone before because we knew they were the wrong places to go. To pay ten dollars for every seven dollars we borrow. It's irresponsible spending."

Republicans, who said the budget deal isn't perfect, are focusing on the methods used to rein in government spending.

"We're going to run on this budget," GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch said. "We're going to talk about erasing a $5 billion forecast deficit without raising taxes. That's a big thing."

Koch said she's optimistic that Republican lawmakers will be able to pass other measures that change how government operates when they return for the 2012 legislative session.

But they still have at least one disagreement as they end the 2011 session and it's over the size of the state's two year budget..

Republicans say they stuck to their pledge to spend only $34 billion over the next two years. The Dayton Administration says the tally is $35.7 billion. The difference depends on how you account for the shifts and borrowing.

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Grinding

Posted at 1:48 AM on July 20, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

St. Paul - The Minnesota House and Senate are now grinding out the final pieces of a budget that will end a shutdown that is in its twentieth day. Both chambers are in breaking as lawmakers go through the K-12 budget bill and wait for the State Government Finance bill to be made public. Those are the last two pieces of the budget that have to be made public.

The House and Senate have passed eight budget and spending bills since Gov. Dayton called them into special session at 3pm. Debate on many of the bills has been brief. The most contentious arguments occurred when lawmakers discussed the Tax bill. Democrats complained that Republicans were relying on a "Beg, Borrow and Spend" plan to pay for the state's budget. The plan relies on spending cuts, a K-12 payment delay and borrowing against future tobacco payments to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Governor Dayton accepted the GOP proposal last week as a way to end the state government shutdown.

Democrats in both the House and Senate criticized the financing.

"Governor Dayton reluctantly took your plan," Sen. Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, told Republicans. "He took your plan on tobacco bonds. He took your plan on borrowing from our kids. You win. You didn't have to tax those millionaires. You win and Minnesotans lose."

Republicans countered that they compromised with Dayton and worked to reduce spending in areas like Health and Human Services programs. GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean criticized DFLers in the Minnesota House for not voting for a Tax bill that helps end the shutdown.

"Every red vote is a vote to continue the shutdown," Dean told the House Chamber. "We need to get Minnesota back to work. We need to stop pointing fingers."

Dayton said he intends to sign all of the budget bills at once. His spokesman said he'll likely take action on the bill midmorning. If, of course, the Legislature finishes its work by that time.

(Photo Credit: Nikki Tundel)

The undercard is over. Bring on the heavyweights.

Posted at 8:50 PM on July 19, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

St. Paul -
The House and Senate acted quickly to pass the smaller sized budget bills. In two hours, the two chambers passed five budget bills: the transportation funding bill, the jobs and economic development bill, the environment budget bill, the public safety and judiciary bill and the higher education budget bill. Those bills are all on their way to Governor Dayton's desk.

Most of the bills passed with relative ease and with limited debate. The biggest question mark was whether the Senate would vote to pass the higher education bill. Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, a group that lobbies against legalized abortion, has criticized GOP leaders in the House and Senate for removing a provision that would ban human cloning. MCCL's executive director Scott Fischbach is married to Senate President Michelle Fischbach, who chairs the Senate Higher Education Committee and carried the higher ed bill, said she was disappointed the provision was removed from the bill.

"It was already in session law for the last two years so now we have removed that," Fischbach said. "I think that was legislation that we should have kept in this bill in order to protect that and use state funds wisely."

Fischbach ended up voting against her own bill, as did several other Republican members. GOP Sen. Ray Vandeveer.

While the House and Senate worked at rapid speed in the first half of the evening, there's no certainty that pace will continue. The larger budget bills; health and human services, K-12, state government finance and taxes have yet to be debated. The tax bill includes a controversial measure that borrows $700 million against future tobacco payments. The K12 bill includes a $2.1 billion school shift.

Democrats have been highly critical of the financing of the budget regardless of Gov. Dayton's support. Rep. Frank Hornstein, DFL-Minneapolis, says said the budget plan was irresponsible.

"We need to be honest," Hornstein said. "It's the first of nine budget bills that simply defers important budget decisions into the future. Now is the time to address these issues, not procrastinate and not put them off into the future.

Dayton says he intends to sign the budget bills all at once after the Legislature sends them to him. The shutdown will end after he signs the bill into law.

Meanwhile, Dayton's administration is preparing to restart government services that have been shuttered for 19 days. Dayton's chief of staff Tina Smith and Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter say it could take a few weeks before government services are operating at the level prior to state government shutdown on July 1.

"We will bring two values to this," Smith said. "One is urgency and the other is common sense."

Neither Smith nor Schowalter could say when state parks, transportation projects, Canterbury Park Horse Track and other services will be up and running again.

"Just because the bill is passed or you see it on your TV that does not mean that agency is up and running," Schowalter said.

Schowalter said it takes about a day for appropriations to be directed one day after Dayton signs the budget bills into law.

He said they will announce on their website what the recall plans are for the 22,000 state employees who have been laid off. Here's the link.

Photo Info:
Patricia Torres Ray (DFL-Minneapolis) sits in the Senate chamber during a 1am recess on July 20, 2011 Photo Credit: Nikki Tundel

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K-12 bill focuses on rural schools and student performance

Posted at 7:28 PM on July 19, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The K-12 budget bill hasn't been made public yet, but the author of the bill is starting to discuss specifics.

House K-12 Finance Chair Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, says the bill makes some needed changes that he argues will improve the state's schools. Garofalo said the state will start linking effectiveness to student achievement. He said teachers will start to be judged on student performance, rural schools will see more money and students will start receiving $5,000 scholarships from the state if they graduate early.

"I think moms and dads are really going to like that," Garofalo said of the scholarship. "They'll encourage little Johnny and little Jane to try a little bit harder and get that job done in school..

The bill also ends the integration funding formula, a fund that helps inner-city schools. The funding will end at the end of the next fiscal year. Garofalo said the program is flawed and he expects to work with administrators and teachers to come up with a different program.

Garofalo also said the bill directs more money to rural schools. He also said there will be more money for special education funding and an increase in the per pupil formula.

There are also scholarships for early childhood education, which Garofalo said will give lower income parents more options when it comes to daycare and other early childhood programs.

I'll post more when the bill is made public...

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Tax bill restores LGA funds for cities of the 1st class

Posted at 6:34 PM on July 19, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The tax bill hasn't been posted yet but the House Tax Committee chair is sharing some information about the bill. Rep. Greg Davids, R-Preston, says the measure will keep funding for state aid to cities, known as local government aid, at 2010 levels. That's similar to the Senate bill that passed in the regular session and less money than Gov. Dayton had proposed in his budget.

Davids also says cities of the 1st class, including Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth, will continue to receive funding. The House pushed to remove funding for those three cities, but Davids says Gov. Dayton objected.

"I'm a big believer in local government aids," Davids said. "That was a struggle because some of the folks in our caucus aren't real big on local government aid for whatever reason. The governor wanted more. I took everything I could get and that's what we put in there."

Davids also says there are tax cuts in the bill. Renters will get a credit for property taxes, there will be direct property tax relief for homeowners and data storage centers will be allowed to exempt sales taxes for energy usage, software and computer equipment. Gov. Dayton and Davids hope that the tax break attracts large data storage companies to Minnesota. The idea is that the state's cold weather will help keep those computer servers cool.

Davids also said the federal income tax will be factored into future tax incidence studies - a major victory for Republicans who complained that those studies didn't factor in the amount of money top earners were paying in taxes.

The mechanism that will allow the state to borrow against future tobacco payments will also be in the bill. Davids says he expects criticism, but he said the votes should be there since it's a lynchpin to the agreement between Dayton and GOP legislative leaders.

"Overall, this is the bill that gets us out of town in good order," Davids said.

Here's a link to the bill, the spreadsheet and the summary.

MPR's Alex Friedrich also posted this synopsis:

·Total General Fund (Gross): $2.87 billion

· How it compares to current fund: 4.9 percent less

· Tobacco bonds: Included in bill. These allow the state to borrow against future tobacco payments. They are the controversial GOP-backed item that was a cornerstone of the framework agreement.

· Local Government Aid: Restored to 2010 levels for largest cities. - similar to Senate bill but less than governor's proposal. The House had pushed to remove funding for Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth. But LGA for all three remains at 2010 levels.

· Renters' credits: Will be reduced in future budget years. The credit for property taxes: 19 percent for FY2012, permanently reduced to 17 percent beginning FY2013.

· Property tax: Expands the homeowner property tax refund program. Increases the maximum refund from $2,410 to $2,460. Expands the income range at which the maximum applies. Decreases copayment percentage for most participants.

· High-tech tax breaks: Data storage centers can exempt sales taxes for energy usage, software and computer equipment - a tax break designed to attract large data storage companies to the state.

· Estate tax: Allows the exclusion of qualified small-business properties and farm properties - whose combined value does not exceed $4 million -- from calculation of Minnesota estate tax

· Federal income tax: Will be included in future tax-incidence studies - a major GOP victory. Republicans had said such studies didn't consider the amount of money that wealthy residents were paying in taxes.

· Political Contribution Refund Program: Suspended for two years.

· Counties to fund Maintenance of Efforts at 90 percent of current levels.

Dayton calls Special Session for today

Posted at 11:00 AM on July 19, 2011 by Tom Scheck (7 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Dayton announced just moments ago that he's calling a special session for 3pm today.

The Legislature will act quickly to take up nine budget bills and a bonding bill. The state government shutdown will end as soon as Gov. Dayton signs the bills into law.

"We worked very hard literally around the clock for the last four days and nights," Dayton said.

GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers says lawmakers will work as quickly as possible to get the budget bills passed.

"I would say it's better to get people back to work than talk about a bill," Zellers said.

Dayton said he's hopeful some agencies can start operating by tomorrow.

"I'll sign them all as they come through," Dayton said, "Minnesota will be officially lights on."

Dayton and the Republican controlled Legislature have been at odds over the best way to craft a two year budget. They reached agreement last week to erase a $5 billion budget deficit by using a mix of spending cuts, a payment delay to schools and borrowing against future tobacco payments and spending cuts.

The budget deal would end the longest government shutdown in state history.

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Shutdown Day 19: End in sight?

Posted at 10:28 AM on July 19, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Several people tell MPR News that there is a handshake agreement on all of the budget bills. The language now has to be drafted in bill form and get final agreement from Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders. No word on how long that will take but remember that the Health and Human Services budget bill and the K-12 funding bill often run hundreds of pages.

There is a possibility that Gov. Dayton could call a special session as early as today. Expect the House and Senate to kick it into overdrive and work around the clock until all of the budget bills have been passed into law.

House and Senate leaders will make motions to suspend the rules and take up the bills right away. Democrats, who have been mostly shut out of negotiations, have been critical of the budget framework but are likely to put up the votes necessary to keep the session moving. No one wants to look like they're holding up the bills when 22,000 state employees are off the job.

Key questions:

Do Republicans have the votes to pass the budget? Several GOP first-term members have argued that they won't spend "a penny more" on the budget. Many are taking a wait-and-see approach to the budget.

What cost savings measures are in the bill? Several members, including Sen. Paul Gazelka, R-Brainerd, say they'll be inclined to vote for the bills if there are measures that will slow the rate of growth in the Health and Human Services and State Government budgets bills. No word on what those changes look like.

Will MCCL crash the deal? Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life says it has deep concerns that GOP leaders, particularly Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and House Speaker Kurt Zellers, agreed to remove abortion language in the budget bills. Dayton wanted controversial policy provisions removed from the budget bills. MCCL's Scott Fischbach, who is married to Senate President Michelle Fischbach, has been highly critical of the decision and has criticized GOP leadership for the move. Will he influence enough Republicans to scuttle the deal?

How long will it take for government to re-open? Many of the budget bills say they take effect "one day after final enactment." That means state departments and state agencies can start work again one day after Dayton signs the bills into law. Some services won't be up and running right away though. State workers will get three days notice to return to work.

MCCL increases pressure on GOP

Posted at 8:48 PM on July 18, 2011 by Tom Scheck (10 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

With MPR's Alex Friedrich:

The husband of Minnesota Senate President Michelle Fischbach is asking his organization's constituents to pressure legislators to reinstate one or more pro-life measures stripped by Gov. Mark Dayton as a condition of the budgetary framework agreement reached last week.

Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, a group opposed to legalized abortion, sent out an action alert urging its members to contact lawmakers about the budget bill. Scott Fischbach is the executive director of the organization. The group issued an e-mail blast to thousands of supporters criticizing the budget deal and urging supporters to reinstate the cloning ban in the Higher Education bill.

Allowing the budget deal to go forward, the alert states, "means that an existing prohibition on taxpayer funding of human cloning would not continue, and for the first time since Roe v. Wade, pro-lifers would lose an existing pro-life state policy. ... In 2009, pro-lifers across the state worked tirelessly and were successful in implementing a two-year ban on taxpayer funding of human cloning. This year, if the Legislature doesn't reauthorize the ban, taxpayers will be forced to pay for cloning."

It also warned that "protecting pain-capable unborn children" and ending taxpayer funding of abortion were off the table.

MCCL's criticism of the GOP controlled Legislature is interesting since many Republican members are in line with the organization's efforts to put added restrictions on legalized abortion. But it's also intriguing since Fischbach is married to Senate President Michelle Fischbach (R-Paynesville). Sen. Fischbach chairs the Senate Higher Education Committee and is chief author of the Senate's Higher Education budget bill.

So would Scott Fischbach scuttle a deal that his wife, as a GOP leader, would normally have to back?

"We just want to hang on to the current law that we have," he said. "We want to urge (legislators) to keep the ban on taxpayer-funded cloning."

And what does Michelle Fischbach have to say about this? Does she support him? And would she still introduce the new higher-education bill - stripped of abortion and cloning policy -- despite MCCL's effort against it?

The MCCL chief wouldn't say, when reached by cell phone.

"You'll have to ask her," he said. "We don't come home at night and start talking at this bill and that bill. She does her thing and I do mine. "

Dayton stripped, among others, the anti-cloning and taxpayer-funding-of-abortions elements from the budgeting bill, calling them policy issues that did not belong in a financial bill. His plea to remove all policy provisions from the legislation was a major factor in reaching a budget deal last week.

But Scott Fischbach said that's just "spin." Those elements do indeed involve taxpayer dollars and so belong in a budget bill.

Yet when reminded that his wife is a Republican leader, he said, "No ... she was not part of that negotiation (for a framework agreement) ... at all."

Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch (R-Buffalo), he said, was responsible for taking the pro-life elements off the table.

"She agreed with the governor to get rid of all the social issues," he said.

And a lot of Republicans, he said, "don't like this plan."

Dayton and lawmakers are working out the final details of the budget. The governor is expected to call a special session once the two sides agree to the wording in all nine budget bills.

Michelle Fischbach was in caucus and not immediately available to comment.

(Chris Van Guilder, communications specialist for the Senate Republican caucus, said he would relay a message.)

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Dayton opens Capitol

Posted at 8:37 PM on July 18, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton ordered that the Minnesota State Capitol be opened to the public tomorrow morning at 9am. The announcement came from a news release issued by Dayton's office. It said he was opening the Capitol doors "to allow public access and transparency as the Legislature prepares to reconvene to pass a budget."

Dayton and GOP legislative leaders have been heavily criticized by lobbyists, Common Cause MN and others for negotiating a budget deal behind closed doors. Most, if not all, of the budget negotiations has occurred when the State Capitol was locked to the public. The Capitol was locked after the state government shutdown started on July 1.

Dayton's staff, his staff and agency heads, state lawmakers and staff and members of the Capitol Press Corps were given access to the building. No one else was allowed inside.

Governor Dayton is expected to call a special session in the coming days so the Legislature can pass a budget and end a state government shutdown that is in its third week.

Things are heating up at the Capitol

Posted at 6:16 PM on July 18, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders continue to iron out their differences on the budget. Two of the budget bills have been posted (Public Safety/Judiciary and Transportation). Several other bills, including Environment and Higher Education could be posted as early as tonight. Health and Human Services, State Government and Jobs and Economic Development are also being processed and waiting for final review. Taxes, K12 and Bonding are still being negotiated.

Meanwhile, the Capitol is literally under a lot of stress. Staffers spent part of the day on Monday covering desks, the podium and other furniture because condensation is forming on the ceiling and the lights in the chamber. The conditions were caused by the extreme temperatures and humidity in the Twin Cities.

Public Safety and Transportation budget bills posted

Posted at 4:23 PM on July 18, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The first details of the budget agreement between Governor Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are starting to emerge.

Dayton and GOP legislative leaders have signed off on two budget bills - the transportation funding bill and the public safety and judiciary finance bill. Both of those bills and the spreadsheets are posted online here. Both Dayton and GOP leaders are still working on the details of seven other budget bills.

The two bills make some cuts and rely on one-time money. The Metropolitan Council faces a $51 million cut for transit programs which is less than half of what Republicans were proposing. The Met Council is expected to absorb some of those cuts by backfilling money from a five-county metro sales tax for transit programs and the Motor Vehicle Sales Tax.

The Public Safety Budget bill makes a 5 percent cut to the Department of Human Rights, makes a 6.7 percent cut to legal aid and cuts $500,000 to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. There is a five percent increase in funding for the state's public defenders.

The public safety budget bill also takes money from special accounts, like training for police officers and fire fighters, to balance the state's budget. It also requires prison inmates to pay higher health insurance co-payments.

The governor says he intends to call a special session once he and GOP legislative leaders sign off on the details on all of the budget bills. State government will remain shut down until the budget bills are signed into law.

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Shutdown Day 18: Hard at work..making progress?

Posted at 10:21 AM on July 18, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

It's the 18th day of Minnesota's government shutdown. Governor Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are still working out the details of the final budget deals. Little is known about what's in the legislation. Reporters aren't allowed into the meetings. The Capitol is closed to the public so lobbyists and special interest groups are also shut out of negotiations. Governor Dayton's spokeswoman, Andrea Mokros, says the Capitol is closed because of the shutdown and is unlikely to be opened until the Legislature convenes in a special session. When asked if Dayton intended to open the State Capitol before the Legislature goes into special session, Mokros replied "At this point, No."

Meanwhile, committee chairs continue to meet with commissioners to hash out the details of a budget. Dayton and GOP leaders reached agreement on a budget framework but that agreement now has to be shaped into bill form. GOP Sen. David Hann says there is a handshake agreement on the Health and Human Services budget bill, but few details have been released. The language on that bill will be sent to the revisor. Dayton and GOP leaders will then have to sign off on the language.

There's no word on whether the bills will be made available to the public after there's official agreement on each budget bill or whether the information will be posted online after there's agreement on the entire budget.

All of the players involved continue to say they're "hard at work" and are "making progress."

Meanwhile, 22,000 state employees are still laid off, several private businesses, including Canterbury Park Horse Track and Giants Ridge Golf Course, are closed and transportation projects across Minnesota are still moth-balled.

Dayton had said he wanted to call a special session as early as today but that isn't happening and it's becoming less likely that a special session will be happen on Tuesday either.

Budget work drags on

Posted at 6:10 PM on July 17, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The start of an anticipated special session to end the state governor shutdown was uncertain tonight as budget committee chairs and commissioners continued meeting on several key spending bills.

Gov. Mark Dayton said he won't call a special session until all of the bills are complete. He reached an agreement Thursday with GOP leaders on the framework of a deal. Meanwhile. Dayton, House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch released a joint statement that shed little additional light on the status of the work:

"Work on the detailed budget bills continues to move in a positive direction, with an urgent focus on getting Minnesotans back to work. For the last three days, the Governor, Legislative leaders, committee chairs, commissioners and staff have worked around the clock on legislative language that reflects Thursday's agreement. Considerable progress has been made. A special session will be called as soon as our work is completed, and all bills have been reviewed and agreed upon."

Sen. Koch later confirmed that a handshake agreement had already been reached on a health and human services bill. She said some other bills had also reached that point, but she wouldn't elaborate.

"I would hope that we could get these all wrapped up and that we'd have an announcement on a special session," Koch said. "But we want to make certain of course that our members have some time to look at the bills and get briefed on that."

Koch also repeated her expectation that there are sufficient Republican votes to pass all of the budget bills.

"These bills will pass," she said.

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Work done on HHS, eight bills to go

Posted at 5:03 PM on July 17, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton and Republicans legislative leaders remain tight-lipped over the ongoing, weekend budget negotiations aimed at ending the state government shutdown.

But work on at least one bill appears to be completed. Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, chair of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, said today that there was a handshake deal with the Dayton administration on an $11 billion bill.

Hann said the measure would spend about $1 billion more than current levels on HHS over the next two years. He said the projected spending growth in the out years was been trimmed to about 5 percent. The HHS budget received about $500 million of the $1.4 billion in new revenue that is part of the final budget agreement.

In addition, Hann said the bill includes a version of the proposal to let some MinnesotaCare recipients buy insurance from the private market. He said there are reforms in health care delivery Medical Assistance recipients that will save about $300 million.

"On balance, we did a pretty good job with the resources we had," Hann said.

Hann provided some of the first details on bills that were being assembled behind closed doors in a locked Capitol. Other committee chairs have said they would not talk until their work is done.

Budget details still being negotiated

Posted at 3:43 PM on July 16, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Dayton and the Republican controlled Legislature are still working on the specifics of a budget deal they reached earlier this week. Dayton and GOP leaders are working with committee chairs and commissioners to hash out the details of nine different budget bills. The two sides reached agreement on a budget framework earlier this week; now they have to turn that into legislation. They already missed a self-imposed Friday night deadline to complete their work.

Committee chairs have been tight lipped about the details. The meetings are being held in private and the public is locked out of the Capitol. At stake is billions of dollars of spending for schools, health care and aid to cities and counties.

GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch says lawmakers are making good progress on the bills. She said the details will be made available once the legislation is drafted into bill form. But Koch said the specifics shouldn't surprise anyone.

"We're not allowing new things into the discussion," Koch said. "We use the analogy that we're baking a cake. All of the ingredients have been on the table and been discussed for months. A lot of them have been taking bills that have been posted and vetted and we're working them into these bills."

The governor says he will call a special session once he's had a chance to read the bills and ensure they follow the agreement he reached on Thursday with GOP leaders. The government shutdown will end when Dayton signs the bills.

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Dayton targets Monday for Special Session

Posted at 2:29 PM on July 15, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Dayton says he's inclined to call lawmakers back into a special session on Monday, but he says he wants to make sure every budget bill is wrapped up first. Dayton said his commissioners are working with committee chairs to finish up their budget work by tonight. He says he intends to read the budget bills this weekend and hopes to bring lawmakers back into special session on Monday.

"The law doesn't require any lead time so I could do it Monday morning at 9 o'clock," Dayton said. "And I won't do it until I reviewed all of the bills and believe they all fit the parameters of our agreement and also until we've agreed in writing to what's going to be involved and not in a special session. Because as you know if I call them back they leave at their discretion not mine."

Dayton and GOP legislative leaders reached a budget deal yesterday that spends an additional 35.4 billion over the two year cycle. The plan relies on an expanded payment delay to schools and borrowing against future tobacco payments. Minnesota is in the 15th day of a state government shutdown.

Dayton also appeared on MPR's Midday program today. You can listen to that here:

GOP rank and file cautious on budget deal

Posted at 9:38 PM on July 14, 2011 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers and GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch say they will deliver the votes needed to pass the budget agreement they reached with Gov. Dayton.

"We would not be uncomfortably offering up a solution if we did not have at least a good working relationship with our caucuses on what the solution would be and what it would mean to not only get the shutdown ended but get ourselves back into special session." - GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers

"We believe the caucus will ultimately support this," - GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch

But GOP leaders may have to do a little bit of arm twisting in the coming days.

MPR contacted several GOP lawmakers who said they aren't sure they'll back the bill.

Rep. Mary Franson (R-Alexandria) says she's not happy the deal extends the K12 school payment delay and borrows against future tobacco payments so she's not sure she'll back it. But she believes it's a political victory that Gov. Dayton lost his push for a tax increase to balance the budget.

"The fact that we are able to walk away without a tax increase is very huge," Franson said. "The nation is watching Minnesota. We've got issues on the federal level. Had we caved into a tax increase it would have sent a message to the entire United States."

Franson said she'll wait to see the specifics before she decides to vote for the budget plan. Several others are also taking the wait and see approach.

"I'm optimistic with reservation," Rep. Glenn Gruenhagen (R-Glencoe) said as he voiced the same frustration that the deal includes borrowing and an accounting shift.

Sen. Dave Thompson (R-Lakeville) declined comment until he knew more about what's in the deal. He has said he won't support a budget plan that spends $35 billion. Rep. Bob Barrett (R-Shafer) said he didn't want to comment until he knows specifics.

Some Republicans say they're inclined to support the deal.

"I don't think any side is going to get near what they wanted," Rep. Tim Sanders (R- Blaine) said. "Now we have to do what's right, get people to back to work and get that state back open again."

GOP leaders may have to rely on their party to make sure bills become law. DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen said it's unlikely that his caucus will support the measure.

"It's the Republican plan. They should accept it," Thissen said. "They're the majority and they should be able to pass their own budget."

Thissen said he did think several Democrats would vote for a bonding bill. That bill needs a 3/5ths majority to become law.

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Budget deal reached (VIDEO)

Posted at 6:25 PM on July 14, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Dayton and GOP leaders announce a budget deal:

Dayton and GOP leaders take questions from reporters:

Governor Mark Dayton and Republican legislators say they have reached a framework to end a budget impasse that led to the longest state government shutdown in recent history. The two sides agreed on a proposal that would raise $1.4 billion in new revenue. Half of that amount comes by delaying state aid checks to school districts and the other half by selling tobacco payment bonds. In return, Dayton dropped his long-standing insistence on raising taxes on top earners. In a news conference this (thursday) afternoon, Dayton said the deal does not involve a so-called 'lights on' bill.

"We're going to turn all the lights on when we get all these bills passed," Dayton said. "That's going to be in just a very few days, and so that's where our focus will be and our priority, and I've said all along that a comprehensive agreement is what I insist upon and we're going to get that done very very quickly."

Dayton's conditions included a demand that Republicans drop a list of policy changes and a plan to reduce the state workforce by 15 percent.

Dayton says he'll accept K12 shift and tobacco borrowing

Posted at 10:21 AM on July 14, 2011 by Tom Scheck (15 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Mark Dayton said today that he'll agree to an offer submitted by Republicans on June 30. The plan would extend the K12 school shift by $700 million and borrows $700 million against future tobacco borrowing.

"I am willing to agree to something that I don't agree with," Dayton said.

There are some conditions. Among other things, he wants the GOP to drop all policy language in their bills, their proposed 15 percent across the board cut in the public employee cut workforce and he wants a bonding bill.

Dayton made the announcement Thursday to a group of public policy fellows at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs.

Dayton said he can't say whether the offer is still on the table.

"As far as I'm concerned it's still on the table. If it's not, I'll put it on there right now."

Dayton spent a large part of the week touting this budget plan. He discussed special education in St. Cloud, health care in Rochester and economic development in Albert Lea.

His PR blitz is meant to show that the state needs more revenue to plug the state's budget gap. He argues the GOP based budget would have dramatic problems for programs and services across Minnesota. Before the speech at the U of M started, Dayton's aides handed out literature that pointed out that many states have raised taxes and cut programs since 2003. The move appears to be a move to show that Republicans are unwilling to move on new revenue and will own the budget plan they've proposed.

Dayton is at odds with the GOP controlled Legislature over the best way to erase the state's $5 billion projected budget deficit. Dayton has said he prefers to raise the income tax on Minnesotans who earn $1 million or more a year but is open to other options like raising taxes on cigarettes or alcohol.

Republican leaders have not made a new budget offer since the state shutdown started on July 1. GOP legislative leaders have argued that they can erase the state's budget deficit through spending cuts. Several rank and file members are starting to break from that position, arguing that more revenue is needed to end the shutdown. It's the 14th day of the shutdown and Dayton and GOP leaders have no meetings scheduled. It's been one week since the two sides have held face to face talks.

Dayton and GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers will be face to face tonight. The two will appear live on KARE11 at 10pm to take questions on the budget and the state government shutdown.

Update: Republicans aren't saying whether they'll accept the offer.

"Senate leadership is reviewing the offer," Senate GOP spokesman Michael Brodkorb said via e-mail. "No further comment.

Here's the first part of his speech: Listen

Here's Dayton's letter:

GMD 7.14.11 Letter to Speaker and Majority Leader

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PoliGraph: Dayton's property tax claim in range

Posted at 2:00 PM on July 13, 2011 by Catharine Richert
Filed under: Mark Dayton, PoliGraph

In an effort to help Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican lawmakers overcome their budget stalemate, a group of six budget experts have suggested a temporary 4 percent income tax increase on all Minnesotans.

Dayton wants to raise income taxes on the state's highest earners to close the budget gap - but not on everyone else.

Property taxes are the reason, he said in a press release responding to the plan.

"Most other Minnesotans are already over-taxed, due primarily to the 75 percent increase in property taxes statewide during the previous eight years."

Dayton's claim is largely accurate.

The Evidence

There are two ways to measure how much property taxes increased over the last eight years.

First, there are local property taxes. They're used to support schools and other local services. In calendar year 2002, property tax revenue amounted to roughly $4.02 billion. In calendar year 2010, local property taxes came in around $7.12 billion.

That's an increase of 77 percent.

If you factor in the property taxes the state collects, which are imposed on businesses and recreational homes, revenue in 2002 was about $4.6 billion. In 2010, property taxes came in at 7.88 billion, amounting to a 71 percent increase - less, but still in range.

As an aside, local property tax increases are an indirect product of decisions made in the Capitol. When state aid declines, as it did during former Gov. Tim Pawlenty's administration, it's city and county officials, not the governor or the Legislature, who decide how much to increase property taxes to continue supporting local services.

The Verdict

All together, property taxes have increased 71 percent over the last eight years. Dayton's off by a few percentage points, but he's basically correct.

SOURCES

Gov. Mark Dayton, Governor Dayton's statement on recommendations from budget committee, July 7, 2011

MPR News, Mondale/Carlson Commission: Tax cigs, alcohol and income, July 7, 2011

Minnesota Department of Revenue, Price of Government, March 2011

Dayton argues his case in St. Cloud

Posted at 1:44 PM on July 12, 2011 by Mike Mulcahy (2 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, Mark Dayton

From Tom Scheck:

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton held a forum in St. Cloud today to make the case to the public that his budget battle with GOP legislative leaders has a wide- ranging impact on the state. The focus of the forum, held at a high school in St. Cloud, was special education funding.

More than 100 people attended the event and cheered when speakers called for higher taxes to help erase the state's $5 billion projected budget deficit. Dayton said his plan would help protect special education funding.

"This is a reminder at what's at stake for children with special needs--129,000 school children around Minnesota who have a need for special education and would experience cuts under the Republican budget proposal. That's why Commissioner Cassellius and I are here today," he said. "It's certainly affirming to hear from those who are making due with even less money already."

Six St. Cloud-area Republican lawmakers said they do not support additional revenue to balance the budget.

Rep.King Banaian, R-St. Cloud, said he won't support new taxes to plug the budget gap.

"I do not believe we need new revenues. We have the most revenues that we have ever had in a state budget from state sources," he said. " We do not need additional revenues in this budget."

Dayton is holding forums around the state as the the state government shutdown continues. He'll be in southeastern Minnesota Wednesday.

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GOP leaders try to ride along to Dayton event

Posted at 11:52 AM on July 12, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (3 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov.Mark Dayton traveled to St. Cloud today to talk about the budget impasse and state government shutdown, but he didn't take Republican legislative leaders along for the ride.

Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, said she called Dayton this morning to suggest that she and House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, participate in the event as well as others the governor has scheduled this week. She also suggested riding in the same car. The request didn't fly, but Koch said she thought it could have been productive.

"I thought, well, we have to keep talking, and this would be a way to engage the public. The governor is going out across the state, and it would be a way to sort of present both sides to the public. And then, I thought if we rode together, nothing more Minnesotan in the summer than a road trip. We could continue budget negotiations in the car."

Dayton's press secretary said the governor told Koch that he would prefer the GOP leaders spend their time working on a counter-proposal to the budget offers he has made. Dayton also said he would be available to meet with Republican leaders when he returned from St. Cloud.

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Unions start stitching safety net for workers hit by shutdown

Posted at 11:02 PM on July 11, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Two of the state's public employee unions are establishing a safety net for the 22,000 state workers who are laid off because of the state government shutdown.

AFSCME Council 5 has established food shelves across the state to help laid off state workers during the shutdown. Eliot Seide, with AFSCME Council 5, says his union is establishing food drives so laid off workers have options after their last partial paycheck on Friday.

"The only thing they'll be eligible for is unemployment insurance which is up to half of their gross pay," Seide said. "That's not a lot of money. Our people make on average of $38,000 a year living paycheck to paycheck, so there's likely to be tough times ahead."

Seide and other union leaders say they continue to back Democratic Governor Mark Dayton in the budget impasse because they say the Republican budget plan cuts a larger portion of the state's workforce and changes Minnesota's collective bargaining rules. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are at odds over the best way to erase a $5 billion budget deficit.

Jim Monroe with the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees says his union has reached agreement with a local credit union so unemployed workers can get loans to help make ends meet. He said MAPE also established hardship grants for those workers who can't receive loans from the credit union.

"For people who are laid off, they aren't on vacation," Monroe said. "Their only income in a very quick period of time is unemployment insurance. If they can't get loans, this is to help them bridge the gap that they may have."

Workers will be eligible to start claiming unemployment next Monday. The shutdown occurred because Governor Dayton and GOP legislative leaders failed to reach a budget deal.

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Dayton calls GOP leaders back to bargaining table to end shutdown

Posted at 3:24 PM on July 11, 2011 by Tom Scheck (7 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton's opening comments:

GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch's opening comments:

Governor Mark Dayton is calling Republican legislative leaders back to the bargaining table today with the hopes of ending the state government shutdown. It's the eleventh day of the shutdown and the two sides still appear to be far apart on a budget deal. Dayton says he sent a letter to GOP leaders telling them that he was open to discussing several revenue options including an income tax on top earners, tax hikes on cigarettes and alcohol, eliminating sales tax breaks and expanding the sales tax while lower the rate. Dayton says his income tax proposal, like President Obama's, is a very selective tax increase.

"It's only on the very wealthiest individuals," Dayton said. "It's only on corporations that aren't paying their fair share. It's not on all small businesses. It's not on all taxpayers. But they hide behind the same fiction that it's an overall tax increase, and they're intransigent about moving beyond it."

Republicans oppose raising any taxes to erase the state's $5 billion projected budget deficit. Dayton says he hasn't spoken to the Speaker of the Minnesota House or the Senate Majority Leader since last Thursday. GOP legisatlive leaders have not made a budget offer to Dayton since the shutdown began on July first. The sides are $1.4 billion apart on a budget deal.

Dayton says he intends to travel to St. Cloud on Tuesday, southern Minnesota on Wednesday and Moorhead on Friday to campaign for his proposal. He also released a video on YouTube explaining his position on budget talks.

Update:
GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch says she's disappointed with Dayton's letter.

"The governor continues to believe that the discussion needs to be about where the revenue comes from and how much," Koch said. "There's no compromise in the area that we're concerned about - reining in spending and reforming the way we are spending."

Republicans renewed their request that Dayton call a special session, which would allow them to begin working on some spending bills and passing a stopgap "lights on" bill to reopen government while broader negotiations continue.

Here's Dayton's letter to GOP leaders:

20110711151041679

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MN Supreme Court orders hearing on shutdown spending

Posted at 1:26 PM on July 11, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea has scheduled a July 27th hearing on a legal challenge that questions whether a judge can authorize state spending. Several GOP state lawmakers filed the lawsuit in court on Friday. They question whether Ramsey County Judge Kathleen Gearin has the constitutional authority to determine which state programs can continue during the government shutdown. Gearin has ruled that certain programs like prisons, the state patrol and subsidized heatlh insurance for the poor are essential services.

The four senators and two representatives say the Minnesota Constitution forbids any state spending unless it's authorized by the Minnesota Legislature.

Here's the briefing schedule.

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No negotiations, just protests as shutdown enters second week

Posted at 12:34 PM on July 11, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The state government shutdown is now 11-days old, but there were no new talks today aimed at resolving the lingering budget impasse.

About the only activity was a rally on the front steps of the closed Capitol. More than one hundred representatives of Hmong, Cambodian, Vietnamese and other Asian-American groups gathered on the steps to call for an end to the shutdown. Organizer Zha Blong Xiong said the shutdown is hurting several social service agencies that help his community with employment searches and child care. He wants the governor and legislators to take notice.

"They need to put politics behind and put the people first, because everyday they're trying to struggle though this budget ordeal the people actually suffer," Xiong said. "And we really want our state leaders to get their act together, come together, compromise. Not not for the political party, but for the people of Minnesota."

Xiong said the same groups will be back with larger crowds if the budget impasse continues.

Meanwhile Republicans leaders renewed their request that Gov. Dayton call a special session. Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch released a written statement blaming the governor for allowing the shutdown to continue, rather than letting legislators work on some of the budget bills and pass a temporary lights on bill.

"Despite his insistence during the campaign cycle that he would not allow government to shut down, Governor Dayton has not only allowed Minnesota's State Government to shut down, but he has allowed it to continue by refusing to call us into a special session." Koch wrote. "Only Gov. Dayton can end this shut down."

Former Govs will get paid

Posted at 4:58 PM on July 8, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Ramsey County Judge Kathleen Gearin says the state's former constitutional officers, including former Govs. Arne Carlson and Wendell Anderson, should continue to receive retiree benefits during the government shutdown.

The Minnesota State Retirement System has asked Special Master Kathleen Blatz, to keep funding state retirement checks for Minnesota's 14 retired constitutional officers or their survivors. Judge Gearin already ruled that retirement benefits should be disbursed for the state's 30,000 retirees but the MSRS said the 14 constitutional officers are in a special plan that is funded by the general fund. Gearin agreed that the monthly payments of $37,899.34 should be paid.

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Shutdown Day 8: All quiet as record book awaits

Posted at 10:23 AM on July 8, 2011 by Tom Scheck (5 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Going into the second week of the state government shutdown, and there are no talks scheduled between Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders. Dayton's spokeswoman Katie Tinucci says Dayton is meeting with his staff and DFL lawmakers.

"We're still waiting for Republicans to make us an offer," Tinucci said.

If the shutdown lasts until Sunday, Minnesota will have the longest state shutdown since 2002 - the year The National Conference of State Legislatures started tracking the data (info from NCSL posted below).

There were three state government shutdowns in 1991 - Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Maine.

Pennsylvania's shutdown was limited because the governor has the authority to continue many services. Pennsylvania's budget battle in 1991 meant state employees continued to work but didn't receive a paycheck. That impasse lasted 34 days.

Maine's impasse that year lasted 17 days. It was considered an "on and off again shutdown" where state workers were ordered off the job for all but three days of the impasse. The dispute dragged on as the two sides disagreed over changes to the state's worker's compensation laws.

Connecticut's impasse in 1991 lasted from July 1 until August 23. The governor of that state was pushing for the creation of an income tax - which was opposed by the Legislature. Connecticut passed several temporary "lights on bills" to keep government running as the governor vetoed three different budget bills. State workers went back on the job on July 9 after the governor approved a stop gap funding bill. The income tax eventually became law.

Here's the info from the NCSL:

Since 2002, fives states have experienced a government shutdown after starting the fiscal year without an enacted budget. Here are their experiences:

Michigan recently has faced two partial shutdowns. The state's shutdown in 2007 lasted only four hours-from midnight of the last day of the fiscal year until 4:00 a.m. on October 1, 2007, when the governor and legislature reached a deal for temporary funding. In anticipation of the shutdown campers had been asked to leave state parks the night before. The short disruption also resulted in decreased state police on the highways. Plus, highway rest stops were barricaded, drawbridges closed and traffic cameras turned off. The partial shutdown involved temporary layoffs of 35,000 of the state's 53,000 employees. In FY 2010, Michigan experienced a technical two-hour government shutdown as lawmakers worked on a temporary spending plan. However, there was no interruption in the delivery of state services.

Pennsylvania experienced a governor-ordered partial shutdown in FY 2008. The governor and the legislature reached a budget agreement nine days into the new fiscal year. After a week of impasses, the governor ordered nearly 24,000 state employees to stay home on July 9.

New Jersey's state government partially shut down in FY 2007. This occurred despite the state having missed its budget deadline in three of the previous five years without shutting down. Before the governor signed the budget eight days into the fiscal year, 45,000 non-essential employees were placed on unpaid leave. One of the more dramatic results of the furloughs was the three-day shutdown of Atlantic City's casinos for the first time since their launch. This occurred because state casino inspectors, who are required by law to be present in the casinos, were among the state workers included in the furlough order.

A partial shutdown occurred in Minnesota in FY 2006-the first shutdown in the state's history. Nine days into the new fiscal year the governor and legislature reached agreement on a temporary funding measure. This allowed the 9,000 state employees furloughed during the shutdown to report back to work.

Tennessee's state government partially shut down for three days in FY 2003. During that time, classes stopped at public universities, state parks were closed, driver's licenses were not issued and road construction ceased. Many services, such as public health, welfare, child support, mental health, prisons and highway patrols, continued to be provided.

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Mondale/Carlson Commission: Tax cigs, alcohol and income

Posted at 2:34 PM on July 7, 2011 by Tom Scheck (24 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

A commission formed by former Vice President Walter Mondale and former Gov. Arne Carlson issued its recommendations today.

The plan calls for $2.2 billion in permanent spending cuts and $1.4 billion in tax increases. That includes a tobacco tax increase of $1.29 per pack of cigarettes, a Medicaid surcharge on hospitals, an alcohol tax increase and a temporary income tax increase on every Minnesotan.

The six-member commission says in the long term, the state sales tax should be broadened and the rate lowered. The plan calls for an overall two-year budget of $35.6 billion. Republican legislative leaders say the budget should be no more than 34 billion.

Mondale and Carlson created the commission with the hopes of finding a third way to break the budget impasse between Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and GOP legislative leaders.

Here's the report:
Framework for a State Budget Solution

Here's the powerpoint:

Framework for a State Budget Solution

Update: Here's a statement from Dayton:

"I thank Vice President Mondale and Governor Carlson for their important initiative to help resolve the state's current budget impasse. I also thank former legislative leaders Steve Dille and Wayne Simoneau and the other very distinguished members of their committee who worked so hard, so swiftly, and so well to develop their recommendations.

"I note that most of the Committee's recommendations parallel my own proposals. They recommend $2.2 billion in permanent spending cuts; I have detailed almost $2.1 billion in spending reductions. They recommend $700 million in increased revenues from increased alcohol and tobacco taxes and a human service surcharge; yesterday I proposed raising $700 million from a tobacco tax increase, other tax reforms, and health care surcharges.

"I respectfully differ with the Committee on their recommendation of a 4% temporary income tax surcharge on all Minnesota taxpayers. My goal has consistently been to protect most Minnesotans from either an income tax increase or a property tax increase, by raising state income taxes on only the wealthiest 2% of Minnesotans. Most other Minnesotans are already over-taxed, due primarily to the 75% increase in property taxes statewide during the previous eight years.

"Unfortunately, Republican Legislators remain adamantly opposed to making our state tax system fairer. That is why I reluctantly proposed an additional $700 million in delayed school aid payments, which further reduces state spending by that amount in the biennium.

"The Republicans in the State Legislature have received three compromise proposals in the past 24 hours: two from me and one from this very distinguished Committee. Now it is their responsibility either to accept one of them, or else to present their own alternative proposal. It will take both them and me to resolve this budget impasse. I have offered yet another compromise; now it is their turn to offer their compromise."

Update: Here's a statement from GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers:

"The 3rd Way Budget Commission recommendation raises income taxes on every Minnesotan. It also taxes Joe Six Pack's six pack and makes those who smoke pay more. Like Governor Dayton's offer yesterday, this again shows that it's no longer about wanting a tax increase on the rich, it's about raising whatever taxes he can in order to spend more. Families across Minnesota are already struggling to make ends meet. This is not a solution. It is a retread of failed tax and spend policies. Republicans will not raise taxes to pay for unsustainable government growth."

Here's a statement from DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen:

I appreciate the work of the Mondale-Carlson Budget Commission, though like the Governor, I disagree with taxing all Minnesotans. Vice President Mondale, Governor Carlson, and the commission members have given tremendous service to our state both in this time of shutdown and throughout their careers.

Today's recommendations have merit, as have the seven budget compromises that Governor Dayton has proposed to the Republican legislative leaders. However, the fact remains that Republicans are utterly unwilling to listen to those who have served our great state, to reason, or even to the people of Minnesota in order to solve this budget impasse.

The Mondale-Carlson Commission outlined a framework of a $1.4 billion shift, $2.2 billion in budget cuts, and $1.4 billion in revenue. The fact is that the Republicans last week prior to shutdown agreed we need more than $1 billion in additional revenue to prevent the most damaging budget cuts from harming our state. They also agreed to take their divisive policy proposals off the bargaining table and focus on the task at hand - solving the budget deficit. All that remains is to agree on how we fix that billion dollar hole in the budget.

It is shameful that Republicans are continuing this devastating shutdown by continually refusing proposal after proposal. They have failed to lead at every step and shut down our state. Leaders listen, and it is time for Republicans to learn to listen and lead.

DFL Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk issued this statement:

"I want to thank Vice President Mondale and former Governor Carlson, along with the rest of the Democratic and Republican members of the "third way" budget group, for their hard work in crafting their own framework for ending the state government shutdown and solving the biggest budget deficit in state history.

The report from this bipartisan, independent commission makes one thing perfectly clear: we should not fix the biggest budget deficit in state history simply by slashing funding for schools, colleges, hospitals, nursing homes, and public safety. The Republican's all-cuts budget plan would slash funding for special education, take away health care coverage to 140,000 Minnesotans, make the biggest funding cuts to colleges and universities in state history, and devastate services for seniors and the disabled. This is an unacceptable outcome.

The bipartisan commission agrees that we need a balanced budget approach that combines responsible spending cuts and smart reforms with new, permanent revenue that allows us to protect our key priorities. This is also the position of Gov. Dayton, Democrats, many moderate Republicans, the vast majority of Minnesotans, and even the state's economist.

The Governor has made it perfectly clear that he's willing to compromise, but will not capitulate to the extreme, all-cuts Republican budget proposal. It's time for Sen. Koch and Speaker Zellers to get serious about ending this impasse, and come forward with a real compromise offer."

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Shutdown Day 7: No budget offer from GOP but criticism for Dayton

Posted at 1:13 PM on July 7, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers met briefly with Gov. Dayton during a morning meeting that focused on the K-12 budget bill. Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, characterized the talks as constructive.

"It's safe to say that there's agreement on what there's disagreement on," Garofalo said. "That's a positive step because when you know what you disagree on you also know what you agree on."

Garofalo said he believes that the K-12 bill could be wrapped up quickly, since he says the two sides are close on the budget figures. But there are significant policy differences. For example, he said he's still pushing for K-12 vouchers and changes to integration aid.

"The integration funding program has spent over $1 billion and academic results have gotten worse, not better," Garofalo said. "There will be changes to that program. I can promise you that.

Sen. Koch also said their proposal to put an additional $80 million into the budget is linked to their policy changes. Gov. Dayton and other Democrats have rejected some of the policy proposals.

"We're miles apart on policy," Rep. Mindy Greiling, R-Roseville said. "We have a long way to go."

Koch says Dayton met briefly with leaders as they discussed the K-12 bill but she said they did not try to negotiate an overall budget agreement that would end the state government shutdown that began seven days ago.

Republicans have also renewed their call for Dayton to call a special session so the Legisalture can pass a bill that would partially fund state government.

"Forty-nine of 50 governors have solved budget issues," Koch said. "The governor is the CEO of the state. We need him to step up and lead."

When pressed, Koch was forced to acknowledge that state legisatures of all types have also finished their work. Koch also refused to say whether GOP leaders would present a budget offer to Dayton. Instead, she insisted that Republicans won't support a tax increase to close the budget gap.

"If the governor still has his tax increase proposal on the table then that hasn't changed that," Koch said.

The meeting comes one day after Dayton presented a budget offer to GOP legislative leaders. One option in his offer is a temporary income tax surcharge on people with an annual salary of $1 million or more. The other option would be to increase taxes on cigarettes by $1 a pack. Both of those plans also rely on a surcharge on hospitals and HMOs and further delaying payments to schools.

Dayton said Republicans would have to present a budget offer if they don't like his ideas.

Shutdown Day 7: No budget meetings scheduled

Posted at 7:52 AM on July 7, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

It's Day 7 of the state government shutdown and there are no major events scheduled at the State Capitol today.

There are no budget meetings scheduled between Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders (as of now). The two sides broke off talks yesterday after Dayton presented two new options to resolve their budget differences (a cigarette tax increase or a temporary income tax increase). Both were rejected by GOP leaders. Dayton said Republicans would have to present a different offer if they didn't like his proposal.

Dayton will attend a private ceremony for Sgt. Chad Frokjer, who was killed in Afghanistan on June 30.

Meanwhile, the chairs of the House and Senate Transportation Committees will appear before Kathleen Blatz, the Special Master assigned to hear pleas on why certain government services should continue during the shutdown. GOP Rep. Mike Beard and GOP Sen. Joe Gimse plan to request that a judge declare that the state's road construction projects are essential services and need to continue operating.

Several social services agencies, including Lutheran Social Services and Tubman, are also scheduled to appear at the hearing.

PolyMet mining will also request that their environmental review continue during the shutdown.

You can read the full agenda here.

Dayton revises tax offer in hopes of reaching budget deal

Posted at 4:28 PM on July 6, 2011 by Tom Scheck (9 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton tells reporters about his latest budget offer:

GOP legislative leaders react to Dayton's proposal:

Gov. Dayton is revising his tax proposal with the hopes of convincing Republicans to accept some sort of revenue increase. Dayton has presented GOP legisaltive leaders with two offers. The first would create an temporary income tax increase on people making more than $1 million. It would also increase surcharges on hospitals and health plans and delay payments to schools.

The second option would raise cigarette taxes by $1 a pack, increase the health care surcharge and delay payments to schools.

Dayton said he was revising his budget plan with the hopes of convincing Republicans to accept some sort of revenue. Republicans quickly rejected the plan which prompted Dayton to say Republicans don't support any proposal that increases revenue.

"If this is a step back, it's their step back," Dayton said.

GOP legislative leaders renewed their call for Dayton to call lawmakers back into a special session so they can pass a bill that would continue funding.

GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers says the offer is a step backwards. He says Republicans campaigned on holding the line on taxes and spending.

"If that's what we campaigned on and that's what we were elected on, how do our members go back home and say we gave up all of our principles to the governor?" Zellers told reporters. "It's not about wins and losses. It's about keeping your word to the people who elected you."

The sides are at odds over the best way to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Dayton says ongoing revenue has to be on the table. Republicans say they don't support any spending increases. The two sides are $1.4 billion apart on a two year budget.

Minnesota is in the sixth day of a state government shutdown.

Update:

Michael Brodkorb, spokesman for the Senate Republican Caucus and Deputy Chair of the Minnesota Republican Party, sent an e-mail to reporters pointing out that Dayton rejected a tobacco tax increase during the 2010 campaign for governor.

"You raise the price of a pack of cigarettes $1.50 as Mr. Horner proposed, that's money out of the pockets of working people and poorer people, and that means kids don't have as much to eat or don't have the same quality of food. Those are addictions, and I think you treat addictions as addictions and you don't penalize the people who are dealing with them economically." Source: Smart Politics

For his part, Dayton said there are few viable alternatives left that would raise the amount of money needed to close the gap between him and Republicans.

"After the income tax there aren't any good taxes in my view. But the only real sources of permanent revenue are property taxes, sales taxes and so-called sin taxes," Dayton told reporters.

Here's Dayton's letter:

20110706143455518

Here's what Dayton says his $1.4 billion in added revenue will protect:

20110706143827202

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Shutdown Day 6: Construction trades call for bonding bill

Posted at 12:16 PM on July 6, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

A coalition of labor and environmental groups is calling on Governor Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders to end the six-day-old government shutdown with a budget deal that creates new jobs.

Members of the Blue Green Alliance said the mass layoff of public employees, as well as the idling of thousands of construction workers, is hurting Minnesota. Bob Struve of the American Council of Engineering Companies said the 150 companies he represents in Minnesota could lose 1,000 jobs in a prolonged shutdown.

"Construction is a seasonal business, and the damage caused by a long shutdown means that jobs, projects will be moved to 2012 and possibly even cancelled," Struve said. "The damage to our firms could be very, very significant."

As members called for an end to the shutdown, they renewed their call for Dayton and GOP legislative leaders to pass a bonding bill.

Dayton proposed a $1 billion bonding bill early in the session, but GOP leaders never supported it. Still, Harry Melander of the Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council said he thinks a bonding bill could be part of a final budget agreement.

"We continue to be optimistic that the Legislature will do what's right for Minnesota," Melander said. "And try to put tens of thousands of construction workers back to work and provide needed infrastructure repairs that need to happen to make Minnesota the state that it is."

Neither Dayton or GOP legislative leaders have discussed a bonding bill in the final days of budget negotiations.

Zellers talks budget...

Posted at 8:50 AM on July 6, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republican legislative leaders and Governor Mark Dayton are heading into their second day of budget talks since a partial state government shutdown. The two sides met yesterday without reporting any progress. House Speaker Kurt Zellers told MPR's Morning Edition today he expects talks will narrow to health care programs this afternoon.

"I think that will be a lot of the focus today," Zellers said. "Where our health care folks have been, what they have been able to accomplish you know in the last day or two here, and seeing if maybe that number that we were apart really wasn't as far apart as we though it was."

Zellers said one area that they can find cost savings is by asking the federal government for approval to change how the federal Medicaid program is run in the state. Dayton has said there's no guarantee the federal government will approve the request.

Zellers also renewed his call for Dayton to call lawmakers back into special session, something Dayton said he's not willing to do until a full budget deal is reached.

Dayton and the GOP controlled Legislature are at odds over the best way to erase a $5 billion budget deficit. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on top earners. Republicans say they don't want to spend any more money.

Zellers repeated his stance that the GOP budget offers from last week are now off the table because Gov. Dayton rejected them. Republicans suggested an additional K12 payment shift and borrowing against future tobacco payments to bring in more revenue. The governor said he would accept one of those options but not both because it won't fix the state's budget problems over the long-term.

Zellers said the K12 shift and the tobacco bonding is "not perfect" but said those options are better than Dayton's income tax increase.

"Rather than taxing a small businesswoman out of the state because she files her business and personal income together," Zellers said. "Raising those taxes with tough economic times and when our neighboring states and states all across the country aren't makes Minnesota uncompetitive,"

Zellers also didn't take an expansion of gambling off of the table. But he said some of the problems with gambling is that local officials in Minneapolis and Bloomington aren't interested in a casino in their cities.

"That would be one option, yes" Zellers said of expanding gambling. "I'm not opposed to that. If it's not something the governor is going to sign, I don't think we should put the taxpayers or the legislators through the exercise."

Dayton has said he's open to an expansion gambling but questioned whether the revenues generated from a casino or a slot machines at the state's horse tracks would generate significant revenue.

Zellers also reiterated that GOP legislators are comfortable with their $34 billion budget. The key question is whether they can find a proposal that meets Dayton's demands for more revenue.

Here's the full interview: Listen

Ventura to Dayton: 'I don't envy your situation'

Posted at 10:03 PM on July 5, 2011 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton said during his news conference today that he spend his weekend throwing the frisbee to his puppy, Mingo. He said he also attended George Pillsbury's birthday party that featured several folks who know his current job fairly well.

Dayton said former GOP Gov. Al Quie, former GOP Gov. Arne Carlson and former IP Gov. Jesse Ventura also attended the event.

Reporters asked if the former governors had any advice for Dayton.

"Governor Ventura just said he doesn't envy the situation that I'm in," Dayton said. "I said I don't envy it either."

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Dayton and GOP leaders meet but fail to reach budget agreement

Posted at 5:42 PM on July 5, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Dayton discusses meeting:

GOP leaders discuss meetings:

GOP leaders (take2)

DFL Governor Mark Dayton met with Republican legislative leaders today for the first time since state government shut down on Friday.

There didn't appear to be much progress toward resolving the ongoing budget standoff during the hour long closed door meeting, but afterward Dayton called it constructive. Republican leaders again called on Dayton to pass a limited budget bill that would allow some parts of the government to reopen. GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch said lawmakers could pass several budget bills like higher education and public safety.

"If you look at the numbers, you can see that they are very in agreement," Koch told reporters several times. But she admitted that there are major differences on where to spend money in those respective budget bills and Republicans disagree with Dayton over policy matters.

Dayton told MPR News earlier today that it's an exaggeration to suggest that they are close to an agreement on specific budget bills.

Meanwhile, GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers took some of their revenue raising options off the table.

"Our last offer was to turn the lights on," Zellers said about negotiations. He said a plan to further delay payments to K-12 schools and borrow against future tobacco payments is no longer being considered at this time.

"Negotiations, whether you're a lawyer or someone at the Capitol, if that's been refused then it's off the table," Zellers said. If it's asked to be put back on the table then we'll consider it at that time."

Dayton says he's opposed to that because it would make it harder to negotiate the overall budget.

"There's a tradeoff involved there. It's not just about being difficult," Dayton said. "It's about saying that you've got to have the same desire to resolve everything as you do the ones that happen to be more popular."

Dayton said he's willing to consider any and all revenue possibilities to balance the state's budget. "we're all out of options," Dayton said at one point.

The two sides are still about $1.8 billion dollars apart on a budget solution. Dayton says a tax increase on the state's top earners is needed to close the gap. Republicans say they won't agree to raise taxes.

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Mondale and Carlson hope to settle budget battle

Posted at 2:02 PM on July 5, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

From Tim Nelson and Tom Scheck:

Former Vice President Walter Mondale and former Gov. Arne Carlson say they've asked six business and government leaders to come up with a proposed solution to the budget impasse that's shut down much of state government.

The two introduced the idea at a press conference in Minneapolis City Hall this morning.

The panel includes two former legislators, former executives from Medtronic and Wells Fargo and two former state finance commissioners. Mondale said they'd asked them to come up with a solution to offer elected officials.

"What the governor and I have done here is to assemble a group of the state's most respected, seasoned specialists, on the state budgets, state policy making, state leadership," Mondale said.

The Dayton administration has offered current budget commissioner Jim Schowalter as a liaison to the group. Carlson says he hopes the group will work fast.

"Our fear is that large sums of money, large interests will come into Minnesota," Carlson said. "And cause a freezing of attitude and a digging in, a retrenchment if you will, making it very, very difficult for compromise to become a reality."

Carlson and Mondale said that they would play no formal role in the commission or an eventual budget solution. They said the group would meet behind closed doors and they asked for a proposed solution by the end of this week.

GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean says GOP legisaltors are willing to look at the suggestions

"if they come up with a good idea we're all ears," Dean said. But he said many Republicans will be reluctant to adopt tax increases to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit.

"Our members are made up of small business people who ran and won in 2010 in very different times when Governor Carlson was governor and Vice President Mondale were in office," Dean said. "We're in unprecedented economic times and maybe ten or twenty or thirty years you can raise taxes and grow government a little bit faster to get to the resolution at the end of the day."

Dean and several other Republicans have pointed out that Carlson has endorsed Democrats in recent years. Carlson insists he's a Republican.

You can listen to this morning's news conference here: Listen

Dayton to meet with legislative leaders at 2:30

Posted at 10:48 AM on July 5, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are scheduled to resume budget negotiations at 2:30 today in Dayton's office. It will be the first meeting since state government shutdown on Friday. Before that, the two sides negotiated for seven straight days. They failed to reach a deal as they continued to disagree over taxes and spending.

Gov. Dayton said on Friday it would be best if the two sides took a break from negotiations over the weekend so there could be a "cooling off period."

It's the fifth day of the government shutdown. Twenty-two thousand state employees have been laid off and many state services have been discontinued as a result of the impasse.

Meanwhile, Gov. Dayton revised his request of which government services should continue running. He says services like special education funding, child care assistance and services for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes should operate during the shutdown. The governor's office says they submitted the request to Special Master Kathleen Blatz. The news release says the governor believes the change is in line with an order released by Ramsey County Judge Kathleen Gearin.

Shutdown Day 5: Dayton hopes budget talks resume

Posted at 7:38 AM on July 5, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton says he'll call GOP legislative leaders this morning with the hopes of holding private meetings today to end the state government shutdown.

"I intend to call them this morning and see if they're available to meet this afternoon, or as soon as possible thereafter so we can start putting this back together," Dayton told MPR's Morning Edition.

The shutdown began Friday after the two sides failed to come up with an agreement on how to resolve a $5 billion projected budget deficit projected over the next two years. About 22,000 state government employees have been laid off, and the shutdown is having an impact on the private sector as well.

"This is a terrible situation," Dayton said of the shutdown, adding that he hopes moderates from both parties will come out and "force everyone to a resolution."

Dayton acknowledged that the core political beliefs are part of the reason the impasse has gone on so long.

"Because we are standing on principles, it makes it much more difficult," Dayton said.

Republican leaders have rejected Dayton's proposal to raise income tax rates for the 7,700 Minnesota residents earning more than $1 million, saying tax hikes are the wrong strategy. Dayton has refused to sign on to the Republican budget plan, saying it cuts too much and would hurt the state's most vulnerable residents

Dayton also said he would like to see social and political issues like a ban on human cloning, a requirement that people show a photo ID to vote and redistricting will not be included in budget talks.

"We'll be at loggerheads for a very long time" if GOP wants those items in bills," Dayton said.

You can listen to the full interview here: Listen

MPR's Elizabeth Dunbar contributed to this report.

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Dayton: New budget talks unlikely until Tuesday

Posted at 3:04 PM on July 1, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

From MPR's Paul Tosto...

Don't expect the state budget impasse to end this weekend.

Gov. Mark Dayton says while he's willing to meet over the next few days with Republican legislative leaders, he said negotiators need a "breather" and that he expects to begin reaching out on Tuesday to Republicans and DFLers legislators, "anyone with ideas who can help get this resolved."

His comments came during a taped interview this afternoon with Tom Crann, host of MPR's All Things Considered. Portions of the interview will be aired tonight during the show.

Asked about when talks might happen next, Dayton said he'd been strategizing with staff about finding "responsible compromise solutions" to make the state government shutdown as short as possible.

He said he planned to have "individual conversations over the weekend" and then "begin next Tuesday to reach out to Republicans and others to get the impasse resolved.

Asked why wait until Tuesday, Dayton said negotiators had met around the clock for eight days straight and "Sometimes you just need a little bit of a breather. Things ended on a harsh note last night....people are in more need of a good night's sleep than another haranguing."

I'll post the full interview once it's available.

Here's that audio:

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Dayton and GOP leaders react to shutdown

Posted at 12:54 AM on July 1, 2011 by Tom Scheck (29 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton delivers speech:

GOP Leaders react:

Minnesota is in the second state government shutdown in six years after Democratic Governor Mark Dayton failed to reach a budget deal with GOP legislative leaders. The major sticking point continues to be over taxes and spending and the best way to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit.

Two hours before the midnight deadline, Governor Dayton said in a news conference that his latest offer included taxing only Minnesotans making a million dollars or more a year. He says that amounts to about 8 thousand Minnesotans.

Dayton criticized Republicans for not accepting any tax increases.

"Instead of taxing their friends," Dayton said. "They would prefer very damaging cuts to health care, K-12 and higher education, state and local public safety, mass transit and other essential services to the people of Minnesota."

Republicans countered that they had a bill to keep the state government running on a bare bones basis, but Dayton rejected it. They also said the two sides were closer to a deal than Dayton said.

Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers says Republicans won't raise taxes because they are aiming to reign in government spending.

"This isn't about getting a budget deal. This is about shutting down government in spite of hard work, in spite of compromise, in spite of actual agreement."

The government shutdown will force thousands of layoffs in both the public and private sector. The state's parks, the State Capitol and the Minnesota Zoo are just a few of the areas that are closed because of the shutdown.

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Hello Trouble

Posted at 9:23 PM on June 30, 2011 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

With less than three hours to go until a state government shutdown, state lawmakers are making some last minute moves to avoid blame for failing to finish their work.

Nearly every Republican in the Minnesota House marched into the House chambers to show that they are ready to work. The move is ceremonial since that work can't be done until Gov. Dayton calls lawmakers back into a special session. Dayton has refused to do so until a full budget agreement is reached. Despite that stance, GOP House Majority Leader Matt Dean says Dayton should call a special session so the Legislature should pass a "lights on" bill to keep government running.

"We need the governor to call us back into a special session," Dean said. "The governor is the only guy who can get this thing started and he's the only one who has the keys to get us started."

Dean said "it's pretty obvious" that they are at a critical point" as the clock ticks closer to midnight.

DFL House Majority Leader Paul Thissen criticized Republicans are more interested in "political theater" than getting a budget deal done.

"Instead of playing mock Legislature the Republicans should be working to get a balanced and fair budget negotiated," Thissen said.

The two sides have sharpened their rhetoric as the clock ticks closer to the midnight deadline. They are arguing over the best way to enact a two year budget that includes a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Gov. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners. Republicans are proposing to erase the deficit through spending cuts.

Neither side has released specifics on where budget negotiations stand.

Update: Gov. Dayton will deliver a speech at 10pm on the shutdown.

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GOP, DFL leaders comment on budget talks

Posted at 5:38 PM on June 30, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republican House and Senate leaders say they still want to avoid a state government shutdown, and they think they are close to reaching a budget agreement with DFL Governor Mark Dayton.

But the start of that shutdown is now just hours away. So, GOP leaders are urging Dayton to call a special session now to allow them to begin working on some of the budget bills while broader negotiations continue. House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, said a shutdown is not necessary and would be bad for Minnesota...

"Let's get the job done," Zellers said. "Let's not shut down government. Let's pass the bills where we're close.We can come back and finish the couple of other ones that were maybe still not quite on. But it's time to call us back. It's getting too close to the end. Let's get to work. Let's get our job done and let's make sure Minnrsotans are ready for the Fourth of July weekend."

Dayton has consistently said he will not call a special session until a complete budget deal is reached.

Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, said he remains optimistic about the negotiations.

"Well, we've been here pretty continuously for the last weeek, since Friday morning," Bakk said. " We've had a lot of good discussions with the Republicans, and I do think the opportunity for a global agreement tonight that would prevent a shutdown is within reach."

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Shutdown looms: Capitol Closed

Posted at 5:14 PM on June 30, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

There are seven hours left until state government shuts down. Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders still don't have a budget deal.

The Minnesota State Capitol is now closed to the public. Capitol Security officers escorted protesters, citizens and lobbyists to the exit doors at 5pm. Everyone cooperated with Capitol Security.

Security guards also locked the doors to the Capitol and are standing guard at certain doorways.

State officials announced that the State Capitol complex will be closed to the public. Only essential personnel, lawmakers, Gov. Dayton and the news media will be allowed in. Capitol Security says committee hearings and floor sessions will be open to the public if and when they're scheduled.

Board rules large donations need to be disclosed

Posted at 2:22 PM on June 30, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

From MPR's Sasha Aslanian:

Minnesota's campaign finance board ruled today that corporations that spend money trying to influence the way people vote on proposed constitutional amendments must disclose the names of large donors.

The board's ruling means donors spending more than a $1000 to help a corporation give at least $5000 to a ballot campaign would need to be identified. The ruling has implications for next year's election, when voters will decide whether to change the state's constitution to define marriage as between one man and one woman.

James Bopp Jr., an attorney representing Minnesotans for Marriage, a group that supports the amendment testified against disclosing donor names

"There has been a concerned wide organized comprehensive nationwide effort to harass the supporters of traditional marriage," Bopp said.

Groups opposed to the marriage amendment didn't testify before the board. Common Cause praised the ruling for closing "loopholes that would have allowed millions of dollars of undisclosed contributions to flow to both sides of the marriage debate."

Here's the ruling by the MN Campaign Finance Board.

Meetings continue but still no deal

Posted at 2:10 PM on June 30, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

GOP legislative leaders have held two brief meetings with Gov. Dayton today. The most recent round of budget talks ended with just 11 hours until state government shuts down.

Senate Republican Caucus spokesman Michael Brodkorb says he expects another round of meetings to be held today but said none are scheduled.

Dayton, GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers or GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch have not made any comments about the budget talks since Tuesday night.

The two sides are working to find a compromise on a two-year budget that erases a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners, along with spending cuts. Republicans say the deficit can be erased through spending cuts alone.

Brodkorb says nearly every Republican member of the Senate is in St. Paul right now. He said a private caucus meeting was held this morning but refused to comment on details of the discussions.

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'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.

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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.

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.

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Budget talks resume at 8pm

Posted at 7:00 PM on June 29, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Budget talks between Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders will continue beginning at 8pm Wednesday night

Dayton and GOP leaders have made few comments of substance about the status of budget talks. They have said they are maintaining a "cone of silence" to allow frank negotiations. In the meantime, the public is left to wonder whether state government will shut down at midnight on Thursday.

On Tuesday, Dayton said a deal would have to be reached by Wednesday night in order to avert a shutdown

Dayton and the GOP controlled Legislature are at odds over the best way to craft a two-year budget. Dayton wants to increase income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to erase a $5 billion budget deficit. Republicans say the deficit can be erased through spending cuts.

As the impasse continues among Dayton and the Legislature, a Ramsey County judge ruled that some services will continue.

You can read about the impact of that ruling here.

You can also check out MPR's Shutdown blog for more information on the looming shutdown.

'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.

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.

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.

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No deal but more talks planned with hopes of averting shutdown

Posted at 4:02 PM on June 28, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Dayton and legislative leaders intend to hold another budget meeting tomorrow morning as the clock ticks closer to a Friday deadline. The two sides met privately today but still didn't reach a deal on a two-year budget. Gov. Dayton and GOP lawmakers declined to discuss what they talked about in the private meetings, but Dayton said they need to reach a deal soon if they hope to avert a government shutdown.

"We have two days until July 1," Dayton said. "That's the timeline. So obviously the Legislature would have to act to avert a shutdown so the time is down to hours."

Republican Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch says she's telling lawmakers to be ready to return quickly to the Capitol in case a budget deal is reached.

"We're optimistic," Koch said. "We put those gears in motion, if you will. We fired up the Legislature this week and so they're standing at the ready."

Dayton and Republicans in the Legislature are at odds over the best way to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to help balance the budget. Republicans say the deficit can be erased through spending cuts.

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Judge: Courts need to continue even if shutdown happens

Posted at 2:08 PM on June 28, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

A judge has ruled that Minnesota's Judiciary should continue running even if state government shuts down on July first.

Retired Judge Bruce Christopherson has ruled that the state's courts should continue operating even if Gov. Dayton and the Legislature fail to agree on a budget. In his order, Christopherson said the state should continue to fund the courts at least through July 30th.

The decision comes one day after the Attorney General, the governor's office and public defenders argued in court that the judiciary should continue to receive funding. In his order, Christopherson said that due process and other constitutional protections require the courts to continue running.

A ruling is still pending from another judge on whether other essential government functions should continue if no budget deal is reached by Friday. Update: A clerk for Ramsey County Judge Kathleen Gearin says order will NOT come down today. She said they're working for Weds. or Thurs release.

You can read the order here.

Budget talks to resume this afternoon

Posted at 12:08 PM on June 28, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Dayton comments from tommy scheck on Vimeo.

Michel, Dean comment from tommy scheck on Vimeo.

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders met behind closed doors this morning for about an hour and 15 minutes, but there were apparently no breakthroughs.

Both sides continue their self-imposed "cone of silence" regarding negotiation specifics.

"It was a constructive meeting," Dayton said as he returned to his Capitol office. We still have our differences."

Dayton said the talks would resume at 2:00 p.m., with a focus on the Health and Human Services area of state spending. He said negotiators would be leaving later in the afternoon to attend a memorial service for state Sen. Linda Scheid, DFL-Brooklyn Park, who passed away earlier this month.

Republicans had little else to add.

"We had a good meeting, said Senate Deputy Majority Leader Geoff Michel, R-Edina. "We hope to be able to provide you guys with more of an update about mid-afternoon."

This was the fifth consecutive day of private talks. A state government shutdown is set to begin Friday if there's no budget agreement in place.

Talks end quickly but another meeting scheduled for tomorrow

Posted at 4:34 PM on June 27, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders plan to meet again tomorrow to talk about the state budget. The two sides met privately for about 45 minutes today but revealed little about what was said behind closed doors. Dayton said keeping their negotiations private helps the two sides have an open dialogue. But Dayton wouldn't predict if a government shutdown can be averted by Friday's deadline.

"Either one is possible," Dayton said. "We will or we won't. I'm not going to lay odds on it but those are the two possibilities. We're committed to doing everything possible with these negotiations to avoid a shutdown."

Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers says the two sides were focusing on key budget areas like education, health care, transportation and public safety.

"We're talking about the exact same things we have been talking about," Zellers said. "Because this is a very different legislative makeup, because there are tough economic times, these are difficult budget items to work through so it's taking us a little bit longer. I think most Minnesotans would say 'Do it right. Get it right the first time and if it takes a little bit longer it's worth the while because these are such tough times."

Dayton and Republicans differ over the best way to balance the state's budget. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to help erase a $5 billion budget deficit. Republicans say the deficit can be erased entirely through spending cuts. State government will shut down on Friday if the two sides fail to reach a budget deal.

Dayton and legislative leaders are scheduled to meet again tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock.

Budget meeting scheduled for 3pm

Posted at 1:52 PM on June 27, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are scheduled to meet privately at 3pm to discuss their differences on the state budget. It would be the fourth straight day that the two sides have met. They abruptly ended their meeting on Sunday after meeting for just over an hour.

State government would shut down on Friday if Dayton and GOP legislative leaders fail to reach a budget deal by Friday.

Judge considers whether wheels of justice should shut down

Posted at 12:56 PM on June 27, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

All sides in the shutdown case presented arguments in Ramsey District Court in St. Paul on Monday, June 27, 2011. After the hearing, Frederick Knaak (second from right) talked strategy with the intervening Minnesota State Sens. Sean Neinow, Scott Newman and Roger Chamberlain. (Photo by Richard Sennott/Star Tribune, pool)

A judge is considering whether the state's judicial system should continue to be funded in the event of a government shutdown.

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson is asking the courts to continue funding for the judicial system if Gov. Mark Dayton and the Republican controlled Legislature fail to reach a budget deal by Friday. During a hearing in Ramsey County court today, Deputy Attorney General Nate Brennaman said failing to keep the courts running would jeopardize the constitutional right to a speedy trial, endanger people's right to have lawyers and fail to make sure children are protected from abuse and violence.

"Without a functioning court system, Minnesotans constitutional rights would not be afforded," Brennman said. "The courts are the forum and the protector of Minnesotans constitutional rights."

Dayton and the Board of Public Defense support continued court funding.

But Fritz Knaak, an attorney representing four Republican senators argued that funding the courts without legislative authorization is unconstitutional.

"Let me be that quiet voice in the middle of all of the rancor of need, need, need, need and necessity and everything else that everyone knows in state government needs to do, that quiet voice that says, 'you can't. The constitution doesn't allow it. There must be an appropriation.' "

Knaak's comments were quickly rebuked by the other attorneys in the case.

"With respect to Mr. Knaak's quiet voice," Christopher Madel said. "I'll raise him the loud voice of the U.S. Supreme Court in Gideon vs. Wainwright."

That's the case that guarantees people accused of crimes who can't afford lawyers the right to counsel.

Madel, who is representing the Board of Public Defense said he can't believe the four senators are arguing the courts should not continue to be funded.

"Are we really saying that we're going to stop paying you and public defenders in this state and let these people go into a jail without any right to counsel and without any opportunity to get out and have a fair hearing in the courts?"

Knaak says the only remedy is for the governor to call the Legislature back into special session to act on the budget bills. Dayton says he won't call a special session until there's agreement on a total budget.

Dayton and the Legislature are at odds over the best way to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners. Republicans say the deficit can be erased through spending cuts.

Judge Bruce Christopherson, a retired judge from Granite Falls, is taking the request under advisement.

"I do understand that promptness is important," Christopherson told the court. "But correctness is essential."

Christopherson is hearing the case because Ramsey County Judge Kathleen Gearin recused herself due to a possible conflict of interest.

You can listen to the hearing in two parts.

Part 1: Listen
Part 2: Listen

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Sunday budget talks end without explanation

Posted at 3:54 PM on June 26, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Negotiations between Gov. Dayton and GOP leaders abruptly ended this afternoon, about an hour and 15 minutes after the Sunday session began.

Both sides characterized the Friday and Saturday discussions as productive, but they also agreed to not comment publicly about any of the specifics they were talking about behind closed doors. That stance continued as the the talks ended for the day without explanation. Dayton, House Speaker Kurt Zellers and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch avoided reporters by exiting the meeting through a back door.

Spokespersons for the House, Senate and governor's office were left trying to explain the situation with little information.

"Legislative leaders are going to be here today working, working and talking with respective staff and committee chairs, but I can't speak to any upcoming scheduled meetings with the governor," said Michael Brodkorb, spokesman for the Senate GOP.

Asked if the negotiations broke up unexpectedly, Brodkorb said he hadn't been told that.

The governor's staff was also in the dark.

"I can't tell you anything right now, but I'll see what I can find out and let you know," said Dayton press secretary Katharine Tinucci.

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Sunday budget talks under way

Posted at 2:41 PM on June 26, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders are meeting behind closed doors for a third straight day, trying to reach a budget agreement that would avoid a state government shutdown.

State services will begin shutting down Friday, unless lawmakers reach a deal or if the court intervenes. A Ramsey County judge could rule in the next few days whether some essential services should continue during a shutdown. Dayton and GOP leaders have said they won't comment publicly about specifics while the negotiations continue. On his way to the latest meeting, Dayton stayed true to that pledge.

"I'm always optimistic, hopeful, Dayton said. "We'll see, but yes. I hope we can make the kind of progress we've made the past two days."

House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, and Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, made no comments at all. They avoided reporters by entering the meeting through a backdoor.

Dayton and GOP leaders to meet for 3rd straight day

Posted at 6:04 PM on June 25, 2011 by Tom Scheck (5 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are planning to meet behind closed doors Sunday afternoon for a third straight day of budget talks. The two sides met privately for nearly eight hours on Saturday (Read a write-thru of the story here). Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are trying to break an impasse over a two year budget plan. The two sides also agreed to keep the talks private and it's unclear if they're any closer to reaching a budget deal.

"Our agreement that we would not discuss any of the details of our discussions is really crucial to our ability to build the trust necessary to really exchange candid ideas and talk things over," Dayton said. "There's a purpose for this reticence to talk about details because it's serving, in my view very constructively, the intent that we all have."

Dayton and the Republican-controlled Legislature must reach a budget deal by Friday or state government would shut down on that day if they fail to resolve their differences.

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Progress....

Posted at 4:31 PM on June 25, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Definition of PROGRESS

1a (1) : a royal journey marked by pomp and pageant (2) : a state procession b : a tour or circuit made by an official (as a judge) c : an expedition, journey, or march through a region
2: a forward or onward movement (as to an objective or to a goal) : advance
3: gradual betterment; especially : the progressive development of humankind

Progress is a word we're hearing a lot today as Gov. Dayton and Republican lawmakers continue to meet behind closed doors.

"Continuing to make progress," Dayton told reporters during one of the breaks in meetings.

"It's the best progress so far," Rep. Jim Abeler, R-Anoka, told reporters after he left a meeting. Abeler chairs the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee.

The only problem is it's difficult to decipher what that means. Dayton and GOP leaders are maintaining radio silence and are saying very little about the status of negotiations.

Today's discussions focused on Health and Human Services, Higher Education, the Environment and Energy and Taxes.

This is the second straight day that Dayton and lawmakers are meeting behind closed doors.

The stakes for these talks are huge. The two sides have six days to reach a budget deal. If they fail, state government will shut down. Thousands of state employees will be laid off, state amenities like parks will close and the status of many state services will be up to a Ramsey County Judge.

Dayton and Republicans are $1.8 billion apart on reaching a budget deal. Dayton is aiming to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit through a mix of spending cuts, a K12 accounting shift and an income tax increase on Minnesota's top earners. Republicans say they can erase the budget deficit by relying on the accounting shift and spending cuts.

It appears that some lawmakers are expecting to keep working early next week. Abeler said negotiations on Health and Human Services were done for the day. He said he expected talks to resume on that budget area on Monday.

"We have a considerable road trip ahead of us," Abeler said.

He declined to discuss what were the main issues discussed in the meetings.

No word on how long talks will continue today or if the two sides intend to meet tomorrow. Meetings wrapped up today. They will meet again tomorrow at 2pm.

Saturday budget talks underway

Posted at 10:17 AM on June 25, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders are back behind closed doors this morning for daylong negotiations aimed at avoiding a state government shutdown on July 1.

They spent about seven hours in private meetings Friday, and afterwards described the talks as productive. The top lawmakers said they would not offer any specifics on the negotiations until there was a resolution, and they stayed true to that pledge today as they entered the meeting room.

Dayton had little to say when asked for any words of wisdom.

"I'm waiting for the wisdom to eminate in the room," Dayton said. "I wouldn't want to squander any wisdom, since it's so scarce, before I get in there. I'm looking forward to a good day. We had a good day yesterday I'm very hopeful we'll have a good day today."

House Speaker Kurt Zellers, R-Maple Grove, offered a similarly guarded assessment.

"We have another productive day of going through spreadsheets, comparing budget items, what we've done before," Zellers said.

Zellers said he expected the talks today to focus on environment, health and human services, higher education and taxes. He also said he remained upbeat about avoiding a shutdown.

"I've remained optimistic that we don't need a government shutdown from the very beginning, that we can get done with this. But we continue to be positive, we continue to be optimistic, we continue to work hard at this, and we'll do it again today."

In addition to Dayton and Zellers, the meeting participants are Senate GOP Majority Leader Amy Koch, Deputy Senate GOP Majority Leader Geoff Michel, House GOP Majority Leader Matt Dean, House Ways and Means chair Mary Liz Holberg, Senate DFL Minority Leader Tom Bakk, House DFL Minority Leader Paul Thissen and management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter.

Dayton and GOP leaders call today's budget talks 'productive'

Posted at 6:40 PM on June 24, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton and GOP legislative leaders intend to continue budget negotiations tomorrow with the hope of averting a state government shutdown next Friday. The two sides wrapped up an all-day round of private budget meetings today.

"We made progress," GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch said to reporters during a brief news conference.

The two sides met privately in a conference room outside of the Speaker Office in the State Office Building. The chairs of the respective committees shuffled in and out of meetings that featured Koch, Assistant Senate Majority Leader Geoff Michel, GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers, House Majority Leader Matt Dean and House Ways and Means Chair Mary Liz Holberg. Gov. Dayton was flanked by Management and Budget Commissioner Jim Schowalter, DFL House Minority Leader Paul Thissen and DFL Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk.

Dayton and the GOP controlled Legislature disagree over the best way to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Dayton wants to increase taxes on top earners. Republicans say the shortfall can be erased through spending cuts.

Neither side offered specifics on the discussions but Dayton called it a constructive day.

"We've run through a number of expenditure bills," Dayton said. "We've come to agreement on considerable parts of them. We've had areas of disagreement on parts of them. We have areas of disagreement that we'll go back to but it was a very worthwhile day but I feel good about the rapport we've established, the civility that prevailed and the results that we've achieved."

Dayton and GOP leaders declined to say if they reached agreement on a total budget amount. Zellers and Koch said they talked mostly about State Government Finance, K12, Transportation, Public Safety and the Courts and Jobs and Economic Development in today's meetings. They say they'll talk about those bills along with Taxes, Health and Human Services, Environment and Higher Education tomorrow.

Dayton was careful to note that they haven't reached agreement on any individual budget bills.

Zellers said Governor Dayton and Republican leaders both want to reach a deal.

"We've gone through spreadsheets. We took out highlighters," Zellers said. "It was a very productive day. We covered a lot of issue areas in the time that we were in there. I share the governor's sentiment."

Dayton and lawmakers are bumping against a July first deadline. State government will shut down if Dayton and lawmakers don't reach a budget deal.

There have been a few signals that the two sides are making progress in reaching a deal. They held a news conference together instead of separately. They have also declined to discuss budget specifics with the press and dropped their respective talking points during their brief comments to the media. But Dayton signaled that they still had work to do when asked if he was optimistic that a deal can be reached by next Friday.

"I'm not confident of anything other than the sun rising," Dayton said. "We'll see what happens tomorrow."

Dayton and GOP leaders meet again tomorrow morning at 9:30.

Bachmann: Shutdown shows need for new Stillwater Bridge

Posted at 1:56 PM on June 24, 2011 by Tom Scheck (5 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann issued a news release today saying that a potential state government shutdown shows the need for a new bridge in Stillwater. State officials announced last week that the lift bridge will not be operating if state government shuts down on July 1.

Bachmann said the problem is proof a new bridge needs to be built.

"The prospect of the Stillwater Lift Bridge being locked in the 'up' position during a state government shutdown serves as another compelling reason for a new St. Croix River crossing. The bridge closure will result in more than 16,000 rerouted daily drivers experiencing increased travel times that will raise the cost of their daily commute.

"The 80-year-old lift bridge has been in need of replacement for decades, and we are now closer than ever to a new crossing. This spring I introduced a bipartisan bill in the House, and Senator Amy Klobuchar (MN) introduced a similar bill with bipartisan support in the Senate, that would allow the river crossing project to move forward. I urge my colleagues to give these bills immediate attention. Once a new bridge exists, the Minnesota and Wisconsin residents who frequently cross the river will not have to worry about the impact that operational delays of the lift bridge will have on their daily commute."

Bachmann also said federal law requires lift bridges to remain open if no operator is available.

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Budget talks continue but sides say 'Shhhh!'

Posted at 11:55 AM on June 24, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

From MPR's Tim Pugmire:

DFL Governor Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders say they're committed to lengthy negotiations over the next two days to try to reach a budget deal and avoid a government shutdown.

That potential shutdown is now just one week away. After an initial discussion this morning, both sides emerged from Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers' office and announced they would not comment on specifics during the course of negotiations. Dayton said the format of the talks is a work in progress.

"We're not constrained to any particular format," Dayton said. "We'll see what's effective. Again, I think we've agreed among ourselves we'll get more done more effectively if we say okay, we're not going to comment on the particulars until we have a result."

Speaker Zellers said he planned to work hard and quickly. But he said he would also keep negotiating beyond Saturday if necessary.

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Judge mulls looming shutdown

Posted at 6:16 PM on June 23, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Ramsey County Judge Kathleen Gearin is considering whether she should rule that some areas of spending should continue if state government shuts down on July 1st. Attorney General Lori Swanson is asking Gearin to continue funding after a shutdown for critical services like prison guards, the state patrol and subsidized health insurance. Gearin said repeatedly during a court hearing today that she was uncomfortable wading into a dispute between Gov. Dayton and the Legislature and urged the two sides to get a deal done.

"I wouldn't want to be in the Legislature. I wouldn't want to be governor," Gearin said at the end of the hearing. "They've got a tough task. We have hard economic times. We have all kinds of social issues that are extemely complex and becoming more complex. I want to say this respectfully but it feels sometimes like almost a game of chicken."

Swanson is seeking court-ordered funding in case Dayton and Republican legislative leaders can't reach agreement on a new budget by July 1st. During her presentation, Swanson cited constitutional requirements for government to protect health and safety. She specifically highlighted state government services for the mentally ill, veterans and the state patrol. Swanson said a court order is a fiscal necessity.

"We're eight days away from the end of this biennium," Swanson said. "Absent resolution of the budget impasse in the next eight days state government will shut down. A government shutdown without a court order will violate the constitutional protections guaranteed to Minnesota citizens."

Attorney David Lillehaug, who is representing Dayton in the case, told Gearin that the governor is prepared to take action on his own if necessary to keep essential services running.

"He will act not based on his priorities," Lillehaug said. "But on what he understands to be critical services that are necessary to protect the life and safety of the people of Minnesota. So he will execute his constitutional responsibilities, and as of now, he's not asking a court for approval of that."

Earlier in the day, Judge Kathleen Gearin rejected Dayton's request for court-ordered mediation in the state budget dispute. She also rejected a petition from four Republican state Senators to intervene in the case.

The hearing last the entire day. Judge Gearin allowed the afternoon session to be recorded for broadcast. Here are the two afternoon portions of the hearing.

Hearing 1: Listen

Hearing 2: Listen

GOP lawmakers planning daylong budget meetings for Friday and Saturday

Posted at 6:15 PM on June 22, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

A private meeting between Governor Dayton and GOP legislative leaders today resulted in little progress on an overall budget deal. The two sides have eight days to reach a deal or state government will shut down. Republican legislative leaders repeated their call on Dayton to call the Legislature back into a special session so they can work on the budget. GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch says Republicans also plan to hold marathon meetings with Governor Dayton this weekend.

"We can solve this budget," Koch said. "In certain areas, we're incredibly close. In certain areas, we're a littler further away but we need to get down and dig into these bills. That will be the agenda for Friday and Saturday."

Dayton said he doesn't think agreements are close on any of the bills, and he doesn't want to isolate any of the budget bills until there's a global agreement and an overall spending target.

MN Supreme Court dismisses suit filed by four MN Senators

Posted at 4:01 PM on June 22, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota Supreme Court has dismissed a suit by four Minnesota Senators that said a lower court judge doesn't have the authority to authorize spending if a state shutdown occurs. Republican Senators Warren Limmer, Scott Newman, Sean Nienow and Roger Chamberlain filed the petition in the Minnesota Supreme Court last Friday. The court ruled today it didn't hold jurisdiction over the matter but didn't dismiss the challenge on its merits:

"We conclude based on the record before us that the petition does not satisfy the standards we have established for the exercise of our original jurisdiction over a petition for a writ of quo warranto. See Rice v. Connolly, 488 N.W.2d 241, 244 (Minn. 1992) ("While this court retains its original jurisdiction pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 480.04 (1990), we today signal our future intention to exercise that discretion in only the most exigent of circumstances."). Accordingly, we dismiss the petition without prejudice."

The four senators still have an avenue to win their case. Attorneys representing the group have also filed a challenge in Ramsey County District Court. Ramsey County Judge Kathleen Gearin is scheduled to hold a hearing on what services should continue if state government shuts down.

Attorney General Lori Swanson and Governor Mark Dayton are asking the judge to decide which services are essential. They also argue that Gearin has the authority to authorize spending. Here's the order issued by the Minnesota Supreme Court:

Order - Dismiss - Not Stipulated Entire Case1

Dayton says GOP budget stance not responsible

Posted at 12:46 PM on June 22, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (13 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton says he doesn't want to see a state government shutdown on July 1, but he's still unwilling to accept a Republican budget that makes deep spending cuts.

In advance of a scheduled meeting with GOP legislative leaders, Dayton held a news conference today to highlight what he sees as the consequences of their proposed cuts. His list included college tuition hikes, local property tax increases and reductions in subsidized health care. Dayton said Republicans' continued opposition to tax increases or spending beyond $34 billion is "not responsible."

"We could negotiate this within a day," Dayton said. "But what's stopping it is their insistence that it be $34 billion, not a penny more. Everything else just gets thrown under the bus, including the lives of Minnesotans."

Senate Deputy Majority Leader Geoff Michel, R-Edina, said he thinks Dayton is feeling public pressure about the looming shutdown. Michel said he's convinced the public doesn't want any more spending.

Here's Michel's opening comments (Note: a protester with The Welfare Rights Committee interrupted the event):

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On second thought, Dayton says provider payments "essential"

Posted at 4:55 PM on June 20, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)
Filed under: Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton announced today that he'll make a supplemental court filing to include payments to health care providers in the list of critical services that he thinks should continue during a shutdown. He'll also ask the court to allow newly eligible individuals to enroll in health and economic assistance programs.

Dayton's original filing last week noted that benefits to individuals in those programs are critical, but it did not include provider payments necessary to support the services.

"After consultation with seniors and other vulnerable Minnesotans served by our programs, we recognize the lack of assured provider payments could indeed lead to life threatening situations," Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson wrote in a news release. "The Governor's legal filing and contingency plans will be refined to reflect this."

The programs covered by Dayton's announcement include Medicaid (Medical Assistance), MFIP/DWP, General Assistance, Minnesota Supplemental Aid, Refugee Cash Assistance, Group Residential Housing, MinnesotaCare, Food Support, Minnesota Food Assistance Program, and Adoption Assistance.

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No budget talks, just finger pointing

Posted at 11:30 AM on June 20, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (8 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republican legislative leaders say that they're the ones who've compromised on the budget and DFL Governor Mark Dayton has not.

With 10 days until a potential state government shutdown, GOP leaders held a news conference today to call on Dayton to resume negotiations with a new, substantial budget offer. House and Senate leaders argue that Dayton's most recent offer, which reduced his proposed tax increase on top earners by half, did not include sufficient details. Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina said he thinks Dayton is sprinting toward a shutdown.

"July 1 doesn't look like it's an important deadline to Gov. Dayton," Michel said. "July 1 does not look like it's an important deadline. It's an important deadline to us. We do not believe in a shutdown, We're not using some kind of raw political power move to shut down the government. That's on him."

Last week, Dayton described the latest GOP budget offer as "extremely disappointing," because it didn't budge from $34 billion in spending for the next two years.

UPDATE

Gov. Dayton Gov. Dayton's press secretary Katharine Tinucci reposnded to the Republican news conference by issuing a news release:

"Today, the Republican legislative majorities showed themselves to be completely out of touch with reality. Everyone knows that over a month ago, the Governor offered to compromise and to meet the GOP half-way between their two budgets. Everyone knows that it's the Republicans, who have refused to budge from their position. Everyone knows that it was the Governor who proposed a mediator to facilitate serious compromise, and that the Republican leaders refused.

Their unwillingness to compromise is a source of increasing frustration for us, and for every Minnesotan who will hurt under their all-cuts budget.

Today the Regents at the University of Minnesota are voting on a budget, which will increase tuitions by hundreds of dollars per student, as a direct result of the legislature's 19% cut to the U. That's real money out of the pockets of young Minnesotans and their families - Minnesotans who wouldn't pay a dime of new income taxes under the Governor's plan. It's an example of what is at stake in these budget negotiations.

It is the Governor's hope that Republican legislative leaders will listen to their constituents and finally offer a fair and balanced compromise proposal."

Dayton also sent this letter to GOP legislative leaders today:

6-20-11letter to Koch Zellers

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Koch won't take pay if government shuts down

Posted at 5:49 PM on June 18, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

From MPR's Rupa Shenoy:

GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch is the latest leader in state government to say she won't take a salary during a potential state government shutdown.

Koch announced via her spokesman, Michael Brodkorb, that she won't accept pay if government shuts down on July 1.

He says senators only get paid once a month -- and those choosing to take a salary during a state government shutdown will receive paychecks in July, but not afterward.

Brodkorb says senators are making individual decisions about whether to get paid but said Koch won't take any pay.

"She's not going to take any legislative salary or per diem if there is a shutdown," Brodkorb said. "She's had the option to take per diem since the end of session and she hasn't. And she's not going to be taking any legislative compensation if there is a shutdown."

Brodkorb says Senate staff will paid through July 8 in the event of a shutdown but a majority of the staff will be furloughed after that.

Gov. Dayton issued a statement earlier today saying he thinks "it would be terribly wrong" for himself and Republicans to get paid while state employees go without paychecks.

Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are still at an impasse over the best way to craft a two-year budget. State government will shut down if they don't reach a budget deal by July 1.

Dayton: I won't take salary if government shuts down

Posted at 3:13 PM on June 18, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton announced today that he won't take a salary if there's a state government shutdown on July 1. He's also calling on the Legislature to follow his lead.

"In the event of a state government shutdown, which I remain committed to doing everything possible to avoid, I think it would be terribly wrong for those of us responsible for it, the Republican legislators and myself, to receive our salaries while thousands of dedicated state employees have lost theirs."

As many as 36,000 state employees will be laid off if Dayton and GOP legislative leaders fail to reach a budget deal by July 1. Dayton's announcement comes after the Star Tribune reported that they informed lawmakers and staff that they aim to keep paying them even if state government shuts down.

Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are at odds over the best way to balance the state's budget. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to erase part of a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Republicans say the deficit can be erased through spending cuts.

Courts to court: Keep us open

Posted at 10:50 AM on June 17, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson and the Minnesota Judicial Branch are petitioning Ramsey County District Court Judge Kathleen Gearin to issue an order keeping Minnesota's court system operating if state government shuts down.

The petition says the separation of powers doctrine requires the state of Minnesota to pay for court services. The petition asks the judge to require Minnesota Management and Budget to pay for such obligations if there's a state government shut down on July 1.

Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Lorie Gildea released this statement on the petition.

"We take this action today because we believe it is in the best interests of the people we serve, the five million Minnesotans who are guaranteed access to justice that is delivered promptly and without delay," Gildea said in a statement. "I want to emphasize that we are requesting court action only in the event our budget situation is not resolved by July 1 through an appropriation, which is our preferred resolution."

This is the third petition submitted to Gearin. Swanson submitted a petition earlier this week to keep some executive branch services running if a shutdown occurred. Governor Dayton submitted his own petition earlier this week.

Gearin will hold a hearing next Thursday on the request.

State government will shut down if Dayton and GOP legislative leaders fail to reach a budget compromise by July 1.

Here's the petition:

Judicial Petition

Plans set for Scheid memorial

Posted at 4:35 PM on June 16, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Memorial services for Sen. Linda Scheid, DFL-Brooklyn Park, will be held on Tuesday, June 28 at the Brooklyn Park Community Activity Center from 4-8 p.m.

Scheid's son, Scott Scheid, says the service is open to the public and there will be food and beverage provided by Surly Brewing. Scheid was the author of the the so-called Surly bill that allowed breweries to sell their own beer at tap rooms. Governor Dayton signed the bill into law last month.

Scheid passed away yesterday afternoon after a six-year battle with ovarian cancer. She was 68.

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Dayton calls GOP offer a "non-proposal" and disappointing

Posted at 4:20 PM on June 16, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton quickly dismissed a GOP budget offer that was given to him this afternoon. The plan eliminates the tax cuts in their budget and dedicates that money to state services like K12 schools, the environment, public safety and higher education. The proposal doesn't rely on new revenue which Dayton said was a "disappointment."

Dayton he was expecting a "major offer" from Republicans and said this wasn't it.

"it's just rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic," Dayton said. "They're just keep us headed to the iceberg that is the July first shutdown and their not willing to deviate one inch from their course and it just doesn't add up."

Dayton said he needed to think about it when asked what the next step in how he'll proceed with budget negotiations.

The two sides are at odds over the best way to balance the state's two year budget. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to erase the $5 billiion projected budget deficit. Republicans say they would prefer to erase the deficit through spending cuts.

State government will shut down on July 1 if two sides fail to reach a budget deal.

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GOP makes budget offer

Posted at 3:26 PM on June 16, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Republicans in the Minnesota House and Senate are offering to drop their proposal to cut taxes if Governor Dayton drops his proposal to raise them. GOP legislative leaders presented Dayton with a budget offer today that cancels the $200 million in tax cuts in their plan and directs the money to funding for schools, public safety, the environment and other programs. Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers called the offer significant and hopes Dayton will present his own offer.

"We have withdrawn our request for tax cuts," Zellers said. "We ask him to withdraw his request for tax increases. This is something that we not only ran on but our members feel significant about. This is a major compromise building on our offer."

Zellers says the proposal does not increase revenue in their overall budget plan, which Dayton says is necessary to reach a budget deal.

Dayton quickly rejected the offer saying it was a disappointment.

The two sides are at an impasse as the clock ticks towards a state government shutdown. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to help erase the state's $5 billion projected budget deficit. Republicans say they can do it through spending cuts. State government will shut down on July 1st if they fail to reach a budget deal.

Here'e the offer:

June16LegOffer_5

GOP lawmakers want special session to fund road work

Posted at 2:41 PM on June 16, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The chairs of the House and Senate Transportation Finance Committees are calling on Gov. Dayton to call a special session so the Legislature can pass a funding bill that would keep MnDOT workers on the job and ensure that road construction projects continue.

Rep. Mike Beard, R-Shakopee, and Sen. Joe Gimse, R-Willmar, say they intend to visit every MnDOT district headquarters plus other construction and infrastructure sites over the next eight days.

They note that most of the money in the transportation budget is money that has to be spent on roads, bridges and transit projects. The funds are generated by the gas tax, license tab fees and the motor vehicle sales tax. They say a state government shutdown on July 1 would force contractors to shutter road construction projects because MnDOT employees would no longer be working to approve permits and other matters.

"We have typically six or seven months in order to accomplish what other states have all year to accomplish," Gimse said. "We can't afford to have our MnDOT employees and our contractors sit on the sideline at this critical time."

Gimse and Beard say they want Dayton to call a special session so the Legislature can quickly pass a $4.6 billion budget bill that spends the dedicated money for transportation projects. They say those funds have nothing to do with the general fund budget. Republicans also say the funding dispute over transit projects can continue to be worked out in much broader budget negotiations.

"Sign this bill and you have our word that when you reach a global agreement we'll put more money in the transit operations," Beard said. He said transit advocates have been reluctant to separate road funding from transit projects.

Dayton has been highly critical of Republican lawmakers for proposing a budget that cuts funding for transit. He says that would result in increased fares and a possible end to some transit lines.

A spokeswoman for Dayton said the governor does not intend to call a special session over transportation issues. She pointed to his repeated comments that he won't call a special session until there is agreement on a total budget deal.

Dayton has submitted a petition to Ramsey County District Court requesting a judge to continue core services. The list did not include road construction. Several Republicans argue Dayton's proposal is geared towards building pressure on Republican lawmakers to reach a budget deal with him.

"What the governor's plan seems to me is that he wants to inflict maximum gain pain for political gain," Sen. Al DeKruif, R-Madison Lake, said.

Dayton has said his petition is not based on the projects he wants to fund but the projects that he thinks have to keep operating even if a shutdown occurs.

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Sen. Hann criticizes archbishop for endorsing "socialist fiction"

Posted at 12:20 PM on June 16, 2011 by Tom Scheck (39 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Sen. David Hann, R-Eden Prairie, is criticizing Saint Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop John Nienstedt for calling on Gov. Mark Dayton and the GOP-controlled Legislature to "not rely on disproportionate cuts in essential services to those living in poverty."

In a letter to Dayton, Nienstedt said "increasing the depth and breadth of poverty is bad fiscal policy and bad economic policy."

Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are at an impasse over the best way to craft a two year budget. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to erase part of a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Republicans say the deficit can be erased without a tax increase.

In a letter dated June 10, Hann took offense with Nienstedt's letter (Hann's letter and Nienstedt's full letters are below).

"I was extremely disappointed to learn you endorse the socialist fiction that it is a moral necessity to take the property of the "wealthy" under the assumption that those resources are better used by politicians and bureaucrats than by the individuals who earn them. You speak of hopes the governor will create justice by adopting a budget that "does not rely on disproportionate cuts in essential services." Although not said explicitly, I take your statement to mean the proposed legislative budget does that."

Hann goes on to defend the GOP budget plan as being the largest in the state's history and he writes that it spends more on K-12 education and health and human services programs than the current two year budget.

"I take offense at the description the legislative budget proposal as, "increasing the depth and breadth of poverty." For you to do so in akin to me suggesting the Church favors abortion and same sex marriage because you support a governor who has made these issues a central part of his "moral" calculus."

"Certainly we need to be charitable to the neediest among us. Are government programs charitable? Is a pathway to human dignity found in creating dependence on government and suggesting to people that their lives would be better but for the "greedy rich" not being willing to pay their fair share?"

Hann concluded his letter by quoting Catholic theologian R.R. Reno who said, "A Christian who hopes to follow the teachings of Jesus needs to reckon with a singular fact about American poverty: Its deepest and most debilitating deficits are moral, not financial: the most serious deprivations are cultural not economic."

"It would seem to me the Church has a large task in correcting the moral deficits of our citizens," Hann wrote. "Telling people they have the moral claim on someone else's property is wrong and certainly doesn't help in that work. What the Legislature has tried to do is what you, and every individual and organization in the state tries to do: Do the best we can with what we have."

Hann has not returned a call to MPR News to talk more about his letter.

Update: Hann, who is not Catholic, told MPR News that he stands by his letter.

"They do many many good things," Hann said. "They have taken a position on the marriage issue (the Catholic Church supports a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage) and I support that. They have taken a position on abortion, which I think is right, and I support that but on the issue of the morality of imposing higher taxes to allow government to spend money, I think they have that wrong. I felt an obligation to point that out...

Hann said he has not spoken with the archbishop about his letter but said he is willing to talk with him or anyone else on his staff.

Here's Hann's full letter:

57779569 Hann Nienstedt Response 1

Here's Nienstedt's letter:

20110609125833438

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Senate ready to intervene in shutdown lawsuit

Posted at 11:38 AM on June 16, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

A Minnesota Senate panel has approved a resolution allowing the full body to join a government-shutdown lawsuit.

Republican members of the Senate Rules Committee authorized the legal intervention today on a 6 to 3, party line vote. The resolution follows separate petitions filed earlier this week by Governor Mark Dayton and Attorney General Lori Swanson seeking temporary funding for core government services. Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, said she prefers negotiating a budget agreement, but she said the procedural move gives the Senate some options.

"The situation frankly I mean is changing every day," Koch said. "I wanted to ensure that there was at least an option for the Senate to have a seat at the table, an just to preserve the interests of the Senate."

Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk, DFL-Cook, said he couldn't support the resolution because its doesn't outline a Senate position on the litigation.

Tributes pour in for Sen. Scheid

Posted at 10:46 PM on June 15, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Sen. Linda Scheid, DFL-Brooklyn Park, died this afternoon. Her son, Scott, told MPR News that Scheid slipped away this afternoon. Scheid entered hospice care last month after a six-year fight with ovarian cancer. MPR and the Star Tribune have looks at Scheid's career and life.

Family and friends have been posting tributes on Scheid's Caring Bridge site and her Facebook page.

Several others have issued statements to the press.

Gov. Dayton issued this statement:

"I deeply regret the passing of my good friend, Senator Linda Scheid. Linda and I served together in state government during three different decades. She was smart, hard-working, and independent. Linda always did what she believed was right and what was best for the people she served. She will be missed by all of us."

GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch posted this statement on her Twitter page when she learned of Scheid's death:

Senator Linda Scheid will be greatly missed. Prayers for her family.

DFL Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk released this statement:

"Linda was a good friend, a trusted colleague and a dedicated public servant. Her passing is a tremendous loss for the Senate and our state.

While we mourn her passing, it's important that we celebrate and recognize Linda's tremendous career, as well as the difference she made in the lives of so many Minnesotans. Linda was an inspiration to many both inside and out of the Capitol, and will be remembered for her strength, her passion, her independence and her commitment to doing what was best for the people of Minnesota."

DFL Party Chair Ken Martin also released this statement:

"Today, the DFL Party lost one of our strongest leaders, whose service has improved our state for decades. Sen. Scheid dedicated her career to helping young Minnesotans, and touched countless lives. She will be missed.

"Sen. Scheid was a leader on education, fighting to provide a quality public education to our state's children and young adults. She fought for fair elections, and consistently stood up for small businesses to boost our state economy. She had a stalwart commitment to equality and justice and a personal touch that helped not only her constituents, but Minnesotans around the state.

"Linda has been a role model for women in politics and a model for all people looking to make a difference in their communities. Her selfless and tireless approach to governing - focusing on giving back and serving others - set a standard for all who choose a life in government. And her sense of humor and personality will be remembered by all who knew her. On behalf of the DFL Party, I offer our condolences to her family and our gratitude to Linda for her years of service."

Dayton: Temporary shutdown better than GOP budget plan

Posted at 6:14 PM on June 15, 2011 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Dayton takes questions from reporters:

Gov. Dayton says he's putting forward a list of state services that he thinks should continue if state government shuts down on July first. The governor is petitioning a Ramsey County District Court Judge to continue services like the state's prisons, the state patrol and veterans homes.

State government would shut down if Dayton and GOP legislative leaders fail to reach a budget deal by July first. Dayton said he's still optimistic that a budget deal can get done but insisted that a temporary shutdown is better than the Republican budget plan that cuts funding for higher education, mass transit and health care programs.

"They're better served by a temporary one for hopefully a very limited period of time than they would be over the next two years through the catastrophic cuts in so many areas," Dayton said.

Dayton met privately with GOP legislative leaders for thirty minutes today and both sides agreed to meet again tomorrow. The two sides are $1.8 billion apart on a budget deal. Dayton is proposing to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to erase the state's $5 billion projected budget deficit. Republicans say they can balance the budget through spending cuts.

GOP legislative leaders asked Dayton to meet extensively over the next ten days on the budget. They said they planned to exchange detailed proposals in spreadsheet form. They said they'll put forward the first proposal but declined to say whether it would have new numbers in it.

Here's the letter GOP Speaker Kurt Zellers and GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch sent to Dayton.

KochZellersLettertoDaytonJune15

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Republicans react to Dayton shutdown petition

Posted at 1:20 PM on June 15, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (3 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

GOP news conference from tommy scheck on Vimeo.

Republican leaders in the House and Senate say Gov. Mark Dayton's request to keep some state services running in case of a government shutdown is a political document.

Dayton asked a judge today to preserve critical services during a shutdown, such as like state prisons, security hospitals, the state patrol and assistance for low income people. During a news conference, House Majority Leader Matt Dean, R-Dellwood, said he was disappointed that construction projects, some health care funding and payments to schools would not continue under Dayton's plan.

"He's proposing not paying schools," Dean said. "Health care, he's proposing not paying providers. Transportation. He's proposing that we don't pay for projects. In 2005, Gov. Pawlenty said these were essential services and we need to keep paying these folks. Obviously this is politics. It's unforgivable and we need to prevent it."

Republicans also criticized Dayton for what they viewed as putting more time into shutdown planning than trying to resolve the budget stalemate. The two sides were scheduled to hold a private meeting on the budget this afternoon.

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Dayton files shutdown petition, requests budget mediation

Posted at 9:53 AM on June 15, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton filed court papers today that are aimed at keeping some state services functioning during a government shutdown.

Dayton filed a petition in Ramsey County District Court outlining the government functions that he views as essential. The long list of recommendations include prisons, state troopers, emergency highway repair and programs for the poor, elderly and disabled.

In a news release, Dayton said he submitted the list with a "heavy heart." He indicated that the services he left off his list should not continue during a shutdown.

"My decisions were not based upon personal preferences or policy considerations, Dayton wrote. "Rather, they were instructed by the words of the Minnesota Constitution, which I took an oath of office to uphold, and ensuing case law. Agency heads, their staffs, and the staff at the MN Department of Management and Budget and the Governor's Office have spent many hours developing these recommendations."

Dayton's court documents also ask a judge to to appoint a mediator to oversee budget negotiations between himself and Republican legislative leaders. He recommended former Minnesota Supreme Court Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz for that role.

A shutdown would begin July 1 if the governor and Legislature don't reach a budget agreement. But a judge could order the continuation of essential services. Attorney General Lori Swanson filed similar paperwork earlier in the week.

Here's the governor's list:
Governor Ag Response

Dayton to file shutdown plan on Wednesday

Posted at 5:38 PM on June 14, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Dayton's spokeswoman Katharine Tinucci says Dayton will file a petition with Ramsey County District Court on Wednesday that outlines what state services Dayton thinks should continue if the government shuts down on July 1. The filing will be the next step in the process of planning for a state shutdown.

The Department of Human Services notified more than 600,000 low income Minnesotans that state subsidized health insurance coverage, cash assistance, food support and child care assistance may be discontinued on July 1. The state also sent 36,000 layoff notices to state employees last week.

Dayton told reporters this afternoon that he's hoping he can reach a budget deal with GOP legislative leaders in time to avoid a shutdown but said the public has to weigh in if they're worried about a shutdown in services.

"There are going to be an enormous amount of very, very serious effects on many good people throughout the state," Dayton said. "This is, as I've been delving into it over the last couple of weeks, a terrible outcome for the state so it can be avoided."

Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are at odds over the best way to erase the state's $5 billion projected budget deficit. The two sides are $1.8 billion apart. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to balance the budget. Republicans say they can erase the deficit through spending cuts.

County officials, state employees and other groups are facing great uncertainty when it comes to planning for the shutdown. Beltrami County Administrator Tony Murphy says he doesn't know how what county services will continue if a shutdown occurs. He's worried that the county's 6,500 residents who receive state assistance will have questions for county staff. He said a lot of residents will overwhelm his staff.

"If they can't get those questions answered at the state and they're not used to taking their questions to state employees, they'll take those questions to county offices and county employees," Murphy said. "I think our biggest concern is that we don't really have answers to their questions. We don't really know what the plans for the state for the shutdown in any level of detail."

Murphy says he's planning to put more staff at the front counters and at the county phone banks with the hopes of handling questions from concerned residents. He said, however, that fewer employees will be able to process claims and other paperwork.

It isn't certain what services will continue if state government shuts down. Dayton's petition to the court will come just two days after Attorney General Lori Swanson filed a similar petition in court. The court is expected to act quickly on the requests since the services will be shuttered on July 1.

Ramsey County Chief Judge Kathleen Gearin told MPR News that she would not assign a judge to the case on Tuesday. She suggested it was unlikely she would take any action on the case until she receives Dayton's petition.

Republican leaders have scheduled a Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy meeting to discuss Dayton's shutdown plans on Wednesday morning.

Tinucci, with Dayton's office, says she expects Dayton to meet privately with GOP legislative leaders to discuss the budget impasse. It would be the first time the two sides would meet since last Wednesday.

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Briggs and Morgan lines up on GOP side of redistricting battle

Posted at 3:11 PM on June 14, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Campaign 2012, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Redistricting, U.S. House, U.S. Senate

Three attorneys for Briggs and Morgan have filed as "attorneys of record" for eight citizens in a redistricting case. The attorneys; former MN Supreme Court Justice Eric Magnuson, Elizabeth Brama and Michael Wilhelm, all filed the paperwork this morning to say that they would represent the eight Republican citizens who have filed lawsuits both in federal and state courts.

The Republican Party of Minnesota is working with an independent group, "Minnesotans for a Fair Redistricting," on redistricting efforts.

Magnuson said he's working on behalf of the eight clients listed in the legal filings and is willing to work on the issue in both state and federal court.

"I will work on both of them with the exception that I can't appear before the Minnesota Supreme Court," Magnuson said. "But we have other attorneys in our office that can do that." Magnuson left his position on the Minnesota Supreme Court last June. The Minnesota Supreme Court is asking former justices to wait three years before they appear before the Minnesota Supreme Court.

One of the citizens being represented by Magnuson, Gregg Peppin, said a lot of the litigation work has been coordinated by the Minnesota Republican Party and "Minnesotans for a Fair Redistricting." He said the filing indicates that Briggs and Morgan will be working with attorney Tony Trimble on redistricting efforts for Republicans in Minnesota.

"They told me they were going to get a litigator and this confirms that," Peppin said about Magnuson's filing.

Minnesota Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton confirmed that Briggs and Morgan has been hired by "Minnesotans for a Fair Redistricting" but said he or other members of the MNGOP have nothing to do with the hiring. He said former MNGOP Chair Chris Georgacus is heading "Minnesotans for a Fair Redistricting."

The decision to hire Briggs and Morgan sets up another battle of legal heavyweights. Magnuson, a former Minnesota Supreme Court Justice appointed by former Gov. Tim Pawlenty, represented the Minnesota Republican Party and Republican Tom Emmer in the 2010 gubernatorial recount.

Democrats have hired Washington D.C. attorney Marc Elias and Minneapolis attorney David Lillehaug to head up the DFL Party's redistricting efforts in court. Elias represented Gov. Mark Dayton in the 2010 gubernatorial recount and Sen. Al Franken in the 2008 U.S. Senate recount.

The Minnesota DFL Party has also been working with the outside group, Democratic National Redistricting Trust, on its legal efforts. That group is also being represented by Elias.

One of the reasons independent groups, and not state parties, are working on redistricting efforts is to avoid campaign contribution limits and disclosure laws. The McCain/Feingold law forbids parties from raising unlimited amounts of soft money to pay for political activity and redistricting efforts. Independent groups can raise soft money.

Republicans and Democrats in Minnesota have been lining up for a lengthy and costly court battle over how the state's political boundaries should be drawn. The courts are being asked to prepare for the possibility that Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and GOP legislative leaders won't reach agreement on a redistricting plan. Dayton vetoed the GOP-backed plan last month. The courts will take over the process if an agreement isn't reached by February 21.

A federal judge held a hearing last week on a request by several Democrats to have federal court oversee the drawing of the state's political maps. Republican attorneys have argued that redistricting matters must move through state court first.

Republicans take issue with claim Legislature "didn't appropriate money"

Posted at 1:46 PM on June 14, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

State agencies are sending out notices to contractors, vendors and grantees telling them that the state may not be making any payments if state government shuts down on July 1.

"As you may know, the Minnesota State Legislature adjourned on May 23, 2011, without appropriating money to fund the operations of state government for the fiscal year that starts on July 1, 2011," Department of Employment and Economid Development Commissioner Mark Phillips wrote in a letter.

The Department of Corrections and the Department of Human Services made similar statements in letters to contractors.

The claim isn't exactly true. The GOP-controlled Legislature passed a complete budget, but Gov. Dayton vetoed all but one of the budget bills.

"We don't deny our budget reduced government spending," House GOP spokeswoman Jodi Boyne said. "We take issue with the level of blame being placed on the Legislature when the GOP budget kept government open, operating and providing paychecks to state employees at their current salaries for two years."

Sen. Dave Thompson, R-Lakeville, issued a statement criticizing the letters.

"DEED's lie is shameful," Thompson said. "The Minnesota State Legislature adjourned on May 23, 2011, having passed the largest general fund budget in state history, which appropriated money to fund the operations of state government for the fiscal year that begins July 1, 2011. It is inconceivable that the Department of Employment and Economic Development, under Gov. Dayton's direction, did not know this fact. Therefore I must assume this is a deliberate attempt by DEED to spread misinformation about the work product of the Minnesota legislature. DEED Commissioner Mark Philips should issue a new, corrected letter to contractors, vendors and grantees reflecting that truth."

Officials within Dayton's Administration stand by the claim. They say the Legislature has not passed a bill into law so no appropriations can be spent (beyond the agriculture budget bill). When asked about the GOP claims, Dayton spokeswoman Katharine Tinucci pointed to Dayton's statement at last Wednesday's news conference:

"Their responsibility was to pass a budget that I would sign," Dayton told reporters on Wednesday. "A balanced budget that was a compromise between their ideals and what they believe their mandate to be and my ideals and what I know my mandate to be. And I'm willing to meet in the middle and they're just standing there saying, 'We'll just pass our budget, our way and then we're going home.' "

Tinucci said Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are planning to meet privately tomorrow to discuss the budget impasse.

Update: Dayton spokesman Bob Hume is also distributing a Department of Employee Relations letter from 2005 that used the exact same wording. The governor at that time was Republican Tim Pawlenty. Update: The House and Senate didn't send a complete budget to Pawlenty in 2005.

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Ethics Committee says Hoffman should apologize over Twitter comment

Posted at 7:08 PM on June 13, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Senate Ethics Committee says it will dismiss a complaint against Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, R-Vargas, if she apologizes to Sen. Barb Goodwin, DFL-Columbia Heights, in writing for a comment she wrote on Twitter about Goodwin. The Ethics Committee also says Hoffman has to delete the tweet in question and link to the Ethics report on Twitter. Hoffman was facing an ethics complaint for mischaracterizing on her Twitter feed that Goodwin called people with a mental illness "idiots and imbeciles" during a Senate floor debate.

Godwin says she's satisfied with the action taken by the Ethics Committee.

"We want to make sure that we prevent these kinds of things in the future," Goodwin said. "I'm hoping for a decent apology and that it's a sincere apology."

The committee of two Democrats and two Republican met to discuss an ethics complaint against Hoffman. Hoffman tweeted the comment in May when the Senate was debating a Health and Human Services budget bill. Goodwin said Hoffman mischaracterized her comments because she was discussing the historical context of mental health treatment in Minnesota.

The Ethics Committee debated for several hours and quibbled over how Hoffman should apologize, where she should apologize and how long an apology should be posted on Twitter.

"We're asking for different apologies twice now," Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, said as he questioned why two apologies were necessary. Ingebrigtsen also said that the committee "was all caught up in this Twitter thing."

Democrats argued that Hoffman should apologize in writing and on Twitter because she made the comments on Twitter.

"I'm narrow in my focus not about what everyone else here is doing in terms of Twittering and Tweeting," Sen. Kathy Sheran, DFL-Mankato, said. "I'm simply focused on what I think is reasonable for us to ask Sen. Hoffman to do..."

The Ethics Committee held the hearing to act on an ethics complaint filed by Sen. Ann Rest, DFL-New Hope.

"Each of us, as one of the 67 Senators, does need to be held to account even during an emotional debate on important topics for what each of us says," Rest said.

Hoffman did not testify during the hearing. Her attorney, Fritz Knaak, said Hoffman was upset with Goodwin's comments and urged the committee to not start policing comments by members during difficult political debates.

"I certainly hope that the Ethics Committee doesn't want to get on its plate into the heads of members of the debate, subjective positions being taken in difficult political contexts and difficult political debates," Knaak said. "I would submit to you that that's not a place that you want to go."

The Ethics Committee will not dismiss the complaint until Hoffman apologizes on Twitter and issues a written apology to Goodwin.

Winkler: Courts can't appropriate money

Posted at 2:51 PM on June 13, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Rep. Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, is taking issue with an effort to ask a judge to step in and keep some government services running if state government shuts down on July 1.

Minnesota Attorney General Lori Swanson is asking a district court judge to rule that some government services should continue if state government shuts down on July 1. Swanson filed a petition today in Ramsey County Court asking a judge to grant authority to continue funding "essential services" like prisons, public safety and health care for the poor, elderly and disabled.

Winkler says he believes the petition is more sweeping than previous requests. He says the petition seeks too much power for cities, counties, state agencies and other units of government.

"This petition says each government unit can define for itself what a core function is," Winkler said. "And they present a bill to the state and the state has to pay it. So this is putting a small check on how money would be spent."

Winkler also questions whether it's constitutional for a judge to fund government agencies. He says that's the job of the Legislature and the governor.

"The Minnesota Constitution requires the Legislature and the governor to compromise and pass a balanced budget," Winkler said. "The idea that powers should be separated into three branches, and that each branch should serve as a check on the other branches, is fundamental to our system of government."

The courts did step in and appropriate money during the partial government shutdown in 2005. A lawsuit was filed to challenge the constitutionality of the process but the Minnesota Court of Appeals rejected the challenge on constitutional grounds.

The court ruled that the lawsuit should have been filed earlier since then Gov. Pawlenty and the Legislature resolved their budget impasse before the court could act on it.

MAPE objects to lawmaker comparing unions to Hitler

Posted at 2:34 PM on June 13, 2011 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The executive director of the Minnesota Association of Professional Employees is objecting to a Republican lawmaker comparing unions to Adolf Hitler and Fidel Castro.

Jim Monroe is referring to e-mails between Rep. Tom Hackbarth, R-Cedar, and MAPE member Robin Seifert, who lives in Hackbarth's district.

Seifert was urging Hackbarth to support DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's budget plan that would raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners. Here's the e-mail that she sent him:

Dear Representative Hackbarth,

You have a choice. As a legislators, you could chose to ask the most fortunate among us to pay their fair share or you could inflict severe pain on the middle-class and vulnerable Minnesotans.

I oppose the all-cuts budget which will increase property taxes on homeowners, renters and small businesses by more than one billion dollars.

The all-cuts plan will eliminate support for battered women and crime victims and slash funding for public universities by $411 million.

We have a choice. We can either protect the richest Minnesotans and large corporations or we can protect the vital services that average Minnesotans depend on.

Are you willing to take away health care from 140,000 Minnesotans just to protect the 40,000 richest people in Minnesota?

I also support the Viking stadium they are part of Minnesota and need to stay here. We have waited to long to get a stadium they time is now!!

Please tax the richest 2% of Minnesotans. Ask them to pay their fair share.

Sincerely,

Ms. Robin Seifert

Seifert says Hackbarth responded with this e-mail:

I can't believe what I'm hearing from folks? All, similar letters to yours.

Are you a Union member? If so, are they the communist giving you this propaganda?

Do you know the who, what, when, where, why, and how, of Fidel Castro?

Hitler rose to power using and blaming the jews for the destruction of the German economy. Castro built his army of murderers by blaming the rich bankers and capitalist for destroying Cuba and taking advantage of the Cuban people. Hummmm?

Representative Hackbarth

Robin Seifert told MPR News that she got the e-mail from Hackbarth but declined further comment. Hackbarth has not replied to an e-mail message from MPR News. Hackbarth's legislative assistant and House Republican Caucus Spokeswoman Jodi Boyne both said Hackbarth was out of town and that they were trying to reach him.

Hackbarth's response prompted Monroe, with MAPE, to send a letter to Hackbarth (and put out a press release) asking why the representative was comparing union members to Hitler and Castro.

Do you really equate advocating for the middle class and Minnesota's vulnerable citizens as communist propaganda? Do you really believe that when our members ask you to protect 140,000 Minnesotans from losing their MnCare benefits rather than having the richest two percent of Minnesotans paying their fair share of taxes it compares to the rise of Hitler and targeting the Jews? When did supporting public services for battered women, crime victims and students in public universities become a fascist notion?

When did humanity and caring for our neighbors and asking for millionaires to pay their fair share become supporting Fidel Castro and his murderous armies?

This isn't the first time Hackbarth has been under scrutiny.

He lost his committee chair in December after he was spotted carrying a loaded handgun in a Planned Parenthood parking lot in St. Paul. Hackbarth said he was checking up on a woman he was dating. Hackbarth had a permit to carry a handgun. No charges were filed

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Petition filed to keep some government services running during shutdown

Posted at 11:01 AM on June 13, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: 2011 Shutdown, MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Minnesota Attorney General's office today filed petitions in Ramsey County Court asking for legal authority to continue funding core government services if state government shuts down.

Citing state services including prisons, sex offender treatment and veterans homes, Attorney General Lori Swanson argues a government shutdown would deprive Minnesota citizens of rights guaranteed under the state and federal constitutions. She says the court should allow the executive branch to temporarily continue funding essential services even though the Legislature and governor have not agreed on a budget for the upcoming two years.

Swanson argues that prisons, probation, state health department disease monitoring, and health care for more than 600,000 people are all examples of essential services that should be allowed to continue.

She advises the court to select what's known as a special master to determine specifically what should be funded and even suggests former state Supreme Court Justice James Gilbert for that job. Government will shut down if Governor Mark Dayton and the legislature fail to reach a budget deal by July 1st.

Here's the petition...

Petition for temporary funding of core functions of the executive branch of the state of Minnesota

Update:

Dayton issued this statement on Swanson's petition:

"The Governor's office will file its own petition to the Court, along with the critical services as designated by our contingency planning, this week."

State workers start getting layoff notices

Posted at 12:22 PM on June 10, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Thirty-six thousand state employees started receiving layoff notices today. The notices were mailed out by Minnesota Management and Budget on Thursday.

"This letter is to inform you of the impending shutdown and to provide notice to all employees you will be laid off or placed on involuntary, unpaid leave of absence effective July 1, 2011 unless you are notified by your agency to report to work to perform "critical services," it reads.

The letter also says state employees will be paid on July 1, 2011 for all hours worked during the June 8 - 21 pay period. Employees will be paid on July 15, 2011 for all hours worked between June 22 - June 30. The letter also says state workers will be allowed to continue their insurance coverage during a shutdown but employee status will determine whether the state will pay its contribution to the benefits.

0031_001

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No negotiations, but panel airs budget beefs

Posted at 2:53 PM on June 9, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (3 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

There were no private budget meetings today between DFL Governor Mark Dayton and GOP legislative leaders, even though a potential government shutdown is just three weeks away.

Republicans instead held a public meeting of the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy to try to poke holes in Dayton's proposal to raise income taxes on the top two percent of earners. Sen. Julianne Ortman, R-Chanhassen, chair of the Senate tax committee, questioned the need for a tax increase.

"I mean it's one thing to take all those risks and put our economy in jeopardy," Ortman said. "But to do it for no reason other than the fact that the governor just wants what looks like a political win is not going to be done. It's not going to happen."

Dayton's revenue commissioner, Myron Frans, defended the tax increase as a necessary step in difficult times. Frans said no one wants to increase taxes unless they have to.

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Union ad pushes tax hike to avoid shutdown

Posted at 4:17 PM on June 8, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (5 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Minnesota's public employee unions have launched a television advertising campaign aimed at convincing Republican legislators to support a budget compromise that would avoid a government shutdown.

With no budget agreement in sight, state officials are expected to mail out layoff notices Thursday to 36,000 state workers. A shutdown will begin July 1st without a new budget.

Four unions -- AFSCME Council 5, Minnesota Association of Professional Employees, Inter Faculty Organization and Middle Management Association -- are backing the statewide ad, which takes DFL Gov. Mark Dayton's side in the budget impasse. Union leaders support his proposed income tax increase on top earners.

Eliot Seide, executive director of AFSCME Council 5, said the legislators who promised to grow jobs and boost the economy are now facing the largest layoff in state history.

"I want you to imagine for a second that this was a private sector company, a private sector company in Minnesota that was putting 36,000 people out of work," Seide said. "These same leaders in the Legislature would be on their knees begging that company to keep those people working."

But Republicans predict the ad will have little impact on their ranks. Sen. Geoff Michel, R-Edina, said he's convinced there's no need for a shutdown.

"We can get this done," Michel said. "We can do it on time. We can finish this in June. We've got enough revenue. We don't need a tax increase, and I find it hard to even contemplate a shutdown. We should be spending much more of our time on the work on putting together a budget, and less of our time worrying about these July scenarios, because we should make sure they don't happen."

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32 Senate members max out expenses during legislative session

Posted at 6:05 AM on June 8, 2011 by Tom Scheck (11 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

32 members of the Minnesota Senate took the maximum amount of per diem allowed during the 2011 legislative session. Nearly two thirds of the Senate Republican caucus, 23 in all, took the maximum amount of $12,040 during session. That amounts to $86 a day for the 140 days of the session (including Saturdays and Sundays).

The Minnesota Senate spent $756,556 on per diem payments during the 2011 legislative session.

Nine DFLers took the maximum amount in expenses.

Note: Senate Republicans scaled back the maximum per diem rate in January. The rate was lowered from $96 to $86.

Per diem is optional. It comes on top of the annual salary of $31,141 for lawmakers.

Democrats taking the maximum amount of per diem:
Linda Berglin, Minneapolis
Barb Goodwin, Columbia Heights
Ron Latz, St. Louis Park
James Metzen, South St. Paul
Sandy Pappas, St. Paul
Roger Reinert, Duluth
Ann Rest, New Hope
Linda Scheid, Brooklyn Park
Patricia Torres-Ray, Minneapolis

Republicans taking the maximum amount of per diem:
David Brown, Becker
Al DeKruif, Madison Lake
Michelle Fischbach, Paynesville
Paul Gazelka, Brainerd
Chris Gerlach, Apple Valley
Joe Gimse, Willmar
Dan Hall, Burnsville
David Hann, Eden Prairie
John Howe, Red Wing
Bill Ingebrigtsen, Alexandria
Mike Jungbauer, East Bethel
Warren Limmer, Maple Grove
Doug Magnus, Slayton
Carla Nelson, Rochester
Scott Newman, Hutchinson
Sean Nienow, Cambridge
Gen Olson, Minnetrista
Mike Parry, Waseca
Claire Robling, Jordan
Dave Senjem, Rochester
Dave Thompson, Lakeville
Ray Vandeveer, Forest Lake
Pam Wolf, Spring Lake Park

Democrats declining to take per diem:
None

Republicans declining to take per diem:
Roger Chamberlain, Lino Lakes

Here's the report from the MN Senate:

1278_001

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40 members of MN House max out per diem during session

Posted at 6:00 AM on June 8, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

40 members of the Minnesota House have taken, $10,780 in daily expenses during the 2011 legislative session. That's the most House members could take in expenses.

23 Democrats and 17 Republicans took $77 a day for the 140 days that the Legislature was in session (including Saturdays and Sundays).

Per diem is an optional benefit for lawmakers. It is in addition to their annual salary of $31,141. The House spent a total of $1,223,878 on per diem payments during the 2011 legislative session.

Democrats taking the maximum amount of per diem:
David Dill, Crane Lake
Kent Eken, Twin Valley
Patti Fritz, Faribault
Lynn Carlson, Crystal
Bobby Jo Champion, Minneapolis
Karen Clark, Minneapolis
Andrew Falk, Murdock
Mindy Greiling, Roseville
Rick Hanson, South St. Paul
Alice Hausman, St. Paul
Jeffrey Hayden, Minneapolis
Bill Hilty, Finlayson
Tom Huntley, Duluth
Lyle Koenen, Clara City
John Lesch, St. Paul
Tim Mahoney, St. Paul
Carlos Mariani, St. Paul
Joe Mullery, Minneapolis
Mary Murphy, St. Paul
Gene Pelowski, Winona
Jeanne Poppe, Austin
Tom Rukavina, Virginia
Jean Wagenius, Minneapolis

Republicans taking the maximum amount of per diem:
Jim Abeler, Anoka
Tony Cornish, Good Thunder
Greg Davids, Prescott
Bob Dettmer, Forest Lake
Pat Garofalo, Farmington
Bob Gunther, Fairmont
Tom Hackbarth, Cedar
Mary Liz Holberg, Lakeville
Larry Howes, Walker
Joe Hoppe, Chaska
Tim Kelly, Red Wing
Morrie Lanning, Moorhead
Mark Murdock, Ottertail
Bud Nornes, Fergus Falls
Duane Quam, Rochester
Steve Smith, Mound
Kurt Zellers, Maple Grove

Democrats taking no per diem:
Tina Liebling, Rochester
Steve Simon, St. Louis Park

Republicans taking no per diem:
None

Here's the per diem report from the MN House

Crystal Reports - PerDiemRank 6-3-11

Update: I incorrectly reported that Erin Murphy maxed out her per diem in an earlier post when, in fact, it was Mary Murphy. My apologies.

Parry: Dayton is afraid our budget will 'work well'

Posted at 9:23 PM on June 7, 2011 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Sen. Mike Parry, R-Waseca, has taken a new line of criticism against Democratic Gov. Dayton as the budget impasse continues. Parry continued to say that Dayton will force a government shutdown in order to get his tax increase on Minnesota top earners. But Parry also says Dayton is reluctant to support the GOP budget plan because he fears it won't have the impact he's predicting.

"He's afraid that if he goes along with the budgets that were produced that they're going to work and they're going to work well," Parry told MPR news. "That's what he's afraid of. He's afraid to say 'By golly you did what you said you were going to do."

Parry, chair of the Senate State Government Finance Committee, has been one of the more vocal critics of Dayton's style and leadership. He has said Dayton is absent from negotiations and needs to take a more active role in budget negotiations.

Dayton, who is pushing for an income tax hike on top earners to help erase the state's $5 billion projected budget deficit, has characterized the cuts in the GOP budget plan as "barbaric." His spokesman, Bob Hume, took issue with Parry's criticism.

"We don't believe that denying 140,000 Minnesotans healthcare would 'work well', cutting services to seniors or double digit cuts to higher education would 'work well' or that raising property taxes would 'work well" Hume said in an e-mail. "Those have been the choices of the legislative majorities - and it's not a workable solution for Minnesotans. They've been very clear that they want a balanced solution and a budget compromise, and that's what the Governor continues to focus on."

Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are scheduled to meet tomorrow afternoon to discuss the budget.

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Push begins to get voter ID on ballot

Posted at 2:22 PM on June 7, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Supporters of a photo identification requirement to vote in Minnesota say they now want the issue on the ballot in 2012.

Sen. Scott Newman, R-Hutchinson, said he was disappointed by DFL Governor Mark Dayton's veto of the bill last month. That's why he's introducing legislation that would bypass Dayton and make the election law changes through a constitutional amendment. During a Capitol news conference today, Newman said he wants to move quickly next year to pass the measure. But he said he would not try to bring it up sooner.

"It would not be my intention to move forward with this constitutional amendment during a special session," Newman said. "In my mind, the special session that I would anticipate will be forthcoming is going to be in resolution of any budget issues."

Rep. Ryan Winkler, DFL-Golden Valley, blasted the proposal as an infringement on voter rights. Winkler also claims the measure is motivated by an extremist agenda.

GOP moves on priorities but not on overall target

Posted at 7:11 PM on June 6, 2011 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

GOP Releases budget offer:

Dayton reacts to offer:

Republican leaders in the Minnesota Legislature say they've offered a compromise budget plan to Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton, but there's still no agreement to head off a possible state government shutdown.

Republicans say they're willing to spend more money on K12 schools, public safety and the courts. But they don't want to increase the size of their overall budget. That means Republicans would be forced to make cuts in other areas. Republican House Speaker Kurt Zellers says he hopes their proposal will help end the budget impasse.

"This is what we would consider a major compromise," Zellers said. "A significant move for us when it comes to nearly 50 percent of the budget now being agreed to by us, by our membership."

Governor Dayton says he's slightly more optimistic that a budget deal can be reached but says Republicans still need to come up with more revenue, like tax increases, to meet his demands.

"It's going to be a question of whether they're really willing to reach out on the revenue side as well as on the spending side," Dayton said. "If they are, then I'm willing to reach out on the spending reduction side but I really need to see evidence in a midpoint number that they are willing to commit to or agree to."

The two sides have until July first to reach a budget deal or state government will shutdown.

You can read the GOP letter to Dayton here:

20110606163304690

GOP leaders take questions from reporters:

Dayton takes questions from reporters:

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No budget progress but GOP questions Dayton's absence at meeting

Posted at 12:48 PM on June 6, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

There's still no progress on resolving the state's budget situation and Republican are accusing Democratic Governor Mark Dayton of not showing up for a morning meeting. Republicans met privately with Dayton's staff and DFL lawmakers earlier this morning to discuss school spending bills. Republicans say they were told Dayton would attend the meeting. Rep Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, says he's disappointed the governor wasn't there.

"We need the governor to come out and play," Garofalo said. "This Legislature and this governor will make dramatic, positive changes in the area of education reform but we need him to be here to get that done."

A spokesman says Dayton would have attended the meeting if Republican legislators offered something new on budget negotiations.

"We've been clear that if they don't bring something new to the meetings that it's just for show," Dayton spokesman Bob Hume said. "This is clearly just for show."

Hume said Dayton was in another meeting and would have been alerted if Republicans brought anything new to the table. DFL state Sen. Leroy Stumpf says it's hard to negotiate the K-12 bill without an agreement between Dayton and GOP legislative leaders on how much the state has to spend.

"When you don't have some kind of a target or basically an overall plan, it doesn't help very much to try to solve the details because you're basically going around in a circle," Stumpf said.

Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are scheduled to meet this afternoon to discuss the budget. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to erase a projected $5 billion deficit. Republicans say the state has enough money and needs to cut spending.

Sen. Gen Olson, R-Minnetrista, says she still thinks it's valuable for lawmakers to meet on the K-12 budget bill even if there isn't an agreement between Dayton and GOP legislative leaders.

"The idea that we can't get some of our policy as well as spending priorities in place so that it's ready to deal with when leadership makes that final agreement is frustrating," Sen. Gen Olson, R-Minnetrista said.

Dayton is scheduled to meet with GOP legislative leaders this afternoon to discuss the budget. Hume said Dayton will attend that meeting.

Taxpayers League weighs in on budget impasse

Posted at 11:59 AM on June 6, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The Taxpayers League of Minnesota unveiled a media advertising campaign today that it hopes will influence the ongoing budget debate between DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislators.

A television ad titled "Enough is Enough" takes the side of Republicans who want to hold down state spending for the next two years. It also criticizes Dayton for proposing an income tax increase on top earners.

"Legislators passed a balanced budget that increases spending by 12 percent," the ad said. "Gov. Dayton doesn't want to compromise. He wants higher taxes and billions more in state spending."

Phil Krinkie, the league's president, said the ad is currently running on cable television. He would not say how much air time his organization planned to buy.

During a news conference, Krinkie also floated an idea for a possible budget compromise. He said Republicans could increase their spending proposal by $500 million by tapping into excess state Legacy funds.

"If that's what it takes in order to get a budget resolution and prevent a government shutdown, I would say yes," Krinkie said.

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Sen. Scheid has entered hospice care

Posted at 12:05 PM on June 3, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Sen. Linda Scheid settles into her new office at the State Office Building in a 2010 file photo. (MPR Photo/Jeffrey Thompson)

State Sen. Linda Scheid, DFL-Brooklyn Park, announced today that she is ending her cancer treatment and has entered hospice care. Scheid has served 35 years in the Minnesota Legislature. She was first elected to the Minnesota House in 1976. She was elected to the Minnesota Senate in 1996.

Scheid was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2005 and has undergone chemotherapy treatments on and off since then.

A spokesman for Senate Democrats says Scheid's treatments became ineffective and in consultation with her doctors and family, she decided to stop her chemotherapy treatments.

The spokesman says constituents can share their thoughts on Scheid's Caring Bridge site or her Facebook page.

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GOP legislative leaders rule out mediator

Posted at 1:12 PM on June 2, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

GOP legislative leaders say they are ruling out Gov. Mark Dayton's suggestion that they bring in an outside mediator to help bridge the divide on the state's budget.

Dayton made the proposal earlier today. GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers says Dayton and lawmakers were "elected to lead."

Dayton and lawmakers are at odds over the best way to craft a two year budget that erases a $5 billion budget deficit. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to erase part of the deficit. GOP legislative leaders say they can erase the budget deficit through spending cuts.

Dayton says he's waiting for Republicans to make a counter proposal to his plan to raise $1.8 billion in taxes. Republicans say they want Dayton to provide greater specifics on where he would make $1.8 billion in spending reductions.

Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are scheduled to meet privately tomorrow at 9 a.m. GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch wouldn't say if they will make a budget offer to Dayton at tomorrow's meeting.

GOP Leaders take questions from reporters:

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Dayton calls for an outside mediator to enter budget talks

Posted at 10:30 AM on June 2, 2011 by Tom Scheck (5 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Gov. Mark Dayton says he'd like to hire an outside mediator to help bridge his differences with Republican lawmakers over the state budget. Dayton made the suggestion today during a news conference. He said he's at an impasse with the GOP-controlled Legislature over the best way to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit. He said Republicans refuse to budge on their opposition to raising taxes and characterized the current state of budget talks as nonproductive.

"And it's not going to lead us to the resolution we need before July 1," Dayton said. "So to get somebody who has the expertise and can set parameters and help define a process that will define a process that will lead to a successful resolution is in the best interest of all Minnesotans."

The governor made the announcement several hours before a scheduled hearing on his budget by a legislative commission of mostly GOP lawmakers. Dayton said he would not allow his commissioners to participate in a hearing by the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy. The panel, made up of mostly Republican lawmakers, aimed to discuss Dayton's budget proposal. Dayton said he would not allow his commissioners to "be berated" in a hearing that he characterized as a "political stunt."

"It's political grand standing kind of theater to distract people away from that they're unwilling to compromise," Dayton said. "The fact [is] that their budget will have drastic effects on the lives of Minnesotans."

GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers says the hearing was meant to discuss the details of Dayton's budget plan. Zellers also ruled out Dayton's offer to bring in a mediator.

"We were elected to lead," Zellers said. "Last fall, when folks voted for not only Gov. Dayton but voted for each and every one of us in our legislative district, we were expected to come down here and do our job. It is tough work. It's not easy. If we all had to pick when we would take over as governor or speaker or majority leader, this budgetary crisis is not the time that we would all pick."

GOP lawmakers have not offered an alternative to the budget proposal Dayton vetoed last week. Zellers says he and other GOP legislative leaders don't support Dayton's proposal to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners and want to erase the $5 billion projected budget deficit through spending cuts alone.

Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to help erase part of the state's $5 billion projected budget deficit.

Dayton and lawmakers have to pass a state budget before July 1 or state government will shut down.

DAYTON'S Q&A SESSION:

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GOP to target Dayton budget at hearing

Posted at 5:17 PM on June 1, 2011 by Tom Scheck (8 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

GOP legislative leaders announced today that they intend to take aim at Governor Dayton's budget at Thursday's Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy meeting. GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch and GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers sent a letter to MMB Commissioner Jim Schowalter and Revenue Commissioner Myron Frans telling them to be prepared to discuss specifics about Dayton's budget plan.

"We would like information on plants to offset the loss of $1.8 billion in revenue in the Governor's budget due to the recent change in the administration's tax plan. Specifically, be prepared to discuss the legislature's spending reductions the Governor will agree to, or new spending reduction proposals.

On multiple occassions the Governor has indicated an interest in exempting small business from the effects (of) his tax increase plan. We are interested in knowing how this proposal changes revenue estimates for the administration's budget, and what offsets are proposed to allow small businesses to keep more of their hard-earned money."

The meeting is scheduled for 2pm on Thursday. The LCPFP has not met since September, 2010 when Democrats held majorities in both the House and Senate. DFL legislative leaders held LCPFP meetings in 2009 and 2010 to point out their budget differences with former Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Dayton and GOP legislative leaders are also scheduled to meet privately on Friday morning to discuss the budget.

Here's the letter from Koch and Zellers:

KochZellersLetter

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Ad war starts over state budget

Posted at 5:09 PM on June 1, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The union backed The Alliance for a Better Minnesota announced today that the group will run ads targeting 12 GOP lawmakers. ABM says it plans to run cable, radio and intenet ads in the 12 districts with the hopes of convincing those lawmakers to agree to Gov. Dayton's budget plan. The group is targeting lawmakers who either won in districts that have a DFL index or lawmakers who narrowly won in the 2010 election cycle.

The targets are Senator John Pederson (SD15), Senator Jeremy Miller (SD31), Senator Al DeKruif (SD25), Senator John Carlson (SD4), Senator Ben Kruse (SD47), Senator Ted Lillie (SD56), Representative King Banaian (HD15B), Representative Greg Davids (HD31B), Representative Carolyn McElfatrick (HD3B), Representative Kelby Woodard (HD25B), Representative Rich Murray (HD27A) and Representative David Hancock (HD2B).

The Coalition of MN Businesses is also running newspaper ads thanking GOP lawmakers for holding the line on state spending. The group, backed by the MN Chamber of Commerce, the Minnesota Business Partnership and ten other business groups, is running the ads in newspapers across the state.

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Campaign Finance Board fines alleged felon who can't be found

Posted at 1:30 PM on June 1, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton, Michele Bachmann

The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board is fining "Bobby Thompson" $18,000 for making campaign contributions to Republican Marty Seifert's campaign for governor, the House Republican Campaign Committee and Patriot PAC. The board investigated the donations after Stillwater blogger Karl Bremer filed a complaint with the board that "Thompson" bundled contributions through a group known as the U.S. Navy Veterans Association Minnesota Chapter.

Apparently that group solicited funds to help Navy Veterans and then either kept those funds or distributed money to politicians across the country (Read the St. Petersburg Times investigation here).

The person claiming to be Thompson allegedly stole his identity from an individual in Washington.

The Minnesota Campaign Finance Board conducted an investigation into "Bobby Thompson's" contributions and found that he circumvented campaign finance laws by bundling contributions and then distributing them to candidates through fictitious names.

"There is sufficient evidence to find probable cause to believe that the individual making political contributions in Minnesota using the name "Bobby Thompson" was not, in fact, Bobby Thompson of Bellingham, Washington, the owner of the Social Security number used by the donor in Minnesota," The MN Campaign Finance Board reported in its findings.

The Board also noted that "Thompson" deliberately violated campaign finance laws by making a $1,000 contribution in the name of Maria D'Annuzio to Republican Marty Seifert's campaign for governor.

The Campaign Finance Board is fining Thompson $21,000. The only problem is that the board may have a difficult time tracking him down. Ohio's Attorney General has a warrant out for his arrest. Several other states are also investigating Thompson and the U.S. Navy Veterans Association. The IRS and the Department of Veterans Affairs are also looking into the case. Campaign Finance Board Chair Jon Scanlon says his organization will monitor the investigations and will act if "Thompson" is found.

"The Board's order will direct the Executive Director to monitor news reports and, with the assistance of the Office of the Attorney General, take action to collect these penalties in the event the location and true identity of the donor become known."

The Board did not fine Seifert's campaign, the HRCC or the Patriot PAC because the board said there was not probable cause to believe that the person claiming to be "Bobby Thomson" was not the person he purported himself to be. The board also found that there was no probable cause for Seifert's campaign treasure to accept the contributions because the board said accepting the illegal contribution was not intentional.

Poll: Minnesotans not thrilled about home state 2012 presidential hopefuls

Posted at 12:56 PM on June 1, 2011 by Mark Zdechlik (4 Comments)
Filed under: Mark Dayton, Michele Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty

Just 28 percent of Minnesota voters think former Gov. Tim Pawlenty should seek the White House, and just 14 percent think Rep. Michele Bachmann should run for president, according to a new Public Policy Polling survey.

Of the Republicans surveyed, 57 percent said they thought Pawlenty should run for president. And more GOP Minnesota voters want Bachmann to run for Senate than president: 43 percent compared to 26 percent, according to the poll.

The poll shows a majority of Minnesota voters, 51 percent, approve of the way Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton is handling his job while 38 percent disapprove. Just 12 percent of Republicans said they approved of Dayton's job performance.

Less then one third of Minnesota voters, 32 percent, favor a 'cuts only' solution to the state budget problem, while 63 percent said they supported raising taxes on the state's wealthiest 2 percent of earners, according to the poll.

The state is divided on the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage: 47 percent oppose it compared to 46 percent who favor it, according to the poll.

Public Policy Polling says it contacted 1,179 Minnesota voters between May 27 and May 30 for its poll which has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.

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State starts sending out 36,000 pink slips

Posted at 5:18 PM on May 31, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

The state of Minnesota will start sending out lay-off notices to nearly 36,000 state employees tomorrow in preparation for a state government shutdown.

Minnesota Management and Budget says this week it will notify 800 members of the Minnesota Law Enforcement Association that they could be laid off on July 1 if Governor Dayton and the Legislature fail to pass a two year budget. Finance officials say they will send out lay-off notices to another 35,000 state workers on June 10.

The notices will be sent to every state employee, but some of those workers will be required to continue their duties if a judge deems their work "essential." A state government shutdown could be averted if Governor Dayton and the GOP controlled Legislature reach a budget deal before July 1.

Dayton and the Legislature are at odds over the best way to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Dayton wants to raise income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to erase part of the deficit. Republicans say they can balance the budget through spending cuts alone.

Dayton and GOP legislative leaders have not met to discuss the budget since Sunday, May 22.

Dayton acts on final batch of bills

Posted at 4:06 PM on May 31, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton today completed action on bills passed during the 2011 regular session by vetoing an education policy bill and signing five other bills.

In a letter explaining the veto, Dayton wrote that the measure "prohibits the Commissioner of Education from adopting Common Core Standards, which 42 other states have adopted." Dayton also noted that he is reluctant to sign and education bill that doesn't provide for early childhood education.

The bills Dayton signed included an omnibus technical tax bill, a bill which provides for settlement of claims against the state, a bill that allows for a property owner to detach their property from one municipality and annex to an abutting municipality with the support of at least one of the municipalities, the omnibus judiciary bill, and a bill to expand Gold Star license plate eligibility to surviving legal guardians and siblings of a veteran who has died while serving honorably in active military service.

UPDATE

Rep. Sondra Erickson, R-Princeton, chair of the House Education Policy Committee, said she was disappointed by the veto.

"I am afraid that the governor has shown he is more interested in playing politics than signing reforms into law, reforms that could turn around a number of our schools," Erickson wrote in a news release. "With his signature, Governor Dayton could have put us at the forefront of reform, but with his veto we're stuck standing in place for another year."

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Department of Administration starts warning contractors about shutdown

Posted at 3:27 PM on May 31, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Minnesota Department of Administration Commissioner Spencer Cronk issued a letter to business doing work for the state of Minnesota that a state government shutdown could delay payments for work.

"In the absence of legislation specifically appropriating funds for the continuing operations of the State of Minnesota for the next biennium, state authority to expend or release funds to pay for goods or services will be limited after June 30, 2011," Cronk wrote in the letter. "Details of those critical services that may continue to operate on an emergency basis after July 1, 2011 have yet to be determined."

The notice went out in the most recent edition of the State Register. The letter comes just one week after Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and the GOP controlled Legislature failed to reach a budget agreement. The two sides are at odds over the best way to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Republicans say they can balance the budget through spending cuts alone. Dayton wants a mix of spending cuts and an income tax hike on Minnesota's top earners.

Dayton will have to call the Legislature back for a special session to avoid a state government shutdown on July 1.

GOP leader wants multi-level budget discussions

Posted at 2:06 PM on May 31, 2011 by Tim Pugmire (5 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch, R-Buffalo, said today that she expects to schedule a meeting later this week with Gov. Mark Dayton to discuss the state budget impasse.

The House and Senate adjourned a week ago without reaching a final agreement to erase a projected $5 billion budget deficit. Lawmakers will now have to return for a special session and pass a two-year budget before July 1 to avoid a government shutdown.

In addition to talks with the governor, Koch said she expects committee chairs to meet with Dayton commissioners to talk about specific spending areas. She also expects the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy to start meeting soon to take up budget issues.

"That could be a nice way to vet information and have some public hearings and continue discussion on the budget," Koch said. "It has a broad, sweeping scope."

Koch and other members of a Senate subcommittee met today to appoint nine new members to the commission, including six Republicans and three Democrats.

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Dayton vetoes four more, signs 22

Posted at 3:07 PM on May 27, 2011 by Tim Pugmire
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Gov. Mark Dayton continued his brisk, post-session veto pace today by rejecting four more bills.

Dayton vetoed legislation to roll back restrictions on carbon dioxide emissions by energy utilities, the Game and Fish bill, the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act and a bill modifying who is eligible to be represented by a public defender.

In his veto letter for the emissions bill, Dayton wrote that "Minnesota must continue on a path of progress to a sustainable, clean and safe energy future, rather than increasing our already heavy reliance upon coal-fired electricity, which threatens our health and climate."

Dayton said he rejected the Game and Fish bill, in large part, due to its impact on two Minnesota-based ATV manufacturers: Polaris and Arctic Cat. Dayton wrote that proposed modifications to the definitions of class 1 and class 2 ATVs would "have a detrimental impact on those job providers."

The DFL governor said he vetoed the the Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act, also known as the Cheeseburger Bill, because it would have given companies "too broad an exemption from liability."

Dayton today also signed 22 bills into law, including a measure requiring young athletes have access to information about concussions.

Dayton vetoes Voter ID bill

Posted at 4:50 PM on May 26, 2011 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Dayton has vetoed a bill that would require Minnesotans to show photo identification to vote.

Dayton said in his veto letter that the so-called Voter ID bill would be an unfunded mandate for local units of government, that it didn't receive broad bipartisan support in the Legislature and that it would violate the federal Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment Act.

Supporters of the bill said it's needed to prevent fraud at the polls. Dayton said he didn't believe voter fraud was a problem in the state. He also said the Voter ID law would not prevent felons from voting illegally.

In addition to the veto, Dayton issued an executive order that would create a task force to modernize the state's election system and work on ways to prevent illegal voting.

Supporters of the photo ID requirement say they may try to get the measure on the ballot next year as a constitutional amendment.

Here's the veto letter:

Ch-69-SF509

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DFL Chair accuses GOP chair of "character assassination"

Posted at 3:36 PM on May 26, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

DFL Party Chair Ken Martin is criticizing State Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton and Deputy Party Chair Michael Brodkorb for engaging in "character assassination" for what they said today about Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton. Republicans argue that Dayton made things personal when he started calling Republican lawmakers "right wing extremists" who don't know how government works.

Martin said Dayton criticized Republican lawmakers for being "extremists" for refusing to compromise on the budget. He complained that Republican party officials are knowingly trying to undermine Dayton's authority as governor. He said it's unfair to call Dayton "erratic."

"They're trying to paint a caricature of him that he's not stable enough to be governor,' Martin said. "I'll tell you what, the only one who has been stable from day one is the governor. He's been consistent. He told the voters last fall what he was going to do and from day one, he's done that."

Dayton and lawmakers have until July 1 to reach a budget deal or state government will shut down.

GOP ratchets up shutdown rhetoric

Posted at 12:30 PM on May 26, 2011 by Tim Nelson (5 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Minnesota Republican Party Chair Tony Sutton launched a new attack on Gov. Mark Dayton's budget plan this morning, hoping to pin a possible state government shutdown on Dayton.

"That's his plan. It's been his plan since the state of the state, in which he referenced a shut down. If you look at his rhetoric in the last month, it's just all been about shut down. He's going to prove a political point, he's going to get his way on this, or so he thinks."

The party chair also called the governor "erratic and Machiavellian," returning to GOP charges against Dayton during the 2010 election campaign. Sutton as well responded to what he called personal attacks against GOP legislators: Dayton suggested some were "right wing" extremists.

"Here's a guy who's used to getting his way his entire life. He lived in a big house full of servants, never had to work a day in his life and all this kind of stuff. And when people push back on him, he's not used to it. So he starts name calling, and frankly engaging in activity that's not appropriate for the chief executive of this state."

He said the party is responding to Dayton's call for compromise with a new website, at daytonshutdown.com

Sutton denied DFL suggestions that the Republican caucus is listening more to the party than to their constituents.

"As a matter of fact, I am the servant. I am reflecting what they're talking about and helping them make their case across the state of Minnesota. That's what we're engaged in. It makes good copy, but the fact of the matter is I don't get involved in legislative matters. They're the ones that are pursuing the legislative agenda. We can express an opinion on things, but we don't get into the details or into the weeds. But the fact of the matter is that we're backing up what they're saying. The Democrats would like to say its about some party boss, or 1930s style Chicago. The fact of the matter is that these are a group of people who are principaled principled, who know what's best for the state is to not raise taxes right now."

Dayton is on a fly-around across Minnesota today with other DFLers, making his case for his "meet halfway" plan. He vetoed much of the GOP budget plan earlier this week.

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First-term Republican lawmakers push back on Dayton

Posted at 4:51 PM on May 25, 2011 by Tom Scheck (6 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Eight members of the Minnesota Senate said they're not happy that Gov. Dayton has called them "extremists." The group of lawmakers held a news conference today to react to comments Dayton made this week. They include GOP Sen. Michelle Benson (who was carrying her newborn), GOP Sen. Ben Kruse (who was clad in a baseball hat and jeans), GOP Sen. Roger Chamberlain (who rides his bike to work, has a truck that needs tires and tills his own garden) and Pam Wolf (a teacher). The group worked to highlight that they're mainstream Minnesotans who are aiming to improve Minnesota.

Governor Dayton blamed the current budget impasse on "extreme right-wing caucus members" who don't know how government works. Republican Senator Al DeKruif of Madison Lake says he and the other Republican members of the Legislature are not extreme.

"What we are trying to do is not be extremists in any way but actually common sense folks that come from the real world to help our government be what it should be, be everything it can be and should be. Live within our means and provide the services that we need to be providing."

Dayton and the GOP controlled Legislature are at odds over the best way to pass a two year state budget. Minnesota is facing a special session and possible government shutdown on July 1 because the two sides are at odds over taxes and spending.

Dayton is proposing to increase income taxes on Minnesota's top earners to erase a $5 billion projected budget deficit. Republicans say they won't budge off of a $34 billion budget. None of the first-term lawmakers said they would support more revenue to break the impasse.

This year's crop of Republican newcomers has considerable influence in both the House and Senate. They make up more than half of the Republican Majority in the Senate and nearly half in the House. That means freshman lawmakers will have a big say about whether GOP legislative leaders can cut a budget deal with Dayton in time to avoid a government shutdown on July 1.

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Dayton symbolically vetoes same-sex marriage ballot question

Posted at 10:05 AM on May 25, 2011 by Tim Nelson
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton

Governor Mark Dayton says he's taking symbolic action to veto a ballot question that would define marriage as between one man and one woman in the state constitution.

Dayton called the measure mean spirited, divisive and un-American.

"Although I do not have the power to prevent this divisive and destructive constitutional amendment from appearing on the Minnesota ballot in November 2012, the Legislature sent it to me in the form of a bill," Dayton said. "Thus, symbolic as it may be, I am exercising my legal responsibility to either sign it or veto it. Without question, I am vetoing it."

The measure will go on the ballot anyway, and the question does not require an override vote to stay alive. Dayton said he would actively campaign against the matter in the run-up to the 2012 election.

Here's Dayton's veto letter:

Amendment Veto Letter

ABM to urge lawmakers to support Dayton's tax plan

Posted at 6:47 AM on May 25, 2011 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Mark Dayton